EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S.B. No. 2216
DATE
7>ME
NDEX
Blits
(In substitution of S.B. No. 1866, taking into consideration 
S.B. Nos. 1104 and 1870, and H.B. No. 6470)
Prepared by the Committees on Electoral Reforms and People's Participation; 
Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development; and Finance 
with Senators Angara, Marcos, and De Lima as authors thereof
AN ACT
ENHANCING ACCESSIBILITY IN THE VOTING OF SENIOR CITIZENS, 
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, PREGNANT WOMEN, AND INDIGENOUS 
PEOPLES, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10366, 
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
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SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. -The State shall ensure that senior citizens,
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persons with disabilities (PWDs), pregnant women, and indigenous peoples (IPs) are
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, able to exercise their right to political participation without restrictions. The State shall
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devise systems and procedures that will enhance accessibility in their voting process.
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SEC. 2. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the term:
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(a) "Commission" refers to the Commission on Elections.
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(b) "Senior citizens" refer to qualified voters who are sixty (60) years or
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older.


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(c) "Persons with disabilities" or "PWDs" refer to qualified voters who have
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long term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction
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with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an
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equal basis with others.
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(d) "Pregnant women" refer to qualified voters who are pregnant at the time
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of the period for early voting and during election day regardless of the number of
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trimester.
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(e) "Indigenous peoples" refer to qualified voters who belong to a group of
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people or homogenous societies identified by self-ascription and ascription by others,
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who have continuously lived as organized community on communally bounded and
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defined territory, and who have, under claims of ownership since time immemorial,
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occupied, possessed and utilized such territories, sharing common bonds of language,
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customs, traditions and other distinctive cultural traits, or who have, through
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resistance to political, social and cultural Inroads of colonization, non-indigenous
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religions and cultures, became historically differentiated from the majority of Filipinos.
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IPs shall likewise include peoples who are regarded as indigenous on account of their
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descent from the populations which inhabited the country, at the time of conquest or
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colonization, or at the time of inroads of non-indigenous religions and cultures, or the
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establishment of present state boundaries, who retain some or all of their own social,
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economic, cultural and political institutions, but who may have been displaced from
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their traditional domains or who may have resettled outside their ancestral domains.
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SEC. 3. Early Voting. - For national and local elections, there shall be early
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voting where senior citizens, PWDs, pregnant women, and IPs qualified to vote early
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may choose to cast their ballot for a period of not less than two (2) days within thirty
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(30) calendar days before election day at accessible establishments designated by the
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Commission.


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For this purpose, accessible establishments shall be located at the ground floor,
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preferably near the entrance of a building, shall be readily accessible to public
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transportation, and shall be free of any physical barriers and provided with necessary
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infrastructure and disability support services, including assistive devices, transport
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wheelchairs, ramps, railings, sidewalk, adequate lighting, ventilation, and other
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features for the senior citizens, PWDs, and pregnant women.
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Aside from structural accessibility, the Commission shall provide live assistance
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for PWDs such as sign language interpreters.
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There shall be a nationwide registration of senior citizens, PWDs, pregnant
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women, and IPs who may wish to avail of their early voting privileges to qualify them
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for early voting. Only those who are not registered under the early voting system shall
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vote on election day.
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SEC. 4. Option for Postal Early Voting. - Senior citizens, PWDs, pregnant
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women, and IPs who registered for early voting shall have the option to cast their
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ballot via post in designated precincts: Provided, That voters who wish to vote via post
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must first be registered to do so with the Commission.
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The Commission shall provide rules, necessary safeguards, and confirmation
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procedures to properly implement this provision.
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SEC. 5. Emergency Accessible Polling Places (EAPP). - During election day, the
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Commission shall designate a room or a makeshift or temporary polling place
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established at the ground of a voting center or outside of it but in close proximity
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thereto, where senior citizens, PWDs, and pregnant women voters may vote on
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election day.
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The Commission shall ensure that the voting procedure in the EAPP, including
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the facilities, materials, and a voting machine in the event of automated elections, are
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adequate, appropriate, accessible, and easy to understand and use, and that


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reasonable accommodation shall be granted to PWDs, senior citizens, and pregnant
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women in order that they may fully exercise their right of suffrage. The Commission
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shall provide live assistance for PWDs such as sign language interpreters.
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SEC. 6. Section 2(j) of Republic Act No. 10366 is hereby amended to read as
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follows:
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"SEC. 2. Definition of Terms, -xxx
(a)
xxx.
xxx.
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(j) Accessibie poiiing piece refers to the venue where the 
Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) conducts election-related 
proceedings and where the voters cast their votes. The accessible 
polling place shall be located at the ground floor, preferably near the 
entrance of the building, SHALL BE READILY ACCESSIBLE TO 
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, and [is] SHALL BE free of any 
physical barriers and provided with necessary INFRASTRUCTURE 
AND services, including assistive devices, TRANSPORT 
WHEELCHAIRS, RAMPS, RAILINGS, SIDEWALKS, ADEQUATE 
LIGHTING, VENTILATION, AND OTHER FEATURES FOR 
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND SENIOR CITIZENS.,,
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SEC. 7. Section 9 of Republic Act No. 10366 is hereby amended to read as
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follows:
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"SEC. 9. [Creation of\ Precincts for Persons with Disabiiities and 
Senior Citizens. -The Commission is hereby authorized to [establish] 
DESIGNATE precincts [of o nontGrritorial nature,-] IN ACCESSIBLE 
POLLING PLACES FOR THE exclusive[ely^] USE OF persons with


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disabilities and senior citizens [whe-in-their—registration-records 
fnanifest-thoir intent to avail of-their-right-to a-separate prccirict-under
this-section.-Pursuant-heretO/ the-Gommission-shall-cstablish-at-least
one-(-l^-such prccinctrassigncd -to-accossible-polling-places-for-every
voting-center.-], SUCH AS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, TOWN HALLS 
OR PLAZAS, CIVIC CENTERS, COMMUNITY CENTERS, OR 
OTHER SIMILARLY DESIGNATED SPECIAL VENUES OR AREAS, 
WITH PREFERENCE FOR VENUES DESIGNED WITH SPECIAL 
FEATURES TO ENSURE THEIR SAFETY AND COMFORT. Such 
precincts shall be provided with assistive devices PURSUANT TO THE 
PROVISIONS OF SECTION 2(3) OF THIS ACT as well as the 
services of experts in assisting persons with disabilities, SUCH AS 
SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS.
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SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days from
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approval of this Act, the Commission shall, in consultation with other relevant
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government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and civil society
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organizations, promulgate the rules and regulations necessary to implement this Act.
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SEC. 9. Appropriations. -The initial appropriation to carry out the provisions of
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this Act shall be charged against the current appropriations of the Commission.
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Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall
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be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
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SEC. 10. Separability Clause. - Should any provision of this Act or part hereof
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be declared unconstitutional, the other provisions or parts not affected thereby shall
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remain valid and effective.
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SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, and issuances, or
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portions thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby
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repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.


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SEC. 12. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication In two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,