TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ] 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ] 
First Regular Session 
]
SENATE
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25 AUG-7 P2 51
RECEIVE! lY;
S.B. No. 1102
Introduced by SEN. WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
PROVIDING ALTERNATIVE MODES OF VOTING FOR PERSONS IN 
VULNERABLE SITUATIONS TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE, 
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10366, PROVIDING 
FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The right to vote is a key part of democracy as enshrined in the 1987 Philippine 
Constitution. However, many Filipinos in vulnerable situations, such as senior citizens, 
pregnant women, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and persons deprived 
of liberty still face difficulties in exercising this right because of barriers in the voting 
process.
The Commission on Election's Vulnerable Sectors Office has observed several 
accessibility gaps during the recently concluded National and Local Elections held on 
May 12, 2025. These accessibility gaps included, among others, lack of medical aids 
in some polling precincts, difficulty locating names on the voter's list, no adequate


water stations, accessible rest rooms, and availability of facilities and equipment to 
help those with mobility issues.1
Republic Act (RA) No. 10366, otherwise known as "An Act Authorizing the 
Commission on Elections to Establish Precincts Assigned to Accessible Polling Places 
Exclusively for Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizens", mandates the 
Commission to establish designated accessible polling places for senior citizens and 
persons with disabilities, allowing them to exercise their right to political participation 
without discrimination or restrictions.
This bill also seeks to amend RA 10366 by institutionalizing alternative modes 
of voting, such as early voting, postal or mail-in voting, designate accessible precincts, 
and such other places to ensure an efficient and expeditious voting process for 
vulnerable sectors, including senior citizens, pregnant women, person with disabilities, 
indigenous people, internally displaced persons, and persons deprived of liberty.
In view of the foregoing considerations, the urgent passage of this measure is 
earnestly sought.
ATCHALIAN
1 Lau Bacia, DSWD cites snags, gains in voting pmcess for seniors, PWDs, INQUIRER, at
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2072460/dswd-citcs-snaqs and-qains in-votiiui qi uccss-for-seniors- pw.:i' (iast visited Juiy 8, 
2025).


f
TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
SENATE
S. B. No. 1102
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SfUv of tl)f
25 AUG-7 P2 51
KCEIVEi BY:
Introduced by SEN. WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
PROVIDING ALTERNATIVE MODES OF VOTING FOR PERSONS IN 
VULNERABLE SITUATIONS TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT OF 
SUFFRAGE, 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:
1 
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall ensure that senior
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citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), pregnant women, and indigenous
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peoples (IPs), internally displaced persons (IDPs), persons deprived of liberty
4 
(PDLs), and in special circumstances, health workers, quarantined and
5 
hospitalized persons, repatriated overseas voters, migrant workers, and
6 
Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in distress, are able to exercise their right
7 
to political participation without restrictions. The State shall devise systems and
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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


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interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation
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in society on an equal basis with others.
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(d) Pregnant women refer to qualified voters who are pregnant during
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election day regardless of the number of trimester of pregnancy. For purposes
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of local absentee voting, the term shall refer to qualified voters who are
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pregnant at the time of registration for absentee voting and are expected to
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remain pregnant during the period of absentee voting.
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(e) Indigenous peoples refer to qualified voters who belong to a group
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of people or homogenous societies identified by self-ascription and ascription
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by others, who have continuously lived as organized community on communally
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bounded and defined territory, and who have, under claims of ownership since
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time immemorial, occupied, possessed and utilized such territories, sharing
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common bonds of language, customs, traditions and other distinctive cultural
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traits, or who have, through resistance to political, social and cultural inroads
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of colonization, non-indigenous religions and cultures, became historically
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differentiated from the majority of Filipinos. IPs shall likewise include people
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who are regarded as indigenous on account of their descent from the
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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,
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or the establishment of present state boundaries, who retain some or all of
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their own social, economic, cultural and political institutions, but who may have
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been displaced from their traditional domains or who may have resettled
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outside their ancestral domains.
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(f) Internally displaced person refers to a qualified voter who has been
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forced or obliged to flee or leave one's home or place of habitual residence
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within the national borders as a result of, or in order to avoid or minimize, the
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effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized and/or organized violence,
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violators of human rights, implementation of development projects, or natural
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and human-induced or human-made hazards or disasters.
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(g) Person deprived of liberty refers to a qualified voter, who is a
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detainee, inmate, prisoner, or person under confinement or custody in any
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other manner.


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(h) Health workers shaW mean qualified voters who engaged in health-
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related work, and all persons employed in all hospitals, sanitaria, health
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infirmaries, health centers, rural health stations, clinics, and other health-
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related establishments owned and operated by the government or its political
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subdivisions which original charters and shall include medical, allied health
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professional, administrative and support personnel, regardless of their
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employment status.
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(i) Repatriated overseas voter refers to a citizen of the Philippines
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registered and allowed to vote under Republic Act No. 9199, as amended, but
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was repatriated due to special circumstances such as armed conflict, issues in
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international relations, state of emergency or calamity, or any other analogous
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circumstance beyond the control or fault of the voter.
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SEC. 3. Local Absentee Voting. - The Commission shall extend the right
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to vote under the Local Absentee Voting System to senior citizens, PWDs,
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pregnant women, and IDPs qualified to vote, as provided in existing laws and
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executive orders. They may cast their ballot at accessible establishments
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designated by the Commission, for a period of not less than two (2) days within
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seven (7) calendar days before the election.
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In the event of a public health emergency, health workers on official
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duty and quarantined and hospitalized persons qualified to vote may avail of
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the right to Local Absentee Voting.
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A repatriated overseas voter may avail of the right to Local Absentee
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Voting only if such voter's repatriation was due to special circumstances such
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as armed conflict, issues in international relations, state of emergency or
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calamity, or any other analogous circumstances beyond the control or fault of
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the voter.
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The Commission shall designate accessible polling places, defined under
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Section 2Q) of Republic Act No. 10366, as amended, for senior citizens, PWDs,
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and pregnant women.
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There shall be nationwide registration of senior citizens, PWDs, pregnant
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women, IDPs, and in special circumstances, health workers, quarantined and


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hospitalized persons, and repatriated overseas voters, who wish to avail of the
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Local Absentee Voting. Those who are not registered under the Local Absentee
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Voting system shall be allowed to vote on election day.
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SEC. 4. Emergency Accessible Polling Places (EAPP). - During election
6 
day, the Commission shall designate rooms or makeshift or temporary polling
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places at residence for senior citizens; jails, prison facilities or detention
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centers; quarantine and hospital facilities; areas with a substantial number of
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IDPs; remote areas; and in such other places as may be necessary to ensure
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an efficient and expeditious voting process for senior citizens, PWDs, pregnant
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women, IDPs, PDLs, IPs, and in special circumstances, health care workers on
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duty and qualifies repatriated overseas voters.
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The Commission shall ensure that, as far as practicable and necessary,
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the EAPPs shall have the same features and offer the same assistive services
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found in Accessible Polling Places, defined under Section 2(j) of Republic Act
16 
No. 10366, as amended, and that the voting procedure in the EAPPs, including
17 
the facilities and materials, is adequate, appropriate, accessible, easy to
18 
understand and use, and that reasonable accommodation shall be granted to
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the persons named in the preceding paragraph to ensure the full exercise of
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their right of suffrage.
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SEC. 5. Section 2(j) of Republic Act No. 10366 is hereby amended to
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read as follows:
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"SEC. 2. Definition of Terms. - xxx
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(a) xxx.
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xxx
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(j) Accessible polling place refers to the venue where the [Board of
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Election Inspectors (BEIs)] ELECTORAL BOARD conducts election-
29 
related proceedings and where the voters cast their votes. The
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accessible polling place shall be located at the ground floor,
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preferably near the entrance of the building, [and is] READILY
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ACCESSIBLE TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTAION, free of any physical


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barriers and provided with [necessary scrviccG, including assistive
2 
devices] NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDING
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ASSISTIVE DEVICES, TRANSPORT WHEELCHAIRS, RAMPS,
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RAILINGS, SIDEWALKS, ADEQUATE LIGHTING,
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VENTILATION, SUFFICIENT SIGNAGE AND DIRECTIONAL
6 
SIGNS, LISTS OF CANDIDATES TRANSCRIBED IN BRAILLE,
7 
AND OTHER FEATURES FOR PWDS, PREGNANT WOMEN, AND
8 
SENIOR CITIZENS, AS WELL AS SUPPORT SERVICES OF
9 
EXPERTS IN ASSISTING PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
10 
SUCH AS SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS. ACCESSIBLE
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POLLING PLACES SHALL BE LOCATED IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
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TOWN HALLS OR PLAZAS, CIVIC CENTERS, COMMUNITY
13 
CENTERS, OR OTHER SIMILARLY DESIGNATED VENUES. IN
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DESIGNATING THE ACCESSIBLE POLLING PLACES, THE
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COMMISSION SHALL GIVE PREFERENCE TO VENUES
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DESIGNED WITH SPECIAL FEATURES TO ENSURE THE
17 
SAFETY AND COMFORT OF SENIOR CITIZENS, PREGNANT
18 
WOMEN, AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES."
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SEC. 6. Section 9 of Republic Act No. 10366 is hereby deleted and a new
21 
Section 9 shall be inserted to read as follows.-
22 
SEC. 9. DESIGNATION OF ACCESSIBLE POLLING PLACES
23 
FOR SENIOR CITIZENS, PWDS, AND PREGNANT WOMEN. -
24 
THE COMMISSION SHALL DESIGNATE AND ESTABLISH
25 
ACCESSIBE POLLING PLACES IN EVERY VOTING CENTER
26 
FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE OF PWDS, SENIOR CITIZENS, AND
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PREGNANT WOMEN IN SUCH NUMBER AS MAY BE
28 
SUFFICIENT TO ENSURE AN EXPEDIENT, SAFE, AND
29 
COMFORTABLE VOTING PROCESS. NO PRIOR
30 
MANIFESTATION SHALL BE REQUIRED FOR THE PERSONS
31 
MENTIONED HEREIN TO AVAIL OF THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN
32 
ACCESSIBLE POLLING PLACES."


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SEC. 7. Provision for Transportation/Shuttie Service. - The Commission 
shall provide a system of transportation/shuttle services for the senior citizens, 
PWDs, pregnant women, IPs, and IDPs during the period of Local Absentee 
Voting under this Act and during election day to ensure that these sectors have 
means of transportation to and from the polling places.
SEC. 8. Estabiishment of Vuinerabie Sectors Office (VSO) Under the 
Commission. - The Commission is hereby authorized to establish a VSO tasked 
specifically to oversee and supervise the effective implementation of this Act: 
Provided, That its Secretariat shall come from the existing Secretariat 
personnel of the Commission.
SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days 
from the effectivity of this Act, the Commission shall, in consultation with other 
relevant government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and civil 
society organizations, promulgate the rules and regulations necessary to 
implement this Act.
SEC. 10. Appropriations. - The initial amount for the implementation of 
this Act shall be charged against the available appropriations of the 
Commission. Thereafter, the amount necessary for its continuous 
implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
SEC. 11. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared 
invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions hereof not 
affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
SEC. 12. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared 
invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions hereof not 
affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.


SEC. 13. Effectivity. -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette ox in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,