EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
S E N A T E
S. B. No.
1174
(In substitution of S.B. No. 1005)
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'19 
NOV 18 
A 9 ^ 0
RE l -, .
Prepared by the Committee on Electoral Reforms and People's Participation 
With Senators Pimentel III and Marcos as authors thereof
AN ACT AMENDING SECTION 185 OF THE OMNIBUS ELECTION CODE, 
AS AMENDED, BY ABOLISHING THE PRINTING OF THE VOTERS 
INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTION SHEET
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
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SECTION 1. Section 185 of the Omnibus Election Code, as amended, is hereby
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amended to read as follows:
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"SEC. 185. Official Sample Ballots. -  The Commission shall provide the board 
of election inspectors with official sample ballots at the rate of thirty (30) 
ballots per polling place. The official sample ballots shall be printed on colored 
paper, in all respects like the official ballots but bearing instead the words 
'Official Sample Ballot' to be shown to the public and used in demonstrating 
how to fill out and fold the official ballots properly. No name of any actual 
candidate shall be written on the spaces for voting on the official sample 
ballots provided by the Commission, nor shall they be used for voting."
"At least thirty (30) days before an election, it shall be the duty of the 
Commission on Elections to [furnish every registered voter through registered 
mail with return card, personal service with corresponding receipt to be


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signed by the voter or any person who knows the voter, or any other 
practicable means with an] PUBLICIZE THE UNFILLED OFFICIAL 
SAMPLE BALLOT THROUGH BROADCAST, DIGITAL, ELECTRONIC OR 
ONLINE MEDIA, AS WELL AS POSTING THE SAME INFORMATION AT 
CONSPICUOUS 
PUBLIC 
AREAS 
INCLUDING 
BARANGAY 
HALLS 
DURING BARANGAY AND SANGGUNIANG KABATAAN ELECTIONS 
[unfilled official sample ballot , voter information sheet] 
and a list of all 
registered national, provincial and city candidate to be voted in the said 
election. [The information sheet shall include the voter's name, address, the 
precinct and the place where he is registered, and simplified instructions as to 
the casting of votes.] The names of the candidates shall be listed in 
alphabetical order under their respective party affiliation and a one-line 
statement not to exceed three (3) words of their occupation or profession: 
Provided, however. That in the [printing] POSTING of the names of the 
candidates for national offices, the alphabetical order shall be democratized 
so that the listed names shall be made in three (3) columns: the first column 
shall commence with the letter A and end with the letter Z; the second 
column shall commence with the letters T-Z' and thereafter -  'A-H' and the 
third column shall commence with the letters 'Q-Z' and thereafter 'A-P'. 
[These information may be contained in a single sheet or booklet form, and 
the number and location of the voters' polling place shall be prominently 
indicated therein.] Persons nominated under the party-list system likewise be 
included in the abovementioned list."
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SEC. 2. Repeal. -  Provisions of laws relating to the duty of the Commission to
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furnish every registered voter printed copies of an unfilled official sample ballot,
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voter information sheet, and a list of candidates including but not limited to,
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Republic Act No. 7904, is hereby repealed.
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SEC. 3. Effectivity. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,