SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
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SENA.TE 
S. No. 2183 
(In Substitution ofSBNs 924 and 1440) 
MAY 13 A 9 :55 
Prepared by the Committees on Electoral Reforms and People's Participation; 
and Finance with Senators Lapid, Defensor Santiago, Pimentel III, and 
Escudero as authors 
AN ACT PROVIDING }<'OR A SYSTEM OF ABSENTEE 
VOTING FOR QUALIFIED MEMBERS OF THE 
ELECTORAL STAFF OF NATIONAL CANDIDATES AND 
ACCREDITED NATIONAL POLITICAL PARTIES AND 
PARTY -LISTS, AND ELECTION LAWYERS 
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. - It is the policy of the State to 
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ensure the free exercise of the right of suffrage by all citizens of the Philippines 
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not otherwise disqualified by law. 
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SECTION 2. Local Absentee Voting for the Electoral Staff of National 
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Candidates and Accredited National Political Parties. - The Commission on 
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Elections (COMELEC) shall extend the right to vote under the local absentee 
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voting system provided under existing laws and executive orders, to the 
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electoral staff of national candidates, except candidates for district 
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representative, and accredited national political parties and party-lists, who are 
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duly registcred voters, and who, on election day, may not be able to vote due to 
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the performance of their functions as electoral slaff in the eonduct, monitoring, 
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and ensuring the integrity of election-related activities. 
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For purposes of this Act, the number of electoral staff of a national 
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candidate, an accredited national political party, or an accredited party-list that 
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may avail of the right to vote under the local absentee voting system shall be 
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limited to the total number of provinces, highly urbanized cities, and 
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independent component cities. 
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SECTION 3. 
Local Absentee Voting for Election Lawyers. -
The 
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COMELEC shall extend the right to vote under the local absentee voting system 
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provided under existing laws and executive orders to members of the Integrated 
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Bar of the Philippines, who are duly registered voters, and who, on election day, 
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may not be able to vote due to the perfonl1ance of their functions in monitoring 
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the observance oflaws during the elections. 
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For purposes of this Act only, a maximum of three (3) election lawyers 
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per candidate, accredited national political party, or accredited party-list shall be 
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allowed to avail of the right to vote under the local absentee voting system. 
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SECTION 4. Limitations. - Persons covered by this Act shall only be 
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allowed to vote for the positions of President, Vice-President, Senators, and 
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Party-List Representative. 
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SECTION 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ The COMELEC 
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shall, within thirty (30) days fr0111 the effectivity of this Act, promulgate the 
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implementing rules and regulations which shall include a system of 
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accreditation and verification of the electoral staff of national candidates and 
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accredited national political parties and party-lists, and of election lawyers, who 
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are qualified to avail oflocal absentee voting. 
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SECTION 6. Appropriations. -
The amount necessary for the 
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implementation and enforcement of this Act shall be charged against the current 
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year's appropriations or from any available savings of the COMELEC. 
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Thereafter, such amount as may be necessary for the continued implementation 
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of this Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act. 
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SECTION 7. 
Repealing Clause. -
All laws, decrees, orders, and 
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issuances, or portions thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this 
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Act, are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
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SECTION 8. Separabili~y Clause. - Shonld any provision of this Act or 
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part hereof be declared unconstitutional, the other provisions or parts not 
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affected thereby shall remain valid and effective. 
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SECTION 9. Effectivity ... This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
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after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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