Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE 0F REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Nineteenth Congress
Second Regular Session
HouSEBILLNd}6|1
RECEIVED
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I     DATE OE
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Introduced by Representative MA. VICTORIA CO-PILAR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Public schools and classrooms are primarily utilized by the government as polling
places  since the enactment of the Omnibus Election Code or  Batas Pambansa
Bilang 881 (BP 881) in 1985. With the growing population of registered voters, the
Commission on Elections (COMELEC) took initiatives to enhance the convenience
and accessibility of voting for Filipinos, particularly the vulnerable sectors.
In the 2023 Barangay and Sangguriang Kabataan Elections, the COMELEC had a
pilot testing of mall voting conducted in eleven (11) shopping centers across the
country. This initiative drew a significant number of voters and the procedure was
generally smooth in many participating malls.
With this positive result, it is now incumbent upon us to make permanent the
conduct   of  elections  within  the   premises   of  shopping  malls  which  pass
qualifications required by law.
Under this bill, a shopping mall may be utilized as polling place if it is not owned
or otherwise controlled by any candidate or of any person related to the candidate
within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE 0F REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Nineteenth Congress
Second Regular Session
HousEBILLNo9677
Introduced by Representative MA. VICTORIA CO-PILAR
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE CONDUCT OF NATIONAL AND LOCAL
ELECTIONS WITHIN THE PREMISES OF SHOPPING MALLS, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREOF
Be it enacted by the  Senate and House of Rapresentatives of the  Philippines in
Congress assembled:
1      Section 1.  SJiorf  Tz.£Zc  - This  Act shall be known and  cited  as  the  Mall  Voting
2      Convenience Act of 2023.
3
4      Sec 2. DccZHrtzh.o7I a/Poll.ey -It is hereby declared a policy of the state to ensure the
5      holding of a free, orderly, peaceful, credible, and convenient elections exercised by
6      all citizens of the philippines not otherwise disqualified by law.
7
8      Sec  3.  Mflzz  Vof!.rtg  -  The  Commission  on  Elections  (COMELEC)  shall  set  up
9      structures and other mechanisms to allow the voting in all national and local
1o      elections, including barangay elections, within the premises of shopping malls
11      which shall include the following:
12            (a) The  list  of  specific  shopping  malls  which  shall  be  utilized  as  voting
13                    precincts;
14            (b) The transfer of list of voters to be considered in the creation of mall voting
15                  sites who are to vote in such shopping malls as voting precincts;
16            (c) The installation of voting machine and other devices to be used by the
17                   registered voters;


1            (d) The manner in which elections shall be conducted in these satellite voting
2                   precincts;
3            (e) Such other mechanism necessary for the effective implementation of this
4                    Act.
5
6      Sec 4. Qw¢Ziyscd sfeappz.7igM¢JZs -A shopping mall to be utilized as a voting precinct
7      shall not be owned, leased, or occupied by any candidate or of any person who is
8      related to any candidate within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity,
9      or any officer of the government or leader of any political party, group or faction,
1o      nor  shall  it be  under  the actual  control  of a  private  entity,  political  party  or
11      religious organization. A shopping mall shall not be located within the perimeter
12      of, or inside a military or police camp or reservation or within a prison compound
13      to be qualified as a voting precinct.
14                 Any  registered  voter,  candidate  or  political  party  may  petition  the
15      Commission not later than thirty days before the first registration day for the
16      transfer of the polling place from the prohibited buildings provided herein. Such
17      petition shall be heard and decided by the commission within twenty (20) days
18      from the filing of the petition. Failure to effect the transfer of the polling place after
19      the cornmission found it to be located in violation of this section within the period
2o      prescribed herein shall be a ground for the postponement of the election in the
21      polling place concerned.
22
23      Sec 5. Appraprz.flh.oris -The initial funding of this Act shall be charged against the
24      current year's appropriations or from any available savings of the COMELEC.
25      Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continued implementation of this Act
26      shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
27
28       Sec 6. J777pJcmc7ttr.ng Rwzes fl7id Rcgttz¢fro7ts -The COMELEC shall promulgate the
29      Implementing Rules and Regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act. Such
3o      rules  and  regulations  shall  take  effect  upon  their  publication  in  three  (3)
31      newspapers of general circulation.
32
33      Sec  7.  ScperflbI.Z!.fy  a¢"se  -  If  any  provision  or  part  hereof  is  held  invalid  or
34      unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected
35      shall remain valid and subsisting.


1      Sec 8. Rapc#Zi7ig cz#"sc -Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order,
2      letter  of  instruction,  administrative  order,  rule  or  regulation  contrary  to  or
3      inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified, or
4      amended accordingly.
5
6      Sec  9.  £#€ctr.uz.fy  CZ#ctsc  -  This  Act  shall  take  effect  fifteen  (15)  days  after  its
7      publication in the official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
8
9                  Approved,