House OKs bill strengthening voters’ registration

MANILA, Philippines - A bill seeking to strengthen the procedure for registration of voters in barangay elections has been approved on second reading at the House of Representatives.

The bill aims to require a person to have at least resided for six months in the barangay, city, municipality, district or province immediately preceding the election before being able to register as a voter.

“Any person who temporarily resides in another barangay, city, municipality, district, province or in another country solely by reason of occupation, profession, employment in private or public service, educational activities, work in the military or naval reservations within the Philippines, service in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the National Police Forces or confinement or detention in government institutions in accordance with the law, shall not be deemed to have lost the original residence,” according to the bill.

The bill would also require that no transfer of residence shall be allowed during the period starting 180 days before a barangay or regular election and 90 days before a special election.

The bill retained the provision that any person who, on the day of registration, may not have reached the required age or period of residence but who, on the day of the election, shall possess such qualifications may register as a voter.

Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption Rep. Sherwin Tugna authored House Bill 5520.

Sponsors on the floor were Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro, House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms chairman.

Co-authors are Reps. Joaquin Chipeco Jr., Andres Salvacion Jr., Ibarra Gutierrez III, Sharon Garin and Regina Ongsiako-Reyes.