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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Proposed early voting for seniors, PWDs, lawyers, etc. breezes through House plenary

Proposed early voting for seniors, PWDs, lawyers, etc. breezes through House plenary

Published May 8, 2023 09:53 am
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The House of Representatives has unanimously approved on third and final reading on Monday afternoon, May 8 the proposed Act providing for early voting by qualified senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), lawyers, and human resources for health in national and local elections. Garnering a total of 259 affirmative votes was House Bill (HB) No. 7576, which was a consolidation of 15 separate measures filed in the current 19th Congress. Nobody voted in the negative or abstained during nominal voting. Deputy Speaker and Batangas 6th district Rep. Ralph Recto, who presided over Monday's plenary session, declared the bill as passed on third reading. House Speaker Martin Romualdez hailed the progress of the measure which, if enacted, would benefit disadvantaged sectors as well as those that render indispensable services to Filipinos. "By default, senior citizens and PWDs encounter more difficulty in the electoral process. They deserve more assistance in the language of the law and HB No.7576 provides them with this in the form of voting early and separate from the vast majority of Filipinos," Romualdez said. "On the other hand, our lawyers and human resource for health perform duties of great urgency and impact on other citizens. As such, the benefit of early voting for them is both deserved and called for," he explained. Under HB No. 7576, it is declared the policy of the State to make voting convenient for senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), lawyers, and human resources for health by giving them the option to vote earlier than the date set for the elections. "In consideration of their respective physical and health conditions, senior citizens and PWDs shall be allowed to vote early in national and local elections," read Section 2 of the measure. "Similarly, in consideration of the necessity of providing professional services and ensuring the health and safety of the populace during election day, lawyers and human resources for health, respectively, shall be allowed to vote early in national and local elections," it added. The bill, which was a consolidation of 15 separate measures filed in the 19th Congress, received multi-partisan support with a total of 125 members of the House listed as co-authors. The authors deemed it necessary to give a clear definition of “human resources for health” for purposes of availing the early voting benefit. Human resources for health is defined as those "who are engaged in health and health-related work, and all persons employed in all hospitals, sanitaria, health infirmaries, health centers, rural health units, barangay health stations, clinics and other health-related establishments owned and operated by the Government or its political subdivisions with original charters and shall include medical, allied health professional, administrative and support personnel employed regardless of their employment status who physically report to the frontlines during the day of the election". There shall be a nationwide registration for senior citizens, PWDs, lawyers, and human resources for health to qualify them to avail of this early voting privilege. Those who are not registered under this Act shall vote with the rest of the eligible population on Election Day. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is also given a clear set of responsibilities in order to ensure the effective implementation of the Act. These include having Comelec keep a record of senior citizens, PWDs, lawyers, and human resources for health who are registered voters; designating a system of registration for them in coordination with local government units, the National Council on Disability Affairs, the Commission on Human Rights, the Office of the Bar Confidant of the Supreme Court, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, the Department of Health, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government; and ensuring that polling places are safe and accessible to senior citizens and PWDs. Moreover, the poll body is expected to launch an intensive information campaign on early voting for qualified senior citizens, PWDs, lawyers, and human resources for health.

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PWDs senior citizens House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal early voting third and final reading
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