HB 4241 (With HB 1960 and HB 1510) - Providing for Early Voting to Qualified Members of the Media

8/6/2019 HB 4241 (With HB 1960 and HB 1510) - Providing for Early Voting to Qualified Members of the Media

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1 Section 4. Requirements. Thirty (30) days before the election, officers of2 media establishments shall submit to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) a list of3 members of their media staff who will be assigned away from their polling place and will4 not be able to vote on day of the election but desire to exercise their right to vote. Upon5 verification by the COMELEC, the media practitioners, all of which must be registered6 voters, must fill up an application form for early voting.7B9 Section 5. Voting Procedures. - Those qualified to vote may cast his / her

10 ballot in the Office of the Municipal! City Election Registrar where he / she is registered1). during office hours within fourteen (14 worKing days before the day of elections. He J12 she will be allowed to vote for as many positions available, as any other qualified voter.131415 Section 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The COMELEC shall16 promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to implement this Act.171819 Section 7. Appropriations. - The budget needed to implement provisions of20 this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.212223 Section 8. Separability Clause. - Should any provision of this Act be declared24 invalid or unconstitutional, the validity or constitutionality of the other provisions shall not25 be affected thereby.262728 Section 9. R.epealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, letter of instructions,29 resolutions, orders, ordinances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the30 provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.313233 Section 10. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its34 complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of genera! circulation.353637 Approved,3839

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HOUSE BILL No. 1960

Republic of the PhilippinesHOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESQuezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESSFirst Regular Session

Introduced by Reps. TEODORO A. CASINO, NERI JAVIER COLMENARES,LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN, RAFAEL V.MARIANO, RAYMOND V. PALATINO

EMERENCIANA A. DE JESUS, and ANTONIO L. TINIO

EXPLANATORY NOTEThe necessity of a free press in a striving democracy like the Philippines has been clearlydemonstrated over the years. Besides delivering up-to-date and informative news every day, the presshas been pivotal in exposing corruption, human rights violations and other injustices. During criticaltimes of the elections, media practitioners serve as both watchdogs and help desks, revealing imagesof election fraud and bribery, facilitating reports of violence and inefficiency.

However, it is their own public service that hinders them from exercising their right to vote. Often,these media practitioners are stationed in different parts of the country to closely monitor electionevents. More often than not, they do not have enough time and capacity to travel to their own pollingprecincts and vote.All citizens above 18 years old, unless disqualified by law, are accorded the right of suffrage. In thepast and up to the present, special provisions have been arranged to grant early and absentee votingfor our overseas workers, military and police personnel who are assigned to perform duties onElection Day. It is only fair to extend the opportunity to members of the media.

This bill seeks to grant media practitioners assigned in areas other than their polling places the right toparticipate in the elections through early voting.

Last 14th Congress" both the House of Representatives and the Senate approved separate bills callingfor advance voting in certain areas and of certain sectors, including the media, detainees anduniformed personnel. Congress, however, failed to pass a reconciled version of House Bill 6928 andSenate Bill 3570. It is hoped that this measure will be given priority under the new Congress.In view of the foregoing, immediate approval thereof is sought.


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Approved,

-=-r J j _ ~ ; . _ _ _T~A.CASINO/"7 - , 'c aymMuna Patty-list i t ) A

NERIJAVI ReOL ENARE~- RAYM v. PALATINOBayan M -list an Party-list

~.-~~V A N T o ' N r o ; c T " i N I OACT Teachers Party-list

L1~.I~G~Gabriela Women's Party

Anakpawis Party-list

. / ~ C S ) { _ ~ , /EMERENCIANA A. DE JESUS

Gabriela Women's Party


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HOUSE BILL No. 1960

Republic of the PhilippinesHOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon CityFIFTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

Introduced by Reps. TEODORO A. CASINO, NERI JAVIER COLMENARES,LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN, RAFAEL V. MARIANO, RAYMOND V. PALATINO

EMERENCIANA A. DE JESUS, and ANTONIO L. TINIO

AN ACTPROVIDING FOR EARLY VOTING TO QUALIFIED MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the " Ea rlY Vo ti ng fo r Media A c t o f 2010.))SECTION 2. Declaration oEPolicy. - All Filipino citizens at least eighteen years old, unlessdisqualifiedby law,are accorded the right of suffrage. The State ensures equal opportunity to allinorder to exercise this fundamental right. This includes special caseswherein citizens, carrying outpublic service, cannot cast their votes on election day.SECTION 3. Coverage. - Any registered voter, by reason of his/her duties asmember of themedia, who cannot cast his/her vote on election daymay vote in his/her municipalityor city inadvance.SECTION 4. Requirements. - Thirty days before the election, officers of media establishmentsshall submit to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) a list of members of their media staff whowill be assigned awayfrom their polling place and will not be able to vote on Election Day but desireto exercise their right to vote. Upon verification by the COMELEC, the media practitioners, all ofwhich must be registered voters, must fill up an application form for earlyvoting.SECTION 5. Votingprocedures. - Those qualified to vote earlymay cast his/her ballot in theOffice of the Municipal/City Election Registrarwhere he/she is registered during office hours withinfourteen (14)working days before the dayof elections. He/ shewill be allowed to vote for asmanypositions available,as any other qualifiedvoter.SECTION 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The COMELEC shall promulgate thenecessary rules and regulations to implement this Act.SECTION 6. Appropriations. - The budget needed to implement provisions of this Act shall beincluded in the annual General Appropriations Act.


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SECTION 11. Constitutionality. - Should any provision of this Act be declared invalid orunconstitutional, the validity or constitutionality of the other provisions shall not be affected thereby.

SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, letters of instructions, resolutions, orders,ordinances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are herebyrepealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

SECTION 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (is) days after its publication in two(2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,


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Republic of 1M 8hilipplnesHOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESQuezon City, Metro rviani la

FIFTEENTH CONGRESSFirst Regular Session

House Bill No. 1510INTRODUCED BY HON. MARCELINO "MARCY" R. TEOOORO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Every time our country conducts an election, many media people wouldcomplain about the difficulty of exercising their right of suffrage. Mas1 of them eventuallybecame disenfranchised because rnediarnen are usually assipned to a place/locationdifferent from tl,8 precicnt where they registered.

Hence, this bill provides for ear' ly voting to qualified members of the mediaparticularly those who will be deployed to cover the conduct of elections in different parts ofthe country on election day. This is giving recognition to tM tact that their official assignmentfor the purpose of broadcasting and rsportaqe ensLJrestransparency, integrity andaccountabi li ty amor.q c ; ) 1 ! political participants whic!'\ uhirnately protects the sanctity of tt,sbauot.

The proposal includes mandating heads of rnedia outfits to submit rc theCOMELEC the names of their respective qualified media members who wish to avail of tneearly voting at least thirty (30) days before the election. Further, it allows qualified membersof the media to vote during office hours within seven (7) working days before the election dayin the Office of the Municipal/City Election Registrar whers H'ley are registered,

Given what the proposal would eventually achieve, approval of this measure isearnestly sougr,l

/~'7~~........ _._ .... _ .._ ._ ... _ . . . . _ -MARCEUNO"MARCY"R. TEODORO

RepresEmtalive, ' 1 ' " DistrictCity of Marlklna

II!~III'I,IIIII


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Repu.blic of the PhilippinesHOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESQ uezon C ity, M etro Manlli.1

i=!F !E EN TH CO NG R ES SF ir st Regu la r SessionHouse Bill No. _ 1 _ 5 _ - , _ 1 _ 0

INTRODUCED BY HON. MARCELINO "MARCY" R. TEODORO

ANACTPROV.IDING FOR EARLY VOTING TO QUALIFIED MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA

B e it e na cte d by {h e S en ate a nd H ou se o f R ep re se nta tive s of th e P hilip pin es in C on gre ssassembled;SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy - Elections shalJ be free and equal. The State st~a!l ensure beexercise of tha right of suffrage by all citizens of the Phiiippines not otherwise disqualified by lawSEC, 2, l ! 1 I h a are Qualif ied to Vote, - Any person, tJy reason of hislher functions ana duties as amember of the media, who is not able to cast his/her vote on elaction d aySEC, 3. Hew to Apply for Early Voting, - Thirty (30) days before the election, the appropriatehead of office shall submit to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) a list of members ofmedia who are registered voters and, by reason O f their duties and functions, will no t be able tovo te on election day but desire 1 0 exercise meir right to vote by filling up a ll application form forearly votingUpon verification by tile COMELEC that the persons included in HIe list are qualified voters, itstla!1 transmit the exact number of application forms to the head of office making the request.SEC, 4. Who to Vote for, When and Where. - A member of the media qualified to vote early maycast his/her ballot in the Office of the Municipal/(::ity Election Registrar where he/she is registeredduring office hours within seven (7) working cays before the day of elections, He/Sha may votefor es many positions available to be voted on as any other qualified voter casting his/her balloton election day proper.SEC, 5 Impiementing Ruies and Regulations - The COMELEC shall promulgate the necessaryrules and regulations to implement WiisAct.SEC o. Appmpriations, _.The amount needed to initially implement the provlslons of this Act shallbe charqed against the current fiscal year's appropriations of the COMELEC for the holdrnq ofe lec tio ns. In ca se of deficiency, any sav in gs generated from the blldget of the COMELEC m a y beused to augment said appropriations, Thereaftar, such sums as may be needed for its continuedimplementation shall be included in the annual ( '38n6r81 Appropriations ActSEC. 7, Separability Clause, - Ii any part or provision of tltis Act sfiall be oeciaradunconstitutional or invalid, the other Provisions hereof Which are not affected tnersbv shallcontinue to be in full force and effect. 'SEC. 8, Repealing C lause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, rules andregulations, other issuances and parts tnersot which are inconsistent w i t t 'J the orovisions of thisAct aTe hereby repealed or rnocrnecaccoromory .. .. .. .-.,SEC, 9. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its oubtication inthree (3) newspapers of general circulation .

.Approved,

HB 4241 (With HB 1960 and HB 1510) - Providing for Early Voting to Qualified Members of the Media

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Transcript of HB 4241 (With HB 1960 and HB 1510) - Providing for Early Voting to Qualified Members of the Media