EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
S.
.. <-O/ • c: . 1, i:;-
OCT‘ 7
■f i r
P4:02
B.Nol 104
In tro d u c e d by Sen. Im e e R. Marcos
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR EARLY VOTING FOR QUALIFIED SENIOR
CITIZENS AND PERSONS W ITH D IS A B ILITIE S IN ALL ELECTIONS
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Suffrage is a natural and inherent right of every citizen, it is both a privilege
and an obligation. Under Section 1, Article V of the Constitution, suffrage may be
exercised by all citizens of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law. Further,
the State must ensure that senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) are
able to exercise their right to political participation without discrimination or
restrictions.
Senior citizens and PWDs play a vital role in nation-building, the state must
impose measures to ensure that their special conditions is not a hindrance in the
exercise of their right to participate in national and local elections. In 2012, Republic
Act No. 10366 was enacted authorizing the Commission on Elections to establish
Accessible Polling Places (APPs). This would guarantee that senior citizens and PWDs
are able to exercise their right to political participation.
Based on a 2019 data issued by the Commission on Elections, there are 61.8
million registered voters wherein 8,076,306 are senior citizens and 342,300 are PWDs.
However, only 211,427 senior citizens and 30,936 PWDs indicated that they would
vote in APPs, while 7,864,879 senior citizens and 311,364 PWDs voted in the negative.
It was also reported that one of the problems encountered by senior citizens and
PWDs at the APPs was that people who needed special assistance were not
immediately identified and assisted by the poll workers. Thus, it is imperative tha t a
system be established to make voting accessible and convenient for senior citizens
and PWDs.