Philippines House Passes Bill to Register Foreign Voters

The Philippines House of Representatives has passed House Bill No. 10178, amending the Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003 to allow online registration and voting for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

The bill, approved with 188 votes and no objections, mandates the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to gather biometric data of qualified overseas voters through its Office for Overseas Voting, in collaboration with other government agencies.

Though Comelec has been registering the biometrics of domestic voters for several years, it hasn’t been without its share of controversy. In the country’s 2015 national elections, the Supreme Court ended up siding with Comelec and its biometric voter registration requirement, dismissing objections from the Kabataan Party and ruling that biometric registration is part of the voter registration process and does not infringe on constitutional suffrage rights.

House Bill No. 10178 is aimed at increasing voter participation among overseas Filipinos by making registration and voting more accessible. The bill proposes using electronic means, including web-based portals and internet-based technologies, for voter registration, certification, and transfer of registration. It also emphasizes compliance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 to ensure the protection of personal data.

“Today, we stand for them. We stand for our [Overseas Filipino Workers] and all other overseas Filipinos or OFs permanently or temporarily living abroad, but still hold Filipino citizenship,” said Marissa Magsino, a member of the House of Representatives who represents the Overseas Filipino Workers sector. “We are making history and changing the landscape of suffrage for our overseas voters with House Bill 10178.”

The bill now awaits approval by the Senate and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Source: Inquirer

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May 16, 2024 — by Ali Nassar-Smith