Resolution Creating a Select Oversight Committee on Suffrage

November 23, 2011

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 070-11

RESOLUTION CREATING A SELECT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ON SUFFRAGE

WHEREAS, Section 1, Article V of the Constitution provides that "Suffrage may be exercised by all citizens of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law, who are at least eighteen years of age, and who shall have resided in the Philippines for at least one year and in the place wherein they propose to vote for at least six months immediately preceding the election. No literacy, property, or other substantive requirement shall be imposed on the exercise of suffrage"; HEAcDC

WHEREAS, to ensure that the electorate will not be divested of their constitutional right to vote, the Omnibus Election Code mandates the Commission on Election to "Fix other reasonable periods for certain pre-election requirements in order that voters shall not be deprived of their right of suffrage and certain groups of rights granted them in this Code";

WHEREAS, there has been a growing concern over national and local elections and suffrage-related matters and issues that should be taken independently to give full attention towards its reform and upliftment;

WHEREAS, with the recent development of automating the electoral process in the country, there is a serious need to assess the upshoot of the initial implementation of the computerized election in May 2010 to find out its vulnerability as well as oversee and revisit the existing election rules and regulations affected by the poll automation;

WHEREAS, since the absentee voting law was passed eight (8) years ago, it appears that the objective in encouraging hundreds of thousands of Filipino Residents and Overseas Filipino Workers to participate in the electoral process turns out to be ineffective which is evident of the very low turnout of voters in the last election totalling to only 81,732 out of the total 589,830 overseas Filipinos registered to vote in the national elections;

WHEREAS, more commonly recurring problem in the country's local and national elections is the issue of massive disenfranchisement of voters as a result of delayed opening of precincts, slow process of voting, missing names in the voters' list and other similar election operations-related problems, have resulted in the deprivation of voters in most precincts in the country to exercise their right to vote;

WHEREAS, aspects to eradicate election fraud and similar controversies that propped up in the recent past national elections is crucial to the country's goal to regain political and economic stability; EICSDT

WHEREAS, it is vital to create the Select Oversight Committee on Suffrage in order to take the lead role to oversee, conduct study, and afford immediate legislative remedy on all issues affecting the country's national elections: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, as it is hereby resolved by the Senate,To create a Select Oversight Committee on Suffrage.

Adopted,

(SGD.) JUAN PONCE ENRILEPresident of the Senate

This Resolution was adopted by the Senate on November 23, 2011.

(SGD.) EMMA LIRIO-REYESSecretary of the Senate