Senate passes early voting bill for media

Senator Manuel Villar. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Senate approved on third and final reading a bill that will allow members of the media to vote earlier than other voters in the May 2013 elections.

The measure, authored by Sen. Manuel Villar, was sponsored on the floor by Senate electoral reforms chair Aquilino Pimentel III.

The Early Media Voting Act was approved in the House of Representatives in August last year.

The media members, however, would only be allowed to vote for the president, vice president, senators and party-list representatives.

“The limitation is purposely made to make it jibe with the limitations set forth in Executive Order No. 157, as amended, that grants the same privilege to other groups of people to vote earlier than election day and to minimize confusion among voters concerned and the implementation of the bill once it becomes law,” Pimentel explained.

Those given the early voting privilege include technical and support staff of media outfits.

Other sectors granted the same privilege include members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police and other government officials and employees who have to report for duty on electionday, under Republic Act No. 7166 on local absentee voting.

The Senate bill limits the privilege to media members who registered with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) during the registration period.

Media members must also have Comelec accreditation as recommended by the media outfit that employs them. They could only vote on the days fixed by the Comelec in the city or municipality where their media outfit has established its main or satellite office.