EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 157
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 157 - PROVIDING
FOR ABSENTEE VOTING BY OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF GOVERNMENT WHO ARE
AWAY FROM THE PLACE OF THEIR REGISTRATION BY REASON OF OFFICIAL
FUNCTIONS ON ELECTION DAY
WHEREAS,
under the electoral law now in force the rule is that a person has to
be physically present in the polling place whereof he is a registered
voter in order to be able to vote;
WHEREAS, the only exception is that established by Section 169 of Batas
Pambansa Blg. 881, which allows members of the board of election
inspectors to vote in the polling place where they are assigned on
election day, under certain conditions;
WHEREAS, there are other persons who, by reason of public functions and
duties, are assigned on election day in places other than their place
of registration, and under existing rules, are thus unable to vote;
WHEREAS, the democratic principle requires the broadest participation
in electoral and similar exercises by persons who have all the
qualifications and none of the disqualifications to vote;
WHEREAS, government officials and employees who are assigned to places
other than their place of registration must not be deprived of their
right to participate in electoral exercises;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, CORAZON C. AQUINO, President of the Philippines, do
hereby order:
Section 1. Any person who by reason of public
functions and duties, is not in his/her place of registration on
election day, may vote in the city/municipality where he/she is
assigned on election day: Provided, That he/she is a duly registered
voter.
Sec. 2. Thirty (30) days before the election, the
appropriate head of office shall submit to the Commission on Elections
a list of officers and employees of the office who are registered
voters, and who, by reason of their duties and functions, will be in
places other than their place of registration, and who desire to
exercise their right to vote, with the request that said officers and
employees be provided with application forms to cast absentee ballots
in their place of assignment.
The list and the request shall be under oath.
Sec. 3. Upon verification by the Commission on
Elections that the persons included in the list are qualified voters,
it shall transmit the exact number of application forms to the head of
the office making the request.
Sec. 4. The application forms shall be returned
only accomplished to the Commission on Elections not later than April
25, 1987.
Sec. 5. Upon verification of the applications, the
Commission shall transmit the exact number of absentee ballots to the
appropriate head of the government office for distribution to the
applicants.
Sec. 6. The head of the office shall prepare a
sworn report on the manner of distribution of the absentee ballots,
indicating therein the number of ballots transmitted to each province,
the names of the persons to whom the absentee ballots are delivered,
and the serial numbers of ballots. It shall be accompanied by a
certificate of eligibility to vote absentee for each particular
voter.
Sec. 7. For the purpose of the 1987 congressional
election, the absentee voters shall vote only for candidates for
senator.
Sec. 8. The voters who cast absentee votes shall
vote one week before election day. They shall do so by delivering to
the Commission on Elections Regional Director, or the Provincial
Election Supervisor or the City or Municipal Election Registrar of the
place of their assignment ballot within two security envelopes, the one
containing the absentee ballots indicating only that it is an envelope
of the Commission on Elections, and the other envelope indicating the
name of the absentee voter and his/her affidavit number.
Sec. 9. The Commission on Elections official
concerned to whom the absentee vote is delivered shall immediately
transmit by the fastest means available to the Commission on Elections
the special Commission on Elections absentee ballot within two security
envelopes so that the same are in the central office of the Commission
one day before the elections.
The transmittal letter shall indicate the names of the persons who cast
the absentee votes, their voters’ affidavit numbers and their
certificates of eligibility to vote absentee.
Sec. 10. The Commission on Elections shall
canvass the votes cast by absentee voters and shall add the results of
the same to the votes reported throughout the country.
Sec. 11. The Commission shall promulgate the
necessary rules and regulations to implement this Executive Order.
Sec. 12. Section 169 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 881
shall remain in force and effect, and shall continue to govern the
voting privilege of members of the Board of Election Inspectors. All
laws, orders, issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof
inconsistent with this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.
Sec. 13. This Executive Order shall take effect
immediately.
Done in the City of Manila,
this 30th day of March, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and
eighty-seven.
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