Photo Release

Electoral Reforms committee hearing: Sen. Imee R. Marcos, chairperson of the Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation, presides over a virtual hearing Thursday, February 18, 2021. Included in the agenda are Senate Bill Nos. (SBN) 1870 or the Voting by Mail Act; SBN 1866 and House Bill No. 6470, which seek to enhance voting accessibility for persons with disabilities and senior citizens; and proposed Senate Resolution No. 639 inquiring into the slow progress of voter registration and the preparedness of the Commission on Elections to conduct the 2022 national and local elections. In SBN 1870’s explanatory note, Marcos said that corollary to Congress’ mandate to provide for a system for securing the secrecy and sanctity of the ballot as well as a system for absentee voting is “the duty to design a system and procedure to ensure wide participation during electoral exercises, plebiscite or referendum by senior citizens, pregnant women, persons with disabilities and indigenous peoples, who are deemed more vulnerable during pandemics and other national crises.”(Screen grab/ Senate PRIB)