OFW Party List Representative Marissa “Del Mar” Magsino delivered a sponsorship speech in plenary as the principal author of House Bill 6770, which was substituted as House Bill No. 10178.
The measure seeks to expand the registration and voting methods available to overseas Filipino voters under existing laws to include internet or electronic registration and voting through available technologies as the Comelec may deem appropriate, as an additional option, to provide greater ease and encourage our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and Overseas Filipinos (OFs) to exercise their right of suffrage, with due regard to protecting their privacy and the sanctity of their ballots.
The party list lawmaker deems the approval of House Bill 10178 on 2nd reading as a triumph for overseas voters, as it will provide them, particularly OFWs, an alternative, viable, convenient, and secured means to exercise their right of suffrage thereby allowing them to help shape the future of their families and their motherland.
“Half the battle is won and I consider this a victory for our overseas voters. Matagal na natin pinaglalaban ang pagsasabatas ng Internet Voting. At ngayong araw ay nakakatuwa na nagbunga ang ating pagsusumukikap sa Kamara, kasama ang Commission on Elections, at si Chairperson Maximo Dalog, Jr. ng Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms. We expect this will likewise boost the efforts of our colleagues in the Senate to pass the counterpart bill,” said Masgino.
In her sponsorship speech, the party list lawmaker underscored that low voter turnout among overseas voters remains a challenge. The dilemma is attributable to the considerable physical distance between the overseas voters’ workplaces or residences and the location of the Posts in their host countries, to the itinerant character of their employment as in the case of Filipino seafarers, and on other restrictive personal circumstances of the overseas voters while at work.
According to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), of the 1.69 million registered overseas voters, including OFWs, only around 600,000 or 35.5% actually voted in the last 2022 National and Local Elections (NLEs).
“The low voter turnout of overseas voters is a case of electoral disenfranchisement, regardless whether of voluntary or involuntary nature. Matagal nang hinaing ng ating mga kababayan sa abroad na mapadali ang proseso ng pagrerehistro at pagboto dahil sa iba’t ibang hamon na kinakaharap nila sa host countries tulad ng walang mga rest days para makaboto o di kaya’y masyadong malayo ng kanilang pinagtatrababahuhan o tinitirhan sa ating mga embahada at konsulado. Mas malaki din ang hamon sa ating mga seafarers na naglalayag sa panahon ng eleksyon at hindi makakababa ng barko upang makaboto,” said Magsino.
While the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has shown progress in implementing internet voting for the 2025 mid-term elections, Rep. Marissa “Del Mar” Magsino also stressed in her speech the necessity of a specific statutory basis to solidify and support Comelec’s initiatives.
The COMELEC has announced that Internet Voting will be the primary mode of casting ballots for overseas Filipinos in 2025, except in countries with internet restrictions where mail-in and physical voting will likely be implemented in around 17 Philippine Posts across the world.
“The fact that COMELEC is already in the process of employing internet voting as an option for our overseas voters in the coming 2025 national elections does not diminish the importance nor the urgency of enacting the proposed measure. To emphasize, the measure will provide a solid statutory basis for the Commission’s current and future undertakings on Internet Voting as well as securing budgetary support for the purpose. Moreover, House Bill 10178 will allow internet voter registration, which the existing law does not provide,” said Magsino in her sponsorship speech.
Moreover, she addressed concerns and doubts surrounding internet voting by referring to global examples like Estonia, Canada, and Australia and by highlighting the security and integrity features of the proposed Online Voting and Counting System (OVCS).
“I have personally attended demonstrations of technology providers and have observed the rigorous bidding process for the Online Voting and Counting System (OVCS) for the 2025 elections as I, too, wanted to allay fears and doubts in the minds of the public with regards to the efficiency and integrity of the internet voting method, which House Bill No. 10178 intends to authorize and institutionalize if passed into law. We are assured by the Comelec that underlying the OVCS are safeguards, mechanisms and protocols that will guarantee efficiency, security and confidentiality of the voter’s personal information, the integrity of the ballots, auditability of election results, and transparency of the process,” said Magsino.
