An Act Strengthening the Procedure for Registration of Voters during Barangay Elections, Amending for the Purpose Republic Act No. 8189, Also Known as the “Voter’s Registration Act of 1996”

Due to the difference in dates the barangay and regular elections are held, voters still find a way to circumvent this provision by transferring from one barangay to another in the gap between the two elections. This also provides an opening to opportunistic candidates to influence their supporters and/or potential voters to change their registration of residence months before the election to add to their number of votes.

In effect, this practice endangers the legitimacy of the electoral process and renders it questionable, particularly so because no current law sanctions the same for both the candidates and the voters.

This bill aims to address the problem of “hakot botante” during barangay elections by amending Republic Act 8189 to include barangays in the rules stated therein with regard to registration, change of residence, change of address, national central file, and election offenses.