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Republic Act
Approved 2013-02-15

Republic Act No. 10367

An act providing for mandatory biometrics voter registration

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR MANDATORY BIOMETRICS VOTER REGISTRATION

In plain language

Establishes mandatory biometric voter registration, defines terms, outlines validation, deactivation/reactivation procedures, database security, and enforcement of related electoral offenses.

  • Mandatory biometric registration for new voters
  • Validation procedure and timeline
  • Deactivation and reactivation rules
  • Database security and limited use
  • Prohibited acts related to biometric registration
  • Implementation rules and regulations
  • Effectivity and separability clauses
voter registration
biometrics
electoral law
Philippines

Fifteenth Congress Third Regular Session

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-third day of July, two thousand twelve.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10367

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR MANDATORY BIOMETRICS VOTER REGISTRATION

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Declaration of Policy

It is the policy of the State to establish a clean, complete, permanent and updated list of voters through the adoption of biometric technology.

Section 2. Definition of Terms

As used in this Act:

(a)Commissionrefers to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).
(b)Biometricsrefers to the quantitative analysis that provides a positive identification of an individual such as voice, photograph, fingerprint, signature, iris and/or such other identifiable features.
(c)Data Capture Machine (DCM)is the device which captures the biometrics of an individual.
(d)Validationis the process of taking the biometrics of registered voters whose biometrics have not yet been captured.
(e)Deactivationrefers to the removal of the registration record of the registered voter from the corresponding precinct book of voters for failure to comply with the validation process as required by this Act.
(f)Reactivationrefers to the reinstatement of a deactivated voter.

Section 3. Who Shall Submit for Validation

Registered voters whose biometrics have not been captured shall submit themselves for validation.

Section 4. Who Shall Conduct the Validation

The City or Municipal Election Officer shall conduct the validation.

Section 5. Commencement of Validation

The Commission shall conduct validation beginning July 1, 2013, consistent with the continuing registration under Republic Act No. 8189.

Section 6. Publication and Notice Requirement

The Commission shall cause the publication of the commencement of the validation in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. The City or Municipal Election Officer shall serve individual written notices by registered mail with return card to the voters concerned at their latest address in the voters registration record and post the list of the voters concerned in the city or municipal bulletin board and in the local COMELEC office.

Section 7. Deactivation

Voters who fail to submit for validation on or before the last day of filing of application for registration for purposes of the May 2016 elections shall be deactivated pursuant to this Act.

Section 8. Reactivation

Those deactivated under the preceding section may apply for reactivation after the May 2016 elections following the procedure provided in Section 28 of Republic Act No. 8189.

Section 9. Database Security

The database generated by biometric registration shall be secured by the Commission and shall not be used, under any circumstance, for any purpose other than for electoral exercises.

Section 10. Mandatory Biometrics Registration

The Commission shall implement a mandatory biometrics registration system for new voters.

Section 11. Prohibited Acts

The following shall be election offenses punishable under Sections 263 and 264 of Batas Pambansa Bilang 881, as amended, otherwise known as the "Omnibus Election Code":

(a)Any person who shall prohibit, impede, obstruct or prevent a registered voter or a new voter from submitting his or her biometrics for capture through the use of force, intimidation or monetary consideration; and (b) Any public official or person who, under the guise of implementing this Act, shall unjustifiably and without due process, cause the deactivation or reactivation of any registered voter.

Section 12. Rules and Regulations

The Commission shall, within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act, promulgate the implementing rules and regulations.

Section 13. Separability Clause

If any part of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, the other parts or provisions hereof shall remain valid and effective.

Section 14. Repealing Clause

All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 15. Effectivity Clause

This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

| (Sgd.) JUAN PONCE ENRILE President of the Senate | (Sgd.) FELICIANO BELMONTE JR. Speaker of the House of Representatives |

This Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 1030 and House Bill No. 3469 was finally passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on December 12, 2012 and December 11, 2012, respectively.

EMMA LIRIO-REYES

Secretary of Senate

MARILYN B. BARUA-YAP

Secretary General House of Representatives

Approved: FEB 15 2013

BENIGNO S. AQUINO III

President of the Philippines

For information and research only, and not legal advice. This text may not reflect later amendments. For certified copies, refer to the Official Gazette or the issuing agency.