Maniolas

By Leila B. Salaverria Philippine Daily Inquirer 2:57 pm | Thursday, February 7th, 2013 Representative Walden Bello MANILA, Philippines—Before adjourning for the campaign, Congress approved a bill that would make it easier for overseas Filipinos to cast their vote, and change the way that the country recognizes its voters who are not in the country. The House of Representatives ratified Wednesday night the amended overseas voting bill, which means it could now be sent to the President for his signature so that it could be enacted into law. The Senate ratified the bicameral report earlier. Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello, the bill’s author in the House, said the measure will improve the way the country recognizes the role and contribution of overseas Filipinos to nation-building. The bill will no longer give them the tag “overseas absentee voters” and instead recognize them simply as “overseas voters,” Bello said in a statement. This was an important, emotional matter for the Filipinos abroad, he said. The bill will also make it easier for immigrants to join the electoral exercise, he said. The bill would remove the provision in the law that requires Filipino immigrants or permanent residents abroad to execute an affidavit stating that they intend to resume physical permanent residence in the Philippines in three years before they could register as overseas voters. The new registration rules, however, are expected to be applicable for the 2016 elections because the registration period for the 2013 elections ended last year. “Removing the return requirement will Read More …