The House of Representatives on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill on third and final reading that seeks to officially designate national election days as regular non-working holidays. The measure passed with an overwhelming 233-0 vote, with only one abstention recorded.
Under House Bill (HB) No. 8392, the declaration aims to encourage greater voter turnout by removing workplace barriers for citizens casting their ballots.
“Every national election shall be a regular non-working holiday to incentivize the electorate who exercise their democratic right of suffrage,” the bill states.
The proposed legislation defines a “national election” broadly, encompassing all voting processes that are nationwide in scope. This includes plebiscites, referenda, people’s initiatives, recall elections, special elections, and similar exercises.
If enacted, the bill will amend the list of “regular holidays and nationwide special days” outlined in Executive Order (EO) No. 292, also known as the Administrative Code of 1987. It will officially add “National Election Day – Day designated by law for the holding of a national election” to the country’s regular holidays.
House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Representative Sandro Marcos, who is one of the principal authors of the measure, emphasized that the bill provides voters with the necessary time to participate in the democratic process without professional distractions.
“This proposed law would free them from work-related concerns and allow them to focus on exercising their right to vote wisely,” Marcos said in a statement.