Republic of the Philippines COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS Manila

GENERtU; INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE RRILLANTES,SIXTO JR. S., SPECIAL BOARD OF ELECTION TAGLE, LUCENITO N., INSPECTORS, SPECIAL BALLOT YUSqPH. ELIAS R., CHRISTIAN ROBERT S., RECEPTION AND CUSTODY GROUPS, LIMY PADACA, MARIA G'RACIA CIELO. SPECIAL BOARD OF CANVASSERS IN THE CONDUCT OF MANUAL FIELD VOTING, COUNTING AND CANVASSING OF VOTES UNDER ACT NO. 9189, REPUBLIC OTHERWISE IUVOWN LCTHE O V E R S F ? ABSENTEE VOTING ACT OF 2003" FOR PURPOSES OF THE MAY 13, 2013 NATIONAL AND LOCAL P U OR IN ELECTIONS IN I~OROR, OTHER POSTS THAT WERE CLOSED PUISUANT TO DEPARTMENT ORDER NO. 17-12 ON JULY 1, 2012 ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
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Chairman Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner

RESOLUTION NO.

WHEREAS, the Commission on Elections promulgated Comelec Resolution No. 9617 otherwise lcnown as 'the "General InstructionsJor the Special Board of Canvassers in the

Conduct of Manual Canvassing of Votes zlntler Republic Act No. 9189, otherwise known as " The Oberseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003"for purposes of the May 13, 2013 National and Local Elections"; and Comelec Resolution No. 9618 otherwise known as "General Instructions for the Special Board of Inspectors and Special Ballot Reception and Custody Group in the Conduct of Manzial Voting and Counting of Votes under Republic Act No. 9189, otherwise knoton as " The Overseas Absentee Voting Act o f 2003"for pzlrposes of the M a y 13, 2013 National and Local Elections" both promulgated on January 16,2013.
WHEREAS, the Department of Foreign Affairs @ F A ) issued Department Order No. 17-12 on July 1, 20i2 which identified the Philippine Embassies and Consulates General for closure and transferring the geographical j~risdictionof the closed Posts to other Philippine Foreign Service Po& @P). These closed Posts and the Philippine Foreign Service Posts to which the geographi&d jurisdiction were transferred, are as follows: Closed Posts PCG Barcelona PECaraps PE Dublin PE &ror POGl?mkfiIrt FSP with g e o ~ p h i c ajurisdiction l PEMadrid PE Mexico PEbndon DFA ManilisPE Berlin --

PE Stockholm FE ~ucharesf ~ ~ ~ a v a n a PEHelsinld -P ( Xs a i h

PE Oslo FE Budapest PE Mexjco PE Warsaw POGAgana

WHEREAS, due to closure of said Posts, there is a need to address the administrative and operational aspects in the conduct of elections in the. said places to ensure that the registered overseas voters in the said places will be able to participate in the May 13, 2013 National and Local Elections:

W H E R ~ in , order to allow more overseas vpters to be able to participate in the election, talcing into 'consideration the efficiency of the coumtry's mailing system and the right of overseas voters t4 exercise their right of suffrage this coming May 13,2013, upon favorable recommendation of Department of Foreign Affairs, Overseas Voting Secretariat @FA-OVS), the Commission, through the Chairman of Committee on Overseas Voting (COV), may allow the conduct of field voting in some of the aforementioned closed Posts.
WHEREFQRE, the Cornmission on Elections pursuant to the authority vested in it by the Constitution, Batas Parnbansa Blg. 881 (Omnibus Hection Code), Republic Act No. 8189, Republic Act No. 9189 m e Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003)~ Republic Act No. 9369 and other election laws, RESOLVED, as it hereby E$l3SOLVES, to promulgate the following General Instnlctions for the Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBW, Special Ballot Reception and Custody Group TSBlWZ) and Special Board of Canvassers (SBOC), in the conduct of field voting, counting and'canvassing of votes in areas affectedby the said closure of Posts.
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Section I. F n e r a l guidelines. - Subject to the favourable recommendation of the DFA-OVS, the Commission, tlxough the Chairman of the COV, may allow the conduct of . . field voting in the Posts that were closed. Sec. 2. ~ o &of e Voting. - For purposes of the conduct of field voting, a modified postal voting, as pro*ded under Sec. 42 of Comelec Resolution No. 9618 shall be adopted in the Posts that were clos6d. Sec. 3. P e ~ ' o d for casting of votes dtrring thefield voting. - Casting of votes shall be for a i)eriod of seven (7) calendar days beginning at 8:00 o'clock in the morning of May 6, 2013, local time of the host country u n t i l 7:oo o'clock i n the evening of May 13, 2013, Philippine time inclusive of all established holidays in the Philippines and such bther holidays in the host countries
Sec. 4. Cohstitution of Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEI) and other deputized personnel. - For purposes of the conduct of field voting and counting, the DFA-OVS shall recommend to COV for appointment, four (4) DFA personnel, one (1) of them shall be deputized a s Head of the "OV Contingent" and the three (3) others a s membezs of the SBEt for voting and co~mting. Additional SBEI for counting shall be constituted as provided under Section 50 of Comelec Resolution No. 96 1 8 not later than April 5,20 13.

Sec. 5. Duties of the SBEI. - The SBQ: shall perform the duties and functions enumerated under Sec. 13 of Comelec Resolution No. 9618. It shall ensure that the conduct of field voting will not compromise the security, integrity and sanctity of the voting process. See. 6. Dzities of the DFA-OVS. - In the conduct of field voting, the DFA-OVS

shall ensure the following:

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a.

To se6w-e the necessary authorization from the host government to allow the conduct of field voting;

b.
c.

To ensure that the conduct of field voting will impact upon a significant number of registered overseas voters in the concerned places; Widely disseminate the schedules and places where field voting will be condticted prior to and during the conduct of field voting; To mobilize the Filipino community in t l ~ e areas in order to maximize the overskas voters participation in the conduct of field voting; To ensure the security and safety of the members of the "OVContingent" as well as the security and sanctity of the ballots and other election paraphernalia.

d.
e.

S e c . 7 . Eleption forms, documents and supplies. - The SBE shall receive from the Commjssion, through the COV, the election fob, documents and supplies for its use as enumerated under Section 21 of Comelec Resolution No. 9618. S e c . 8. prepal-ation of election documents. - The COV s l d l prepare such number of electoral paclcets at the "OV Mailing Center" equivalent to the number of registered voters in the concerned Posts.
S e c . 9 . contents of the electoral packets. the following:
- The electoral packet

shall contain

a. OfEhal Ballot (OVFNo. 6);

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t
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b. Certiified List of Candidates; c. hsthctions to Voters;

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d. Offidial Ballot Envelope (OVFNo. 45); and e. paper Seals (OW No.
I

12).

S e c . lo. Turn-over of electoral packets to SBEI. - The electoral paclcets shall be turned over by COV to the SBm not later than M a y 3, 2013. The SBH shall also receive from COV the following:
a) IvIhiling l i s t s where the serial numbers of the ballots, paper seal and

official ballot envelope assigned to the individual voter are reflected; . which contains the names of voters and the serial numbers of b) O ~ N O2-A thk ballots assigned to them; and c) ~ & n e d copy of the application form of the voter concerned where his signature appears, in the absence of the signature of said voter in OVFNo. 2A.
S e c . 11. Manner of distribution of electoral packets. - The SBEt shall be responsible in the &b~~tion of electoral paclzets intended for the overseas voters. The places/areas where !the electoral paclcets will be distriiuted must be communicated to the Comrnjssion, through the DFA-OVS, not later than M a y 6,2013.

Sec. 1 2 . w n n e r of voting. - The voter shall follow the procedures outlined under Section 43 of Resolution No. 9618.
Sec. 1 3 . CiDunting site. - The counting of votes shall be conducted at the designated office/pla'ce at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Main Office, Pasay Cityi

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For t h i spurpose, the SBFI, thro~igh the DFA-OVS, s h d , not later than April 30, 2013, inform the COV ofthe complete ad&- of the place where the counting will be conducted. The COV, i&fiwn shall notify each candidate, political party or coalition of political for Senator and political parties, organizations or coalitions thereof participating under fhe party-list system of representation of the date, time and complete address of the place where the counting will be conducted.
parties fielding -&dates

Sec. 14. Determination of number of SBEIs to condzcct the counting of votes. - On the basis of total number of voters who actually voted, the head of the contingent, shall determine the number of SFEk which will conduct the counting of votes at the rate of one (1) SBEl for every five hundred (500) ballots. *

In cases where the last ballot box shall contain less than five hundred (500) ballots, another SBEI shall be constituted. In no case shall one SBH count more than five hundred (500) ballots.
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The SBEI foi voting shall also act as SBEIs for counting.
Sec. 1.5.Manner of counting. - Immediately after the close of voting on May 13, 2013, 7:00 o'clock in the evening, Philippine time, the Head of the Contingent and members of tllejSEEI shall seal the receptacle containing the envelopes with accomplished ballots and records the proceedings in the Minutes of Vbting. They shall immediately depart Koror, Palau for Manila, Philippines taking the first and direct flight available and proceed to the counting site.

The provisions of Sections 55, 56 and 57 of Comelec Resolution No. 9618 shall be observed by the SBH in the counting of votes.
Sec. 16. Constitution of Special Board of Canvassers (SBOC). - For purposes of canvassing the results from Koror, pa la^^, the DFA-OVS shall, not later than April 30, 2013, recommend to the COV at least three (3) DFApersomel who shall be appointed as members of the SBOC.
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A l l Election P e t ' ~ m fiom all other closed Posts that conducted a field modified postal
voting, shall be canvassed by the SBOC of the Post Which has geographical jurisdiction over the place.
SEC.17. Ndtice of Canvass. - The Chairman of the SBOC shall give notice to its members, and natiohal candidates for Senators, and political parties, organizations, association, sectors or coalitions participating under the party-list system of the time, date and place of canvass, at least fivet5) days before the day of the election. SEC. 18. Cbnvening of SBOC. - The SB0C for Koror, Palau shall convene not in the evening of May 13, 2013 in the designated office in the later than 7:00 07c$oclc Department of Foreign Affairs, Manila and proceed with the canvass of the elections returns submitted to it by the SBHs. It shall not adjourn until the canvass is completed. Sec. 11). AppZicabilitr~ of other election lazus and COMELEC Resolutions. - The pertinent provisions of the Omnibus Election Code, as amended and other election laws,Pwhich are not in conflict with the provisions of the Overseas Absentee 7 and 9618 shall remain in full force, Voting Act of 2003 including COMEUX Resolution Nos. 961 and shall have suppletory application of these Rules.
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Sec. 20. Enforcement and administration by the Commission.-- The Comnission, for thejpurpose of ensuring honest, orderly, peaceful and free elections abroad, shall have exclusive~charge.of the enforcement, adminisbation and implementation of the

LAC.,

Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003.

Sec. 21. Dissemination. - The Education and Information Department shall cause the publication of this Resolution in two (2) daily newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines and to furnish the D e p m e n t of Foreign Affairs, Department of Labor and bployrnent, Department of Transportation and Communications, Philippine Postal Corporation, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Overseas Worker's Welfare Administration, &&on on Overseas Filipinos, the Foreign Service Institute, the Social Security System and other government agencies concerned with the welfare of mipinos overseas.

Sec. 22. Eflectiviw. - These General hstmctions shall take effect on the seventh day after its publicadon in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines.

CHRISTIAN ROBERT S. LIM Cornmissioner

Commissioner