The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill declaring national election day a regular non-working holiday, a move aimed at giving voters more time and opportunity to cast their ballots.
House Bill No. 8392 was passed with 233 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, and one abstention.
The measure seeks to amend Executive Order No. 292, or the Administrative Code of 1987, by adding National Election Day to the list of regular holidays and nationwide special days.
Under the bill, every national election shall be observed as a regular non-working holiday to encourage more Filipinos to exercise their right to vote without being burdened by work schedules or job-related concerns.
The proposed law defines national elections as voting exercises that are national in scope, including plebiscites, referenda, people’s initiatives, recall elections, special elections, and other similar democratic processes.
Supporters of the measure said the proposal would help strengthen voter participation by removing a common barrier for workers who may find it difficult to go to polling places during regular workdays.
The bill also seeks to give voters sufficient time to study their choices, travel to their precincts, and take part in the electoral process more deliberately.
Once enacted, National Election Day would be included in the official list of regular holidays as the day designated by law for the holding of a national election.