Question & AnswerQ&A (PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 991)
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is authorized to exercise supervision and control over the conduct and all processes of the referendum, including balloting, acclamation, canvassing, and proclamation of results.
Every Filipino citizen, literate or not, who is fifteen years of age or over and has resided in the barangay for at least six months is eligible to participate in the referendum in their barangay or any other convenient barangay.
There shall be assemblies or meetings held in every barangay between September 11 and October 15 for an educational and information campaign to enlighten citizens about the referendum issues and encourage free and constructive discussion.
No, any person duly registered as a barangay member shall not be questioned, interrogated, or investigated for any speech, remark, or statement made during public discussions, debates, or printed materials meant to explain or advocate for views on the referendum questions.
In barangays with one hundred or more members, the referendum shall be conducted by the use of ballots, with supervised preparation, distribution, and counting managed by the Barangay Referendum Committee.
The Barangay Referendum Committee is appointed under the guidance of the Department of Local Government and Community Development and is responsible for conducting the voting and counting votes in the barangay under the supervision and control of COMELEC.
The COMELEC Supervisory Panel supervises consultations, decides voter participation issues, ensures free and orderly conduct, authorizes postponements, organizes referendum committees, replaces irregular members, recommends annulments of results for serious irregularities, and authorizes multiple voting centers where necessary.
The Barangay Referendum Committee immediately prepares and certifies two copies of the results, separating voters aged 15-17 and 18 and older, and transmits the original copy to the Commission on Elections and a duplicate to the Department of Local Government and Community Development.
Yes, civil, religious, youth, and similar organizations may designate up to two watchers each, who must be accredited by the COMELEC Supervisory Panel to observe the referendum and the canvassing of results.
Voting may be conducted either through secret ballots in barangays with one hundred or more members or by acclamation in barangays with less than one hundred members, provided that no person participates in more than one barangay consultation.