Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 8189)
The official title is "The Voter's Registration Act of 1996."
The policy is to systematize the method of voter registration to establish a clean, complete, permanent, and updated list of voters.
Registration is the act of accomplishing and filing a sworn application for registration by a qualified voter before the election officer where he resides, including the applicant in the book of registered voters upon approval by the Election Registration Board.
It is a list per precinct in each city or municipality consisting of all registered voters residing within the precinct's territorial jurisdiction, updated with additions and deletions.
Each precinct shall have no more than two hundred (200) voters.
For the May 1998 elections and all subsequent elections, general registration shall be conducted starting June 14, 1997, on specific dates provided.
All Filipino citizens at least eighteen (18) years old, who have resided in the Philippines for at least one year and in the place where they propose to vote for at least six months immediately preceding the election, excluding those otherwise disqualified by law.
Persons sentenced to imprisonment of one year or more without remission, those convicted of crimes involving disloyalty to the government unless rights have been restored, and insane or incompetent persons declared by competent authority.
It is composed of the Election Officer as chairman, the public school official most senior in rank, and the local civil registrar or alternatively the city/municipal treasurer.
Imprisonment of one to six years without probation, disqualification to hold public office, deprivation of suffrage, and for foreigners, deportation after serving the prison term. Political parties found guilty are fined between P100,000 and P500,000.