House to expand e-voting

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives will expand its electronic voting system to accommodate all its 285 members.

Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez, author of a resolution on the expansion of e-voting, said the installation of more electronic voting gadgets would bring about “a more accurate and faster voting.”

“The objective is to encourage lawmakers’ attendance and promote efficiency in plenary procedures, especially during voting on important measures,” he said.

“The e-voting system allows for the immediate availability of results for analysis and information to the public,” he said.

At present, Benitez said there are only 239 voting gadgets installed at the House session hall, “46 short of the total number that we need.”

He added that the expansion would require additional funds from the House.

Benitez pointed out that many countries in Asia have already installed e-voting in their parliaments, including Thailand and South Korea.

The House, under the leadership of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., has started using its biometric electronic voting system. The chamber has been recording unprecedented levels of attendance in its plenary sessions and in committee meetings.

The House initiated its e-voting project under former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. His successor, ex-Speaker Prospero Nograles, continued the project.

Aside from facilitating the voting process, the system also expedites the calling of the roll of members.

Lawmakers have increased in number due to the filling of more party-list seats by the Commission on Elections.

The militant group Bayan Muna, one of the first party-list organizations that succeeded in electing representatives to the House, has bewailed the entry of what it described as bogus groups that do not really represent marginalized sectors.