Solons, Cabinet urged: Fund absentee voting bill

A pro-administration congressman urged his colleagues in Congress and members of the Cabinet yesterday to help fund the proposed absentee voting bill so it can be enacted this year.

Rep. Willie Buyson Villarama (Aksyon Demo—kratiko, Bulacan) issued the appeal in the wake of the reluctance of some lawmakers to act on the measure because there is no money allocated for its implementation in the 2003 budget.

"We can fund the bill for the benefit of our overseas workers if only members of Congress and the Cabinet can realign part of their pork barrel funds and savings to implement the measure," he said.

Villarama said he would be glad to allot a part of his congressional fund for carrying out a measure that would give the more than seven million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and other expatriate Filipinos the right to vote in national elections here.

"Let us once and for all muster the political will to enact this bill, which has been gathering dust for the last 15 years," added Villarama, who was President Arroyo’s chief of staff when she was vice president.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has estimated that preparations and actual implementation of the absentee voting bill would cost about P2 billion. Preparations would take about one year.

Villarama scored his colleagues for their inaction on the bill, accusing leaders of the legislature of paying no more than lip service to OFWs.

"Our workers are angry and will not take it anymore. They have waited 15 long years for the right to be enfranchised which the Constitution mandates in the first place. They want to exercise such right now," he said.

Last week, the Bulacan lawmaker met with representatives of several OFW organizations and urged them to form their own political party so they can effectively fight for their rights.

Besides lack of funds, the fear on the part of some lawmakers that the OFWs’ votes could easily be tampered with is stalling action on the absentee voting bill.

But Villarama said Philippine diplomatic officers can be trusted to honestly implement the measure and protect the workers’ votes.

"The foreign service is a professional institution and is one of the jewels in the bureaucracy. Our diplomats can be counted on to help the Comelec conduct honest and free elections," he said.