Right of the Rightful

By virtue of Republic Act No. 10367 otherwise known as An Act Providing for Mandatory Biometrics Voter Registration, the Commission on Elections launched its #NoBioNoBoto campaign which urged the 4.3 Filipino voters who have not yet submitted their digital photographs, signatures and fingerprints (biometric data for brevity) four months away from the deadline set in 31 October 2015. In a petition of Kabataan party-list group, it was alleged that the program would disenfranchise some 2.4 million registered voters without biometric data in their registration records who failed to comply with the said Act within the deadline. The Supreme Court, however, upheld the program and ruled that only voters who had their biometric data will be allowed to vote in next year’s general elections. This led to the outbreak of different reactions.

I would like to emphasize just one important point why this development in the field of Philippine Election is aptly and timely. 

Employing the biometric data system would ensure that the right to suffrage would only be granted to and exercised by those who are qualified as provided by the Constitution to wit: “Suffrage may be exercised by all citizens of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law, who are at least eighteen years of age, and who shall have resided in the Philippines for at least one year, and in the place wherein they propose to vote, for at least six months immediately preceding the election. No literacy, property, or other substantive requirement shall be imposed on the exercise of suffrage.” I acknowledge that suffrage is a fundamental right and is inherent to every Filipino citizen. However, in as much as we wanted to exercise such right must be an interest to be entitled to it. It is our duty as voters to prove that we satisfactorily meet the qualifications laid down by law. The biometric data would make this possible. 

Considering the time given by the Commission on Elections, I believe it is ample enough for the registered voters to validate their biometric data in authorized offices. However, millions still failed to comply. Now they are saying that the #NoBioNoBoto would deprive them of their rights to suffrage. Having failed to spare an hour or a couple of hours to show up as qualified voters and submit their biometric data, I say, these voters blew their own rights away.