as well as their relatives, or against a certain religion, race or ethnic origin, or such other attributes or profiles when used as the only basis to deny these persons access to the services provided by the covered persons. Whenever a bank, or quasi-bank, financial institution or whenever any person or entity commits said discriminatory act, the person or persons responsible for such violation shall be subject to sanctions as may be deemed appropriate by their respective regulators."

SEC. 11. New sections are hereby inserted after Section 19 of the same Act, as amended, to read as follows:

"SEC. 20. Non-intervention in the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Operations. Nothing contained in this Act nor in related antecedent laws or existing agreements shall be construed to allow the AMLC to participate in any manner in the operations of the BIR."

"SEC. 21. The authority to inquire into or examine the main account and the related accounts shall comply with the requirements of Article III, Sections 2 and 3 of the 1987 Constitution, which are hereby incorporated by reference. Likewise, the constitutional injunction against ex post facto laws and bills of attainder shall be respected in the implementation of this Act."

SEC. 12. The succeeding sections are hereby renumbered accordingly.

SEC. 13. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act is Act is declared unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other provisions hereof.

SEC. 14. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, and issuances or portions thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 15. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved: February 15, 2013.

S. No. 3287 H. No. 5509

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-third day of July, two thousand and twelve.

REPUBLIC ACT No. 10366

AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS TO ESTABLISH PRECINCTS ASSIGNED TO ACCESSIBLE POLLING PLACES EXCLUSIVELY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND SENIOR CITIZENS

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION. 1. Declaration of Policy. -The State shall ensure that persons with disabilities and senior citizens are able to exercise their right to political participation without discrimination or restrictions. Towards this end, the State shall design systems and procedures that will enable persons with disabilities and senior citizens to register and vote by themselves.

SEC. 2. Definition of Terms. As used in this Act, the term:

(a) Commission refers to the Commission on Elections.

(b) Persons with Disabilities refer to qualified voters who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in the electoral processes on an equal basis with others.

(c) Senior Citizens refer to qualified voters who are sixty (60) years or older.

(d) Electoral Processes refer to electionrelated activities and proceedings including registration, candidacy, campaign, voter

education and casting of vote.

(e) Assistance refers to any support or aid that may be extended to persons with

disabilities and senior citizens for them to meaningfully and effectively participate in the electoral processes.

(f) Discrimination on the basis of disability means any distinction, exclusion or restriction on the basis of disability which has the effect of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment, or exercise, on an equal basis with others, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including denial of reasonable accommodation.

(g) Universal design means the design of products, environments, programs and services, to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design but shall not exclude assistive devices for particular groups of persons with disabilities where this is needed.

(h) Satellite registration refers to registration conducted by an Election Officer in established satellite offices located in a public place within his or her area of jurisdiction. It accepts application for registration, transfer or transfer with reactivation, reactivation of registration records, change or correction of entries and validation of registration from all registrants or voters residing within the Election Officer's territorial jurisdiction.

(i) Special registration refers to registration conducted in established satellite offices by a special registration team designated by the Commission. It exclusively caters to first time person with disability and senior citizen registrants residing outside the area of jurisdiction of the regular Election Officer conducting the satellite registration.

(j) Accessible polling place refers to the venue where the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIS) conducts election-related proceedings and where the voters cast their votes. The accessible polling place shall he located at the ground floor, preferably near the entrance of the building, and is free of any physical barriers and provided with necessary services, including assistive devices.

Sec. 3. Right to Participation in Electoral Processes.-The State shall guarantee the political rights of persons with disabilities and senior citizens, in line with the concept of universal design, by:

(a) Ensuring that voting procedures, facilities and materials are appropriate, accessible, and easy to understand and use;

(b) Protecting the right of persons with disabilities and senior citizens to vote by secret ballot in elections without intimidation,

facilitating the use of assistive and new technologies where appropriate; and

(c) Guaranteeing the free expression, in the exercise of the right of suffrage, of persons with disabilities and senior citizens, allowing assistance in voting by a person

of their own choice.

SEC. 4. Duty of the Commission to Render Assistance to Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizens. It shall be the duty of the Commission render appropriate assistance to persons with disabilities and senior citizens in coordination with government agencies and civil society organizations.

SEC. 5. Record of Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizens.-The Commission shall keep an updated record citizens who are registered as voters, which of persons with disabilities and senior indicates the types of disability and the assistance they need, to assist it in determining policy directions for more inclusive and accessible electoral processes. The record shall be made accessible to concerned government offices, accredited citizens' arms, civil society monitoring groups and other organizations which promote the rights of the persons with disabilities and senior citizens, subject to specific guidelines the Commission may promulgate to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned.

SEC. 6. Registration and Updating of Records. In designing the forms, the Commission must ensure that persons with

disabilities and senior citizens applying for registration, reactivation, transfer, or correction of entry indicate the type(s) of disability, as well as the form(s) of assistance needed.

Persons with disabilities and senior citizens who have previously registered but have not indicated the type of disability, or who may have developed or manifested such disability after having been registered, shall be allowed, during the periods to file applications for registration, to update their registration records, and to indicate the type of disability as well as the form of assistance they need during election day. The Commission may design registration forms specifically for persons with disabilities and senior citizens, or issue supplemental forms for the said purpose, and provide for procedures to be followed by those who need to update their registration records.

SEC. 7. Assistance in the Accomplishment of Application Form. A person with disability or senior citizen who cannot by himself or herself accomplish an application for registration, by reason of illiteracy or physical disability, shall be assisted by the Election Officer in the preparation of his or her application form, or by any member of an accredited citizens' arm, or by a relative by consanguinity or affinity within the fourth civil degree, or if he or she has none present, by any person of his or her confidence who belongs to the same household.

SEC. 8. Satellite and Special Registration. -The Commission, in coordination with national government agencies and local government units, person with disability and senior citizen organizations, and other cause-oriented groups, shall conduct satellite and/or special registration for persons with disabilities and senior citizens in accessible places.

SEC. 9. Creation of Precincts for Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizens. The Commission is hereby authorized to establish precincts of a nonterritorial nature, exclusively for persons with disabilities and

senior citizens who in their registration records manifest their intent to avail of their right to a separate precinct under this section. Pursuant hereto, the Commission shall establish at least one (1) such precinct, assigned to accessible polling places, for every voting center. Such precincts shall be provided with assistive devices as well as the services of experts in assisting persons with disabilities.

SEC. 10. Ballot Design. In designing the ballot, the Commission shall ensure reasonable accommodation to persons with disabilities and senior citizens to enable them to accomplish the ballots by themselves.

SEC. 11. Assistance in the Accomplishment of the Ballot. -A person with disability or senior citizen who is illiterate or physically unable to prepare the ballot by himself or herself may be assisted in the preparation of his or her ballot by a relative by consanguinity or affinity within the fourth civil degree, or if he or she has none, by any person of his or her confidence who belongs to the same household, or by any member of the BEls. For this purpose, the person who usually assists the person with disability or senior citizen, such as a personal assistant, a caregiver or a nurse shall be considered a member of his or her household: Provided, That no voter shall be allowed to have an assistor on the basis of illiteracy or physical disability unless it is so indicated in his or her registration record. Nevertheless, if the physical inability to prepare the ballot is manifest, obvious, or visible, said voter shall be allowed to be assisted in accomplishing the ballot by a qualified assistor, even if not stated or indicated in the registration record: Provided, further, That the assistor must be of voting age.

The assistor shall bind himself or herself in a formal document under oath to fill out the ballot strictly in accordance with the instructions of the voter and not to reveal the contents of the ballot prepared by him or her, and shall prepare the ballot for the voter inside the voting booth. Except for the

Publication and Notice

Requirement.-The Commission shall cause the publication of the commencement of the

(b) Any public official or person who, under the guise of implementing this Act, shall unjustifiably and without due process, cause the deactivation or reactivation of any registered voter.

Sec. 12. Rules and Regulations.-The Commission shall, within sixty (60) days

circulation. The City or Municipal Election Officer shall serve individual written notices by registered mail with return card to the voters concerned at their latest address in the voter's registration record and post the list of the voters concerned in the city or municipal bulletin board and in the local COMELEC office.

the implementing rules and regulations.

Sec. 13. Separability Clause. If any part of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, the other parts or provisions hereof shall remain valid and effective.

Sec. 14. Repealing Clause.-All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec. 15. Effectivity Clause.-This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved: 15 February 2013

H. No. 5990 S. No. 3334

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-third day of July, two thousand twelve.

[REPUBLIC ACT No. 10368]

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR REPARATION AND RECOGNITION OF VICTIMS OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS DURING THE MARCOS REGIME DOCUMENTATION OF SAID VIOLATIONS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES