Manila: An election watchdog group expressed support for pending bills looking to declare national and local elections as non-working holidays.

According to Philippines News Agency, they are pushing for House Bill 102, 3101 and 3102, which are calling for the declaration of the national election day as a regular non-working holiday. "This measure will facilitate broader voter participation by removing work-related barriers to exercising the constitutional right to suffrage," it said in its recommendations to the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms.

At the same time, the group urged lawmakers to include the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) as well as other electoral exercises in the proposal. "We strongly recommend expanding the coverage to include Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, which are fundamental exercises of local democracy and grassroots participation," Namfrel added.

The organization noted that the BSKE is also an important electoral exercise, similar to the national and local elections. "Barangay elections represent the most direct form of democratic participation for Filipino citizens, affecting governance at the community level, where citizens interact most frequently with government services," Namfrel explained.

Aside from the BSKE, the group said other poll exercises may be included if they have a nationwide scope. "(They may) include provisions for plebiscites, initiatives, referenda, and recall elections of national scope," it said. "Electoral exercises such as constitutional amendments through plebiscites, initiatives for legislative reforms, national referenda, and recall elections involving national officials are equally important democratic processes that require maximum citizen participation," added the poll watchdog organization.