Garcia bats for construction of new Comelec office building

Newly-appointed Commission on Elections chairman George Erwin Garcia on Wednesday said he will be pushing for the creation of a new office building, following a fire that broke out at its headquarters in Intramuros, Manila over the weekend.

"Kita niyo naman po ang kalagayan ng Comelec... Siguro nga pagkakataon na, high time naman na sana naman po, hindi naman excuse ang sunog. Sana naman kami ay mabigyan ng kahit kaunting pagtingin, na mabigyan na kami ng Comelec building," Garcia said at a press briefing.

(You've seen the situation of the Comelec. We're not using the fire as an excuse, but it is high time that we are given a little attention, that we should have a new building.)

Garcia said Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman had already inquired with the Comelec regarding the budget for the new building, to be submitted for approval to Congress.

"We will have to make the necessary requests and we will have to proceed with all other procedures, such as with NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority). We already have a design several years ago. It's a green building," he said.

"It has eight floors that will include everything, including the warehouse, [the media center], practically all that is needed by the commission. It's a three-hectare property," Garcia added.

Garcia said the new Comelec office building will cost about P8.2 billion.

"Definitely the budget for next year of the Comelec will include already a proposal as far as the construction of the building is concerned."

Comelec office fire

According to a report from the Bureau of Fire Protection-National Capital Region Public Information Office (BFP-NCR PIO), the fire started on the seventh floor of the Palacio del Gobernador on Sunday evening.

The fire was raised to the first alarm at 6:53 p.m. and reached the second alarm at 7:02 p.m. The blaze was eventually controlled at 8:05 p.m. and declared out at 8:16 p.m.

In a statement, Comelec spokesperson Rex Laudiangco said that all Comelec personnel were safe and accounted for, adding that the fire was limited to the reception area of the poll body's Information Technology Department (ITD) on the seventh floor.

At the briefing, Senior Inspector Hector Agadulin, Chief of Operations of the Manila Fire Department said initial investigation showed the fire came from an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). The equipment has been brought to the MFD arson laboratory to examine if it had defects.

At an en banc session during the day, Garcia thus recommended for the transfer of the ITD in a safe, secure and protected area in Intramuros.

Comelec academy, spokesperson's office

At the briefing, Garcia said he is also pushing for the creation of a "Comelec academy" for all of its personnel to be knowledgeable about the Comelec's processes.

"I will definitely move for the creation of a 'Comelec academy.' All personnel that we will hire will need to undergo training, and we will need to have a curriculum," he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

"If he hire(s) election officers, election assistants, even security guards will have to undergo education on what are the guidelines, for example, in liquidation reports, disposal of properties, disposal of budget, those cash advances," Garcia continued.

Garcia likewise proposed for the creation of the Office of the Comelec spokesperson.

"I will really create the Office of the Comelec spokesperson as a permanent entity."

Garcia said he would also push that all projects and proposals will be under Completed Staff Work (CSW), or that employees will be responsible for submitting their recommendations to their superiors.

He also eyed having Comelec marshalls who implement the commission's issuances, restraining orders, injunctions, and protection and security of their personnel. —LBG, GMA News