Comelec, organizations sign MOA for election summit

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and several organizations on Wednesday signed a memorandum of agreement for an election summit that seeks to improve the election system and processes in the country.

Among the organizations were the Legal Education Board, Philippine Consortium Incorporated, the Philippine Associate of Law Schools, the Institute of Electronics and Communication Engineers of the Philippines, and the Center for People Empowerment in Governance.

The One Vote-Our Hope Movement, the Right to Know Right Now Coalition, Halalang Marangal, the Legal Network for Truthful Elections, the Philippine Computer Society, the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, and the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila also signed an MOA with the commission.

Comelec said the summit will be conducted in the last week of January 2023.

The poll body said voter registration, voting and counting process, campaign finance and fair elections, certificate of candidacy, party-list accreditation and adjudication, electoral board, and the integration of voter education in K-12 and NSTP will be tackled at the summit. 

Meanwhile, it said the first leg for pre-summit activities in the Luzon area will be held from November 28 to December 02 while the activities in Visayas and Mindanao will be held from December 05 to December 12.

For his part, Commissioner George Garcia said Comelec seeks the guidance of the private sector on what it did wrong and what it could further improve. 

“So ito po ‘yung isang pagbubukas-isip sa point ng Commission on Elections na we are not alone in this endeavor and we need again your assistance and your help, your guidance,” Garcia said during his speech at the signing.

Meanwhile, Garcia said Comelec’s planning session for the next five years will be held in February 2023 to give way to the election summit.

“Why? Because the product of this election summit will guide us on what to do in the next five years. Kasi po sabi natin kung papangunahan natin itong election summit. Bakit pa tayo nag election summit kung hindi rin natin papakinggan ang bawat isa?” he said.

Meanwhile, Comelec said the resumption of the registration will start on December 12, 2022 and will run until January 21, 2023.

Comelec said the registration for overseas Filipino voters will also kick off on December 09, 2022. — BM, GMA Integrated News