THE COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) has moved the planned National Election Summit to March to give way to the special election in Cavite, an official announced on Tuesday.
At a press briefing streamed on Facebook, Comelec Executive Director Teopisto E. Elnas, Jr. said 27 activities have been conducted to prepare for the summit as the election body is also getting ready for the February Cavite election to fill up the vacant congressional post left by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla.
He said there are 365,184 registered voters for the elections and 426 clustered precincts in 116 villages in Cavite.
The elections summit would tackle possible amendments to the country’s election laws and help Comelec come up with technological improvements for future electoral exercises, Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said in November last year.
The election body announced earlier that the summit would be held in January 2023.
In June, the International Coalition for Human Rights (ICHRP) in the Philippines urged Comelec to review the automated election system and introduce reforms to discourage members of political dynasties from being elected.
Election watchdog Kontra Daya, which translates to “against fraud,” has also called for reforms in the automated election system due to the technical blunders experienced in the national and local elections last year.
“We are not alone in this endeavor and guidance from our partnered stakeholders would help us perform our constitutional duty with integrity,” Mr. Garcia said in November at a signing ceremony between Comelec and its partner citizens’ arms in preparation for the election summit. — John Victor D. Ordoñez