A funny thing happened in Maputo, Mozambique. On Tuesday I was presenting the Commission on Elections’s (Comelec) experience in running the 2016 national and local elections, to an audience consisting of election management bodies from all over the world, when I casually dropped the fact that the Philippines had a population larger than a hundred million, of which more than 54 million were registered voters.
Up until that point, I had the attention of about a quarter of the audience. Understand that these were seasoned conference-goers—people for whom these international symposia have long since lost its novelty. As such, all of them clearly already had what I call the “conference ear” —the ability to listen with half an ear, while carrying on a conversation with the delegates at the same table.
But when I shared just how big the Philippine population was, a change came over the hall and I could tell that I had their full attention. Almost to a delegate, they started listening more closely to what I had to say, curious about how we pulled it off.
I say “almost” because, with more than 800 million eligible voters, the delegate who used to chair the Indian election commission didn’t seem particularly impressed by a voting population of 54 million.
In any case, from that point on, the Philippine experience didn’t seem to run out of details to stun many in the audience. The fact that Philippine synchronized elections involved more than 18,000 positions up for elections in a single day was just one of the many surprises that amazed these election professionals. I won’t belabor the point any further —you know the experience I’m talking about; you lived through it. Suffice it to say that my recounting of the many challenges we faced, and how we overcame them, became one of the highlights of the Conference. Not because of any skill of mine, by the way, but simply because of the sheer scope of the experience.
We—the Philippines as whole, as much as the Comelec—were particularly applauded for the steps we’ve taken in the areas of improving the accessibility of elections for persons with disabilities, and for protecting the rights of minorities—the indigenous peoples.
Fast forward to that night and the International Electoral Awards of 2016, organized by the International Centre for Parliamentary Studies (ICPS), together with The Mozambique Electoral Commission. The Comelec received awards recognizing Outstanding Achievement in Accessibility and Minority Participation in Elections.
As an aside, the main award for Accessibility went to the electoral commission of Palestine for their work in ensuring elections in their war-torn country, and no electoral management body could have deserved it more.
Ranged against the caliber of nominees also being considered for the award, I was literally overjoyed when I heard that the Election Management Award was being given to the Comelec, over the National Electoral Institute of Mexico and the Electoral Commission of South Africa. The award recognizes the successful management of elections, seen through a secure, transparent and smooth running of elections.
Now, if that award had me dancing the jig, the next one—the highest award of the night—just blew me away. The Comelec also received the award for Electoral Commission of the Year! For the record, in honoring the winning electoral-management body, the Awards Committee took into account the diversity of country-specific challenges, as well as its duties and organizational structure.
Wow, right? I mean. Just wow.
The Comelec has never done its job for any purpose other than to ensure that the Filipinos get the best elections—and election experience—possible. We’ve always striven to deliver credible elections, contrary opinions notwithstanding, for the sake of credible elections. International recognition could not have been further from the minds of the Comelec, from the Commissioners down to the electoral worker hauling election supplies and paraphernalia through floods, landslides and various other threats to life and limb.
And to receive that recognition now has been a truly humbling experience—one that will resonate throughout the organization and inspire us to even greater heights. Needless to say, these awards belong to everyone in the Comelec. It is hard-won recognition for all the hard work we dedicate to the service of the Filipino nation, and it puts paid to all the heartache we survive whenever we’re accused of failing our mandate.
Most of all, these awards belong to the nation, as well. Because truly, the Filipino deserves nothing less.
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James Arthur B. Jimenez is director of the Commission on Elections’s Education and Information Department.
2 comments
how about the award from internet hackers? your incompetence have put our identity and security at risk….you imbeciles!!!
Did you mention the PCOs machine magicians, Smartmatic? When they were about to be questioned by investigators, they all miraculously fled the country?..you sneaky devil…we deserve the truth!