This early, people are already wishing that 2016 would just end already. The second half of the year, after all, has seen a series of upheavals and calamities—both natural and man-made —that would make anyone despair. How can we not, when we now live in a world where armed policemen in combat gear, wearing skull masks have become a mundane sight in Congressional hearings, where people are viciously attacked online for simply expressing a contrary opinion, where the previous night’s detritus typically includes a body or three?
These past few weeks have been such a drag that when the Commission on Elections (Comelec) appeared before the House Committee on Suffrage hardly anyone noticed. This, despite the fact that what happened there was actually a welcome bit of good news. So welcome, in fact, that it bears retelling here, in the words of the Office of the Comelec chairman himself.
“The Commission on Elections’ reform measures for the 2016 national and local elections were highly commended at the House of Representatives. Comelec Chairman Andres D. Bautista addressed the Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms of the House of Representatives, last Monday, November 21 and gave an exhaustive assessment and evaluation of the 2016 national and local elections.
“Chairman Bautista presented the accomplishments of the commission, particularly in securing a credible election with an enhanced voter experience. He cited the all-time high voter turnout of 81.95 percent. Bautista presented key result areas and performance indicators as measured by the performance scorecard he introduced, such as improved technology, enhanced voter education, increased system safeguards, high voter turnout, and expanded voter-care services.
Chairman Bautista, likewise, stressed that an important factor that ensured the success of the 2016 elections can be attributed to the active involvement and cooperation of key stakeholders through mechanisms introduced by the commission. In ending his presentation, Bautista enumerated positive remarks from civil-society groups, research organizations and other election watchdogs affirming and validating the gains of the recently concluded election.
“Members of the House committee praised the commission under Bautista’s leadership for ensuring a transparent, credible and inclusive election. Electoral Reform and Suffrage Committee Chairman Rep. Sherwin Tugna expressed his gratitude to the relentless efforts of the commission as evidenced by the positive data presented to the committee.
“Deputy Speaker Fredenil Castro, likewise, praised the commission’s efficiency, which, according to him, is bereft of any form of insincerity. Meanwhile, Cebu Rep. and Deputy Speaker Gwendolyn Garcia affirmed the credibility of the elections, citing that the 2016 elections was a far cry from the two previous automated elections as regards the security features of the ballots and the vote- counting machines.
“Recognizing the accomplishments of the commission, Deputy Speaker and Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo expressed that the 2016 elections can be considered as the new bar and standard within which we can measure election credibility. Chairman Bautista, for his part, ensured the committee that further needed reforms are on its way not just in preparation for the midterm election in 2019 but for the 2022 elections thereafter.”
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James Arthur B. Jimenez is director of the Commission on Elections’s Education and Information Department.