WITH still 18 months before the May 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to convene its advisory council this week to discuss the automated election system (AES) to be used in the next poll exercise.
Elections chairman George said the convening of the Comelec Advisory Council (CAC) is mandated under the Automated Elections System law, or RA 9369.
“Next week, we are already calling for a meeting because we are officially organizing already the Comelec Advisory Council,” Garcia said in a speech last Friday to kick start the Random Manual Audit for the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
“The Comelec shouldn’t keep it to itself the problem on automating the NLE. We must partner with other government agencies and civil society organizations,” he added.
The poll chief, who has been designated as head of the 2025 NLE Steering Committee, said they want to involve as many stakeholders as possible in the CAC meetings.
Under the law, the CAC members include the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Education, as well as representatives of the academe, ICT professional organizations, and non-governmental electoral reform organizations.
“We will also include other groups even if they are not mentioned in the law. That will be very, very helpful,” said Garcia.
Aside from making it inclusive, he said they also want to make sure that the entire process is transparent to the public.
“Let’s move forward. We will fix everything. We will open the process for all suggestions,” said Garcia.
Under Republic Act No. 9369, the CAC shall be convened not later than 18 months prior to the next scheduled electoral exercise and deactivated six months after completion of canvassing.
