Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by REP. FAUSTINO ‘BOJIE’ G. DY IIT

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is one of the bastions of Philippine
democracy. The 1987 Constitution mandated COMELEC to enforce and administer all
laws and regulations relative to the conduct of elections, plebiscites, initiatives,
referendum and recall. The effective and efficient performance by COMELEC of its
duties and responsibilities help ensure that the people’s democratic right to choose the
country’s leaders are protected and upheld.

This bill seeks to strengthen the organizational capacity of the COMELEC field
offices by upgrading and creating certain plantilla positions therein. It also provided a
new classification for COMELEC field offices in highly urbanized cities (HUC).The
implementation of the proposed amendments shall be in accordance with the
organization, staffing, position classification and compensation standards and shall be
submitted to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for evaluation and
approval.

The same version of this bill has been approved by the House of

Representatives on Third Reading in the 18th Congress. In view of the foregoing, the
immediate approval of this measure in the 20th Congress is earnestly requested.

FAUST, BOJIE’ G. DY TL


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

!
HOUSE BILL NO. 3549

Introduced by REP. FAUSTINO ‘BOJIE’ G. DY II

AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE FIELD OFFICES OF THE COMMISSION ON
ELECTIONS BY UPGRADING AND CREATING CERTAIN POSITIONS,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 53 OF BATAS PAMBANSA
BILANG 881, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “OMNIBUS ELECTION
CODE,” AS AMENDED. AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 53 of Batas Pambansa Bilang 881 is hereby amended to read as

follows:

“SEC. 53. Field offices of the Commission. — The Commission shall have the
following field offices:

(1) Regional Election Office, headed by the Regional Election Director WITH
THE RANK OF DIRECTOR IV and assisted by the Assistant Regional
Director WITH THE RANK OF DIRECTOR III. OTHER OFFICERS
AND EMPLOYEES OF THE OFFICE ARE REGIONAL ELECTION
ATTORNEY, SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER Vv,
ACCOUNTANT Ul, HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT OFFICER
III, SUPPLY OFFICER III, STENOGRAPHIC REPORTER __ III,
WATCHMAN, PROCESS SERVER, ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE IV,
ASSISTANT ELECTION SPECIALIST, UTILITY WORKER AND
DRIVER IL.


THE POSITIONS AND CORRESPONDING

SALARY GRADES IN THE REGIONAL ELECTION OFFICE ARE AS

FOLLOWS:

POSITIONS

SALARY GRADES

DIRECTOR IV_

28

DIRECTOR IIL

27

ATTORNEY V.

25

SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE
OFFICER V

22

ASSISTANT ELECTION SPECIALIST

21

ACCOUNTANT IIL

19

OFFICER III

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

18

SUPPLY OFFICER Ll

STENOGRAPHIC REPORTER III
WATCHMAN

PROCESS SERVER

ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE IV

UTILITY WORKER

DRIVER II

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(2) Provincial Election Office, headed by the Provincial Election [Supervisor
and assisted by such other subordinate officers or employees as the
Commission may appoint] DIRECTOR WITH THE RANKOF DIRECTOR
Il OTHER OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE OFFICE ARE
COMPUTER MAINTENANCE SPECIALIST, ASSISTANT ELECTION
SPECIALIST, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER V, WATCHMAN,
ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE IV, UTILITY WORKER AND DRIVER II.

THE POSITIONS AND CORRESPONDING

SALARY GRADES IN THE PROVINCIAL ELECTION OFFICE ARE

AS FOLLOWS:
POSITIONS SALARY GRADES
DIRECTOR IL 26
COMPUTER MAINTENANCE 21
SPECIALIST



ASSISTANT ELECTION SPECIALIST 21
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER V 1 18
WATCHMAN 7
ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE IV 4
UTILITY WORKER 3
DRIVER II 3

(3) [City/Municipal Election — Office, headed by the

City/Municipal Registrar who shall be assisted by an election clerk and such
other employees as the Commission may appoint.] HIGHLY URBANIZED
CITY (HUC) ELECTION OFFICE, HEADED BY THE HUC
ELECTION DIRECTOR WITH THE RANK OF DIRECTOR II AND
ASSISTED BY A MINIMUM OF TWO (2) ASSISTANT ELECTION
SPECIALISTS. OTHER OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE
OFFICE ARE COMPUTER MAINTENANCE _ SPECIALIST
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER V, WATCHMAN, ADMINISTRATIVE
AIDE IV, UTILITY WORKER AND DRIVER II.

THE POSITIONS AND CORRESPONDING SALARY GRADES IN
THE HUC ELECTION OFFICE ARE AS FOLLOWS:

POSITIONS SALARY GRADES

DIRECTOR IL 26
COMPUTER MAINTENANCE 21
SPECIALIST

ASSISTANT ELECTION SPECIALISTS a
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER V 18
WATCHMAN 7
ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE IV 4
UTILITY WORKER, 3
DRIVER 3

(4) CITY OR MUNICIPAL ELECTION OFFICE, HEADED BY THE
CITY OR MUNICIPAL ELECTION OFFICER WITH THE RANK OF
DIRECTOR I. THERE SHALL BE A MINIMUM OF TWO (2)
ASSISTANT ELECTION SPECIALISTS IN EVERY CITY OR

MUNICIPALITY: PROVIDED, THAT FOR EVERY ADDITIONAL
20,000 VOTERS IN EXCESS OF 50,000 VOTERS, ADDITIONAL
ASSISTANT ELECTION SPECIALISTS SHALL BE APPOINTED.
OTHER EMPLOYEES OF THE OFFICE ARE WATCHMAN,


ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE IV AND UTILITY WORKER.

THE POSITIONS AND CORRESPONDING SALARY GRADES IN

THE CITY OR MUNICIPAL ELECTION OFFICE ARE AS FOLLOWS:
POSITIONS SALARY GRADES
DIRECTORI 24
ASSISTANT ELECTION SPECIALIST 21
WATCHMAN 7
ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE IV_ 4
UTILITY WORKER 3

“ONLY THE PERSONNEL MENTIONED IN THIS SECTION OR
EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZED BY LAW, SHALL BE ASSIGNED,
DESIGNATED, ENGAGED OR DETAILED AT THE COMMISSION’S
FIELD OFFICES, OR ALLOWED TO PERFORM ADMINISTRATIVE
OR CLERICAL WORK IN THE FIELD OFFICES. VIOLATION OF
THIS PROVISION SHALL CONSTITUTE AN ELECTION OFFENSE.

The Commission may delegate its powers and functions or order the
implementation or enforcement of its orders, rulings or decisions through the
heads of its field offices.

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE ORGANIZATION, STAFFING, POSITION
CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION STANDARDS AND SHALL
BE SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND
MANAGEMENT (DBM) FOR EVALUATION AND APPROVAL.”

SECTION 2. The amount necessary for the initial implementation of this Act shall be
charged against the available appropriations of the COMELEC. Thereafter, such sums
as may be necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in the annual
General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 3. Within ninety (90) days from the approval of this Act, the Chairperson
of the Commission on Elections shall, in coordination with the Chairperson of the
Civil Service Commission and Secretary of Budget and Management, promulgate the
necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

SECTION 4. If any provision or part of this Act is declared invalid or
unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in force


and effect.

SECTION 5. All laws, executive orders, issuances, decrees, rules and regulations
or parts thereof inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are
amended, modified, or repealed accordingly.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,