1 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
3rd Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representatives ERIC GO YAP and PAOLO Z. DUTERTE 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is one of the bastions of Philippine 
democracy. It is the principal government agency tasked by the Constitution to 
enforce and administer all laws and regulations concerning the conduct of regular and 
special elections. Every step of the election process - from voter's registration to 
enforcement of election protocols - is effectively and efficiently carried out with the 
dedication and hard work of our civil servants in the COMELEC. 
To support the realization of its vision for an empowered, independent, and 
fully-modernized institution ensuring credible elections in strong partnership with an 
enlightened citizenry, it is necessary to provide adequate and appropriate 
remuneration to the employees in the COMELEC. This is in part of the fulfillment of 
the goal to provide equal pay for equal work in government service. 
In recognition of their invaluable service to the country as the backbone of the 
democratic exercise, this bill seeks to strengthen the field offices of COMELEC by 
upgrading and creating certain positions. This shall also address the disparity in 
compensation of its officials and employees to other government workers of equal 
rank, duties, and responsibilities. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
ERIC GO YAP 
PAOLO Z. DUTERTE
August 21, 2021
10:52 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
3rd Regular Session 
House Bill No. _________ 
Introduced by Representatives ERIC GO YAP and PAOLO Z. DUTERTE 
AN ACT 
STRENGTHENING THE FIELD OFFICES OF THE COMMISSION ON 
ELECTIONS (COMELEC) 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. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “COMELEC Field 
Offices Strengthening Act.” 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - In accordance with the equal protection clause 
of the Constitution, it is the responsibility of the state to provide adequate and 
appropriate remuneration to employees with the ultimate goal of achieving equal pay 
for equal work in government service. 
SEC. 3. Reclassification and Upgrading of Plantilla Positions in the 
COMELEC Field Offices. – All existing plantilla positions in the COMELEC field 
offices shall be reclassified and their salaries upgraded accordingly. For purposes of 
this Act, amendments to Section 53 of Batas Pambansa Bilang 881 provides for the 
reclassified positions and salary grades.  Reclassified positions that will not be filled 
by existing employees shall be subject to hiring.  
SEC. 4. Field Offices. - Section 53 of Batas Pambansa Bilang 881, otherwise 
known as the “Omnibus Election Code”, is hereby amended to read as follows:  
“Sec. 53. Field offices of the Commission. -  The Commission shall have 
the following field offices: 
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(1) Regional Election Office [, headed by the Regional Election Director 
and assisted by the Assistant Regional Director and such other subordinate 
officers or employees as the Commission may appoint.] - THE REGIONAL 
ELECTION OFFICE SHALL BE HEADED BY THE REGIONAL ELECTION 
DIRECTOR (DIRECTOR IV) AND ASSISTED BY THE ASSISTANT 
REGIONAL DIRECTOR (DIRECTOR III).  THE REGIONAL ELECTION 
ATTORNEY SHALL HAVE THE RANK OF ATTORNEY V.  THERE SHALL 
LIKEWISE BE A SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER V, AN 
ACCOUNTANT III, A HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT OFFICER 
III, A SUPPLY OFFICER III, A STENOGRAPHIC REPORTER III, A 
WATCHMAN, A PROCESS SERVER, AN ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE IV, 
AN ASSISTANT ELECTION SPECIALIST, A UTILITY WORKER AND A 
DRIVER II, AND ANY SUCH OTHER SUBORDINATE OFFICERS OR 
EMPLOYEES NECESSARY IN THE EXIGENCY OF SERVICE FOR THE 
SAID OFFICE. 
 
REGIONAL ELECTION OFFICE 
 
 
RECLASSIFIED POSITIONS 
 
 
SALARY GRADES 
DIRECTOR IV 
28 
DIRECTOR III 
27 
ATTORNEY V 
25 
SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER V 
22 
ASSISTANT ELECTION SPECIALIST  
21 
ACCOUNTANT III 
19 
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT OFFICER 
III 
18 
SUPPLY OFFICER III 
18 
STENOGRAPHIC REPORTER III 
11 
WATCHMAN  
7 
PROCESS SERVER  
5 
ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE IV 
4 
UTILITY WORKER  
3 
DRIVER II 
3 
 
(2) Provincial Election Office [, headed by the Provincial Election 
Supervisor and assisted by such other subordinate officers or employees as the 
Commission may appoint.] - THE PROVINCIAL ELECTION OFFICE SHALL 
BE HEADED BY THE PROVINCIAL ELECTION DIRECTOR WITH THE 
RANK OF DIRECTOR II REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER OF 
REGISTERED VOTERS.  THERE SHALL LIKEWISE BE A COMPUTER 
MAINTENANCE SPECIALIST, AN ASSISTANT ELECTION SPECIALIST, 
AN 
ADMINISTRATIVE 
OFFICER 
V, 
A 
WATCHMAN, 
AN 
ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE IV, A UTILITY WORKER, A DRIVER II, AND 


 
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ANY SUCH OTHER SUBORDINATE OFFICERS OR EMPLOYEES 
NECESSARY IN THE EXIGENCY OF SERVICE FOR THE SAID OFFICE.  
 
PROVINCIAL ELECTION OFFICE 
 
 
RECLASSIFIED POSITIONS 
 
SALARY GRADES 
 
DIRECTOR II 
26 
COMPUTER MAINTENANCE SPECIALIST 
21 
ASSISTANT ELECTION SPECIALIST 
21 
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER V  
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. - THERE 
SHALL BE A CITY ELECTION OFFICER FOR EVERY HUC WITH THE 
RANK OF DIRECTOR II REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER OF 
REGISTERED VOTERS.  AN HUC IS A CITY WITH A MINIMUM 
POPULATION OF 200,000 INHABITANTS AS CERTIFIED BY THE 
PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY AND AN INCOME OF AT LEAST 
50 MILLION PESOS AS CERTIFIED BY THE CITY TREASURER.  THERE 
SHALL LIKEWISE BE A COMPUTER MAINTENANCE SPECIALIST, AT 
LEAST 
TWO 
(2) 
ASSISTANT 
ELECTION 
SPECIALISTS, 
AN 
ADMINISTRATIVE 
OFFICER 
V, 
A 
WATCHMAN, 
AN 
ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE IV, A UTILITY WORKER, A DRIVER II, AND 
ANY SUCH OTHER SUBORDINATE OFFICERS OR EMPLOYEES 
NECESSARY IN THE EXIGENCY OF SERVICE OF SAID OFFICE. 
 
HIGHLY URBANIZED CITY (HUC) ELECTION OFFICE 
 
 
RECLASSIFIED POSITIONS 
 
SALARY GRADES 
 
CITY ELECTION DIRECTOR II 
26 
COMPUTER MAINTENANCE 
SPECIALIST  
21 
ASSISTANT ELECTION 
SPECIALISTS (2)  
21 
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER V 
18 


 
4 
WATCHMAN  
7 
ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE IV  
4 
UTILITY WORKER  
3 
DRIVER II 
3 
 
 
(4) CITY/MUNICIPAL ELECTION OFFICE - THE CITY / MUNICIPAL 
ELECTION OFFICE SHALL BE HEADED BY THE CITY/MUNICIPAL 
ELECTION 
SPECIALIST 
WITH 
THE 
RANK 
OF 
DIRECTOR 
I 
REGARDLESS OF THE PLACE OF ASSIGNMENT. THERE SHALL BE A 
MINIMUM OF TWO ASSISTANT ELECTION SPECIALISTS (AES) IN 
EVERY CITY OR MUNICIPALITY, PROVIDED, THAT FOR EVERY 
ADDITIONAL 20,000 VOTERS FROM 50,000 VOTERS, ADDITIONAL AES 
SHALL BE AUTOMATICALLY APPOINTED. THERE SHALL LIKEWISE 
BE A WATCHMAN, ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE IV, A UTILITY WORKER, 
AND ANY SUCH OTHER SUBORDINATE OFFICERS OR EMPLOYEES 
NECESSARY IN THE EXIGENCY OF SERVICE FOR THE SAID OFFICE.     
 
 
CITY / MUNICIPAL ELECTION OFFICE 
 
 
RECLASSIFIED POSITIONS  
 
SALARY GRADES 
 
DIRECTOR 1 
24 
ASSISTANT ELECTION SPECIALISTS (2)  
21 
WATCHMAN  
7 
ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE IV  
4 
UTILITY WORKER  
3 
 
NO PERSONNEL, OTHER THAN THOSE MENTIONED IN THIS 
SECTION, OR EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZED BY LAW, SHALL BE 
ASSIGNED, DESIGNATED, ENGAGED OR DETAILED AT THE 
COMMISSION’S FIELD OFFICES, OR SHALL BE ALLOWED TO 
PERFORM 
ADMINISTRATIVE 
OR 
CLERICAL 
WORKS 
IN 
ACCOREDANCE WITH THE MANDATE OF THE FIELD OFFICES.  
VIOLATION OF THIS PROVISION SHALL CONSTITUTE AN ELECTION 
OFFENSE.  
 
IN NO CASE SHALL DIMINUTION OF SALARIES AND BENEFITS BE 
CAUSED TO ANY EMPLOYEE. 
 
SEC. 5.  Implementing Rules and Regulations. -  Within ninety (90) days from 
the approval of this Act, the COMELEC, the Civil Service Commission, in 
coordination with the Department of Budget and Management, shall issue the rules 
and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act. 


 
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SEC. 6. Appropriations. -  The amount necessary for the initial implementation 
of this Act shall be charged against the available appropriations of the COMELEC 
under the current General Appropriations Act.  Thereafter, such sums as may be 
necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
 
SEC. 7. Separability Clause. -   If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall 
remain in force and effect.  
 
SEC. 8. Repealing Clause. -  All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, 
presidential proclamations, letters of implementation, rules and regulations or parts 
thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified 
accordingly. 
 
SEC. 9. Effectivity. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.    
 
 
Approved,