Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HoUSEBILLNo.      125
Introduced by: REP. JULIET MARIE DE LEON FERRER
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This  measure  seeks  to  reorganize  the  field  offices  of  the  Commission  on
Elections (COMELEC) by upgrading and creating certain positions for its personnel.
The  1987  Constitution  has  empowered  the  COMELEC  to  appoint  their
officials  and  employees in accordance  with law.  The Omnibus Election Code has
expressly laid down the COMELEC's powers and functions.  In Section 53 thereof,
the law mandated that the COMELEC shall have field offices.
Since its passage and despite changes in the election process, the current set
up and number of personnel in the field offices remained the same. In order to be
more  responsive  to  the  demands  of  the  public,  and  to  cater  all  election  related
concerns in the provinces, municipalities, and cities, it is imperative that the existing
organizational structure of field offices be reviewed and upgraded.
The bill proposes for the upgrading of positions and provision of adequate
payment  for  the  employees  to  be  at  par  with  equivalent  positions  in  other
government agencies. There shall also be created new positions in the field offices to
ensure better, more expeditious, and more efficient services to the public.
The   attached  bill   was   approved  by   the  House   of  Representatives  and
transmitted to the Senate for its consideration but due to lack of material time the
same was not considered. The principal author of the proposed measure during the
last 18th congress was our distinguished colleague, Representative France L. Castro
and co-authored by this representation.
It is for these reasons that I seek the approval of this bill.
JULIE


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HouseB|IINo.         125
Introduced by Hon. Juliet Marie de Leon Ferrer
AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE FIELD OFFICES OF THE COMMISSION ON
ELECTIONS BY UPGRADING AND CREATING CERTAIN POSITIONS,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 53 0F BATAS PAMBANSA
BILANG 881, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ``OMNIBUS ELECTION CODE,"
AS AMENDED AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR
Pe  it  ?pasted 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  0F  DIRECTOR  IV  and  assisted  by  the  Assistant  Regional
Director WITH THE RANK 0F DIRECTOR Ill.  OTHER OFFICERS AND
EMPLOYEES 0F THE OFFICE ARE REGIONAL ELECTION ATTORNEY,
SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER V, ACCOUNTANT Ill, HUMAN
RESOURCE    MANAGEMENT    OFFICER    Ill,    SUPPLY   OFFICER    Ill,
STENOGRAPHIC   REPORTER  Ill,  WATCHMAN,  PROCESS   SERVER,
ADMINISTRATIVE   AIDE   IV,   ASSISTANT   ELECTION   SPECIALIST,
UTILITY WORKER AND DRIVER 11.


THE  POSITIONS  AND  CORRESPONDING  SALARY GRADES  IN THE
REGIONAL ELECTION OFFICE ARE AS FOLLOWS:
POSITIONS
SALARY GRADES28
DIRECTOR IV
DIRECTOR IllATTORNEYVSENIORADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER VASSISTANTELECTIONSPECIALISTACCOUNTANTIllHUMANRESOURCEMANAGEMENTOFFICER IllSUPPLYOFFICERIllSTENOGRAPHICREPORTERIll
27
25
22
21
19
18
18
11
WATCHMANPROCESSSERVERADMINISTRATIVE AIDE IVUTILITYWORKERDRIVER11
7
5
4
3
3
(2) Provincial Election Office,  headed by the Provincial Election [Supervisor
andassistedbysuchothersubordinateofficersoremployeesastheCommissionmay
appoint]  DIRECTOR WITH THE RANK 0F DIRECTOR 11.  OTHER OFFICERS
AND   EMPLOYEES   0F   THE   OFFICE   ARE   COMPUTER   MAINTENANCE
SPECIALIST,    ASSISTANT    ELECTION    SPECIALIST,    ADMINISTRATIVE
OFFICER V, WATCHMAN,  ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE  IV, UTILITY WORKER
AND DRIVER 11.
THE  POSITIONS  AND  CORRESPONDING  SALARY GRADES  IN THE
PROVINCIAL ELECTION OFFICE ARE AS FOLLOWS:
POSITIONS
SALARY GRADES26
DIRECTOR 11COMPUTERMAINTENANCE SPECIALISTASSISTANTELECTIONSPECIALISTADMINISTRATIVEOFFICERVWATCHMANADMINISTRATIVEAIDEIVUTILITYWORKERDRIVER11
21
21
18
7
•4
3
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
11   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 11.
THE POSITIONS AND CORRESPONDING SALARY GRADES IN THE HUC
ELECTION OFFICE ARE AS FOLLOWS:
POSITIONS
SALARY GRADES26
DIRECTOR 11COMPUTERMAINTENANCE SPECIALISTASSISTANTELECTIONSPECIALISTADMINISTRATIVEOFFICERVWATCHMANADMINISTRATIVEAIDEIVUTILITYWORKERDRIVER11
21
21
18
7
4
3
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 EVIRY 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 GRADES24
DIRECTOR IASSISTANT ELECTION SPECIALISTWATCHMANADMINISTRATIVEAIDEIVUTILITYWORKER
21
7
4
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.I
DEPARTMENT  OF  BUDGET  AND  MANAGEMENT  (DBM)  FOR  EVALUATION
AND APPROVAL."
SEC. 2. The amount necessary for the initial implementation of this Act shall be
chargedagaiusttheavailableappropriationsoftheCOMELEC.Thereafter,suchsums
as may be necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in the armual
General Appropriations Act.
SEC. 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
CivflServiceCommissionandSecretaryofBudgetandManagement,promulgatethe
necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.
SEC.   4.   If   any   provision   or   part   of   this   Act   is   declared   invalid   or
uncoustitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in force
and effect.
SEC. 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.
SEC. 6. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved.