Article 10p. 10

OMNIBUS ELECTION CODE ELECTION LAWS, RULES AND PROCEDURES

(f) Enforce and execute its decisions, directives, orders

and instructions which shall have precedence over those

emanating from any other authority, except the Supreme

Court and those issued in habeas corpus proceedings.

(g) Prescribe the forms to be used in the election,

plebiscite or referendum.

(h) Procure any supplies, equipment, materials or

services needed for the holding of the election by public

bidding: Provided, That, if it finds the requirements of

public

bidding

impractical

to

observe,

then

by

negotiations

or sealed bids, and in both cases, the

accredited parties shall be duly notified.

(i)

Prescribe

the

use

or

adoption

of

the

latest

technological and electronic devices, taking into account

the

situation

prevailing

in

the

area

and the funds

available for the purpose: Provided, That the Commission

shall notify the authorized representatives of accredited

political parties and candidates in areas affected by the

use or adoption of technological and electronic devices

not less than thirty days prior to the effectivity of the use

of such devices.

(j) Carry out a continuing and systematic campaign

through newspapers of general circulation, radios and

other media forms to educate the public and fully inform

the electorate about election laws, procedures, decisions,

and other matters relative to the work and duties of the

Commission and the necessity of clean, free, orderly and

honest electoral processes.

(k) Enlist non-partisan group or organizations of

citizens from the civic, youth, professional, educational,

business

or

labor

sectors

known

for

their

probity,

impartiality

and integrity with the membership and

capability to undertake a coordinated operation and

activity to assist it in the implementation of the provisions

of this Code and the resolutions, orders and instructions

of the Commission for the purpose of ensuring free,

orderly and honest elections in any constituency.

Such groups or organizations shall function under the

direct and immediate control and supervision of the

Commission and shall perform the following specific

functions and duties:

A. Before Election Day:

1. Undertake an information campaign on salient

features of this Code and help in the dissemination of the

orders, decisions and resolutions of the Commission

relative to the forthcoming election.

2. Wage a registration drive in their respective areas

so

that

all

citizens

of

voting

age,

not

otherwise

disqualified by law may be registered.

3. Help cleanse the list of voters of illegal registrants,

conduct house-to-house canvass if necessary, and take

the appropriate legal steps towards this end.

4.

Report

to

the

Commission

violations

of

the

provisions of this Code on the conduct of the political

campaign,

election

propaganda

and

electoral

expenditures.

B. On Election Day:

1. Exhort all registered voters in their respective areas

to go to their polling places and cast their votes.

2. Nominate one watcher for accreditation in each

polling place and each place of canvass who shall have

the same duties, functions and rights as the other

watchers of political parties and candidates. Members or

units of any citizen group or organization so designated

by

the

Commission

except

its lone duly accredited

watcher, shall not be allowed to enter any polling place

except to vote, and shall, if they so desire, stay in an area

at least fifty meters away from the polling place.

3.

Report

to

the

peace

authorities

and

other

appropriate

agencies

all

instances

of

terrorism,

intimidation of voters, and other similar attempts to

frustrate the free and orderly casting of votes.

4. Perform such other functions as may be entrusted

to such group or organization by the Commission.

The designation of any group or organization made in

accordance herewith may be revoked by the Commission

upon notice and hearing whenever by its actuations such

group or organization has shown partiality to any political

party or candidate, or has performed acts in excess or in

contravention of the functions and duties herein provided

and

such

others

which

may

be

granted

by

the

Commission.

(l) Conduct hearings on controversies pending before

it in the cities or provinces upon proper motion of any

party,

taking

into

consideration

the

materiality

and

number of witnesses to be presented, the situation

prevailing in the area and the fund available for the

purpose.

(m)

Fix

other

reasonable

periods

for

certain

pre-election requirements in order that voters shall not

be deprived of their right of suffrage and certain groups

of rights granted them in this Code.

Unless indicated in this Code, the Commission is

hereby authorized for fix the appropriate period for the

various prohibited acts enumerated herein, consistent

with

the

requirements

of

free,

orderly,

and

honest

elections.

Section 53. Field offices of the Commission. — The

Commission shall have the following field offices:

(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.

(2) Provincial Election Office, headed by the Provincial

Election

Supervisor

and

assisted

by

such

other

subordinate officers or employees as the Commission

may appoint.

(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.

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.

Section 54. Qualifications. — Only members of the

Philippines Bar shall be eligible for appointment to the

position of regional director, assistant regional director,

provincial

election

supervisor

and

election

registrar:

Provided, however, That if there are no members of the

Philippine Bar available for appointment as election

registrar, except in cities and capital towns, graduates of

duly recognized schools of law, liberal arts, education or

business administration who possess the appropriate civil

service eligibility may be appointed to said position.

Section 55. Office space. — The local government

concerned shall provide a suitable place for the office of

the provincial election supervisor and his staff and the

election registrar and his staff: Provided, That in case of

failure of the local government concerned to provide such

suitable place, the provincial election supervisor or the

election

registrar,

as

the

case

may

be,

upon

prior

authority of the Commission and notice to the local

government concerned, may lease another place for

office and the rentals thereof shall be chargeable to the

funds of the local government concerned.

Section

56.

Changes

in

the

composition,

distribution

or

assignment

of

field

offices. — The

Commission may make changes in the composition,

distribution and assignment of field offices, as well as its

personnel, whenever the exigencies of the service and

the interest of free, orderly, and honest election so

require: Provided, That such changes shall be effective

and enforceable only for the duration of the election

period concerned and shall not affect the tenure of office

of the incumbents of positions affected and shall not

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