Good morning to everyone. I did not anticipate that I should be addressing you on this day in this condition, but I am here now and that’s what matters. It dawned on me that no one is invincible, and sometimes the body is not always able to achieve whatever the mind conceives.

As you probably know already, I suffered intestinal bleeding brought about by a gastrointestinal injury known as diverticulosis. This is an unfortunate time for this sickness to manifest itself, but I guess all the rigors of the preparations, coupled with the many issues – legitimate or not – which I have had to address and against which I have had to defend myself and the Commission, took their toll.

Foremost, I would like to address your concerns on my capability to be on top of the situation today and in the succeeding days.

I am visibly weaker, but I am confident that the COMELEC people know the process like the back of their hand and can still function even when I am not physically present all the time. I believe in their ability to make operational decisions and provide solutions to whatever problems they have encountered. Personally, it ahs never been my practice to micro-manage; I know I have laid the groundwork and the direction that I have envisioned the Commission to take.

The significance of this day should not be downplayed by the weakness of humans. This is, after all, a day that many of us have looked forward to for long. This election shall determine whether or not we can look on to moving forward.

Admittedly, not even the most noble of intentions prevented the Commission’s serious brushed with reality in the last few months. Not everything materialized as we have envisioned. Some of the people whom we trusted to be our partners instead engaged in faultfinding and mudslinging. Those whom I expected to be fair and balanced gave in to sensationalism and hype, to the detriment of the Commission as perceived by the public. Lamentably, too, there was nothing I or anyone could do to stop the spate of senseless violence in many places.

Stripped now of all illusions that the May election could ever be as pristine and as mechanically efficient as we would like it to be, we at the COMELEC have had to take a pragmatic approach and make the most out of the options available to us.

On this day, let me reiterate my plea: be assured that this is a COMELEC which harbors only the best and most sincere of objectives for the nation.

This is a COMELEC which, as it has been created, remains to be an independent body that exists solely for the people and not for any particular person or organization.

This is a COMELEC which, though beset by many challenges, is determined to deliver an honest, efficient and credible election within its means, with the help pf everyone who is convinced this is our collective future at stake.

There is much to look forward to. After this, I hope we will be able to capitalize on our newfound strengths and learn well and hard from our mistakes. In the meantime, I hope that the people would accept the results of the elections and advance towards genuine and sustainable improvement.