The COMELEC Strategic Plan for 2011 to 2016 (commonly known as “COMSTRAT 1116”) gains momentum at the start of the new year. With the next elections just barely fifteen months away, the COMELEC remains focused in its commitment to fulfill the promises of COMSTRAT 1116. The first month of 2012 greets the COMELEC community with the following activities:

1. A review assessment workshop on COMSTRAT 1116 for Pillar Champions and Lead Persons is set on January 25-26, 2012. This activity will not only update the work plan of each of the ten pillars but will also facilitate the conduct of periodic reviews (preferably every quarter) of the COMSTRAT 1116 progress or status.
2. Under Pillar 1 (Election Administration), the COMELEC, in partnership with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), conducted a training-workshop for members of the Project Management Office (PMO) of the May 2013 Automated Elections. This Intermediate Project Management Course for COMELEC Executives is a refresher course on the various aspects of Project Management which includes guidelines on scope, timeline, quality, and risk management. It was held on January 7 and 14, 2012.  
3. Under Pillar 8 (Integrity and Accountability), the implementation of an Integrity   Development Review (IDR) in COMELEC is underway. The IDR is a tool that will help COMELEC establish integrity development initiatives and programs to improve public perception and solidify its credibility to stakeholders.  
4. Under Pillar 10 (COMELEC Main Office Building and Field Offices), an ocular inspection of the future site of the COMELEC Main Building was conducted by the Chairman, Commissioners and other members of the Senior Staff on January 11, 2012. The proposed site is located at Super Block A, CBP 1A, Bay City, Pasay City. The building complex targets to house all the departments and offices of the COMELEC Main Office and the Regional Offices of NCR and Region IV.

The vigorous leap of COMSTRAT 1116 was fueled by its previous successes when it registered the following major accomplishments in the last quarter of 2011:

1. Under Pillar 1 (Election Administration), a PMO Training Workshop was held on November 14-15, 2011 at the PMO Hall, Palacio del Gobernador Building, Intramuros, Manila. The workshop was aimed at developing the Senior Staff and Regional Directors’ project management capacity as well as enabling them to effectively manage the preparation and the implementation of an Automated Election System (AES) for future elections, using as gauge the lessons learned during the May 10, 2010 National and Local Elections.
2. The Election Management Pillar also conducted a BRIDGE (Building Resources in Democracy, Governance and Elections) seminar for Senior Staff and Field Directors on November 17-23, 2011 in Tagaytay City. It included various courses intended to improve the skills, knowledge, and confidence of election professionals and other key stakeholders in the overall supervision and administration of electoral processes.
3. Under Pillar 2 (Electoral Dispute Adjudication), a Case Management Information System Project Scoping seminar-workshop was held on October 19-20, 2011 at The Bay Leaf Hotel. This was attended by lawyers from the Office of the Clerk of the Commission, Law Department, Electoral Contests and Adjudication Department and the Offices of the Chairman and Commissioners. The seminar has laid-out guidelines and processes on how to automate the present manual supervision of the flow of cases filed with the Commission.
4. Under Pillar 8 (Integrity and Accountability), an Integrity Summit for Election Administrators and Stakeholders was held on November 16, 2011 at the Bureau of Treasury Convention Hall, Palacio del Gobernador Building, Intramuros, Manila. The summit was participated by COMELEC senior officials and different election stakeholders. It highlighted the launching of the Integrity Pledge (COMELEC Resolution No. 9268 promulgated on August 3, 2011) and its signing by all participants.
5. To add up to the steadfast accomplishments of the Integrity and Accountability Pillar, COMELEC Resolution No. 9307 “Code of Conduct Governing Procurement Activities of the Commission on Elections” was promulgated on December 6, 2011. This new code of ethical standards hopes to engender a culture of good governance resulting to an effective bidding process and an efficient disbursement of public funds and ultimately, to govern all procurement activities of the COMELEC.

As the May 2013 elections gets closer, COMSTRAT 1116 acts like  a “true north” that guides election decision makers in  policy formulation and program implementation. Cheers to a robust, resolute and reliable (3 R’s) COMELEC as COMSTRAT 1116 spreads its wings and soars to new heights in 2012 and beyond.

Let’s all have a toast! It really looks like we have a Happy New Year after all!    

Source: Office of the Deputy Executive Director for Administration

Posted: 01.19.12 LGA