Garcia wants building for every Comelec office to ensure independence from LGUs

BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi – Every local office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) should have its own building, according to Comelec Chairman George Garcia on Saturday, in order to maintain the poll body’s integrity and independence from local government units.

Garcia issued the remark as he visited and inspected the local Comelec office in Tawi-Tawi.

“Tingnan niyo po ang kalagayan ng aming mga opisina ng mga local Comelec po namin. Minsan po ay kung saan nakalagay ang opisina namin, minsan po ay dependent sa LGU,” Garcia said.

“‘Yan nga po rin ‘yung pinagpupursigihan sa House of Representatives, sa Kongreso natin ‘yung integrity na tinatawag na, in order for the Comelec to maintain its independence, hangga’t maari sana magkaroon kami ng sarili naming mga gusali at the same time ma-improve din ‘yung kalagayan  ng aming mga empleyado,” he added.

Garcia also said that there is only one election assistant who is in charge of processing the voter registration of the constituents in Bongao, the province’s capital.

In Bongao alone, there are around 63,000 registered voters, he said.

Tawi-Tawi has more than 200,000 registered voters, according to Provincial Election Supervisor Alnie Burahim.

“Isa lamang po ang election assistant namin dito. Wala pa kaming job order dito. Dahil ba sa kakulangan ng supervision or yung pagkalinga namin? Hindi po. Dahil din sa kakulangan ng resources, kakulangan din po ng budget,” he said.

Garcia, along with Comelec Commissioner Nelson Celis and several other officials, visited Tawi-Tawi on Saturday to check the status of voter registration and the conditions of the local Comelec office. —VBL, GMA Integrated News

Garcia wants building for every Comelec office to ensure independence from LGUs
Source: Filipino Viral News PH