ARTA Organizational Structure

The Commission is under the over-all control of the Chairman and the Commissioners, who constitute the policymaking body that lays down the guidelines and regulations for elections, referenda, plebiscites, initiatives and recalls. The Commission sits either En Banc or in two divisions in order to expedite disposition of election cases including pre-proclamation controversies.

The Chairman is the chief executive of the Commission. Under him is the Executive Director whose duty is to implement policies and decisions and to take charge of the administrative affairs of the Commission. Assisting the Executive Director are the two deputies: a Deputy Executive Director for Administration and a Deputy Executive Director for Operations.

In the field, there are 16 regional election directors, 80 provincial election supervisors, 1,638 election officers and their staffs. The election officers are based in every city and municipality. Their main function is to supervise the conduct of electoral activities within their areas of responsibility as field representatives of the Commission.

In the central office, there are ten (10) departments, namely: the Law Department, Election and Barangay Affairs Department, Electoral Contests Adjudication Department, Education and Information Department, Election Records and Statistics Department, Administrative Services Department, Finance Services Department, Planning Department, Information Technology Department, Personnel Department and the Offices of the COMELEC Secretary and the Clerk of the Commission.