Resolution No. 8500 - Article II

SEC. 16. Powers and functions of the Provincial Board of Canvassers. - The Provincial Board of Canvassers of Basilan (excluding Isabela City), Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Shariff Kabunsuan (excluding Cotabato City), Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, shall:

1. Canvass/consolidate the electronically transmitted municipal/city results in their respective provinces;
2. Generate the Provincial Certificate of Canvass of Vote for Regional Governor and Regional Vice-Governor;
3. Electronically transmit the provincial consolidated results to the regional board of canvassers;
4. Print the Provincial Certificates of Canvass of Votes and Statement of Votes By City/Municipality for Regional Governor and Regional Vice-Governor;
5. Generate and print the Statement of Votes By City/Municipality, and Certificates of Canvass and Proclamation, and proclaim as elected, the candidates for members of the Regional Legislative Assembly who obtained the three (3) highest number of votes in each legislative district; and
6. Perform such other functions as may be directed by the Commission.

SEC. 17. Support groups; composition; functions. - To assist the provincial board of canvassers in the canvass, the Chairmen of the provincial board of canvassers are hereby authorized to create the following groups to be headed by a representative of the Commission:

1. Sub-canvassing/consolidation Group; and
2. Reception and Custody Group.

The names of the members of all support groups shall be indicated in the Minutes of the Canvass.

Sub-canvassing/consolidation Group

There shall be several cities/municipalities assigned to each sub-canvassing/consolidation group that may be located in several places designated by the Commission. Each sub-canvassing/consolidation group shall have consolidation machines as there are cities/municipalities assigned to each group. The machine shall receive and consolidate the electronically transmitted precinct results from the different polling places/precincts in its city/municipality.

Each sub-canvassing group shall have a reception and custody unit who shall receive from the election officers the USB memory sticks, including the consolidated memory stick (for EVM) and the CD-R (for ACM).

Reception and Custody Group

There shall be one (1) Reception and Custody Group per province. It shall be responsible for the reception and custody of the ballot boxes containing the election returns intended for the provincial boards of canvassers, the printed Certificates of Canvass of Votes, Statement of Votes by Precinct, and the USB Key used to back-up the city/municipal consolidated results from the election officers.

SEC. 18. Procedure for the sub-canvassing groups. -

1. At 11:00 o'clock in the morning of election day, the Information Technology Department (ITD) representatives shall act as consolidation machine operators and perform the following:
1. Turn on all consolidation machines;
2. Initialize the principal server; and
3. Generate a Zero Report for each position from every consolidation machines.
2. Upon arrival at the consolidation/counting center, the Election Officer for each city/municipality, using his assigned consolidation machine, shall:
1. Receive the electronically transmitted precinct results;
2. Monitor the transmission of precinct results from the polling centers or counting centers. Color-coded icons are displayed beside the barangay, polling center, and precinct to indicate the status of transmission: Red button means that there is no transmission of precinct results yet; yellow button means that transmission is on-going; green means precinct results have been transmitted. In the latter case, check the results per precinct to determine whether the complete results have been transmitted;
3. After determining that the untransmitted precinct results can no longer be electronically transmitted:

3.1 For EVM - retrieve from the reception and custody unit the memory stick/s pertaining to the affected precinct/s, and insert them, one at a time, for purposes of extracting the precinct results to the Contingency Transmission Station (CTS) machine. After extracting untransmitted precinct results, transmit it following the procedure for transmitting the precinct results from the precinct level to the regional board of canvassers (advance) and to the sub-canvassing/consolidation center (canvass);

3.2 For ACM - retrieve the CD-R containing the affected precinct results, insert it to the consolidation machine, and import therefrom the untransmitted precinct results;

4. Generate the canvass results only after all the precinct results have been electronically received, unless otherwise ordered by the provincial board of canvassers;
5. Generate the Certificate of Canvass (COC) for all positions;
6. Electronically transmit the COC for all positions to the provincial board of canvassers;
7. Generate the Statement of Votes (SOV);
8. Print the COC and SOV in three (3) copies, to be distributed as follows:

8.1 First copy, to the Regional Board of Canvassers;

8.2 Second copy, to the Election Records and Statistics Department (ERSD), Commission on Elections, Manila;

8.3 Third copy, to the chairman of the Provincial Board of Canvassers.

9. Create back-up of the city/municipal consolidated results in the USB Key;
10. Write their names, and affix their signatures and thumbmarks on the COC and SOV, and require the watchers, if present, to write their names and affix their signatures and thumbmarks on the same;
11. The printed COCs, SOVs, and the USB Key used for back-up shall be placed inside separate envelopes, duly sealed and submitted to the provincial board of canvassers.

SEC. 19. Procedure for canvassing. - Immediately after convening, the Provincial Board of Canvassers shall:

1. Initialize the server;
2. Generate Zero Report for each position;
3. Receive the electronically transmitted city/municipal consolidated results;
4. Monitor the transmission of the city/municipal consolidated results.

Color-coded icons are displayed beside the city/municipality, barangay, polling center, and precinct to indicate the status of transmission: Red button means that there is no transmission of the city/municipality consolidated results yet; yellow button means that transmission is on-going; green means that the city/municipality have transmitted their precinct results. In the latter case, check the results per precinct to determine whether the complete results have been transmitted;

5. After determining that the untransmitted city/municipal consolidated results can no longer be electronically transmitted, retrieve the USB Key that was used to back-up the city/municipal consolidated results, and extract therefrom the untransmitted results;
6. Generate, from time to time, the updated canvass results;
7. After all the city/municipal consolidated results have been transmitted, or if there are still untransmitted provincial COCs but will no longer affect theresults of the election, generate the Certificate of Canvass (COC) for the position of assemblymen;
8. Generate the COC for Regional Governor and Vice-Governor;
9. Electronically transmit the provincial consolidated results to the regional board of canvassers;
10. Generate the Statement of Votes (SOV) for all positions;
11. Generate the Certificate of Canvass and Proclamation (COCP) for the position of regional assemblymen. The three (3) candidates with the highest number of votes shall be proclaimed as the winners;
12. Create back-up of the provincial consolidated results in the USB Key.

SEC. 20. Completion of the canvass.- Upon completion of the canvass, the provincial board of canvassers shall print thirty (30) copies of the Certificate of Canvass (COC) for Regional Governor and Regional Vice-Governor, to be distributed as follows:

1. The first copy, to the Regional Board of Canvassers;
2. The second copy, to the ERSD;
3. The third copy, to the Chairman of the Provincial Board of Canvassers;
4. The fourth copy, to the citizens' arm designated by the Commission
5. The fifth copy, to the Secretary of the Regional Legislative Assembly;
6. The sixth copy, to be posted conspicuously on a wall within the premises of the canvassing center;
7. The seventh and eighth copies, to the dominant majority and dominant minority parties;
8. The ninth to eighteenth copies shall be given to the ten (10) accredited major national parties, excluding the dominant majority and minority parties, in accordance with a voluntary agreement among them;
9. The nineteenth and twentieth copies shall be given to the two (2) accredited major local parties in accordance with a voluntary agreement among them;
10. The twenty-first to twenty-fifth copies to the national broadcast or print media entities as may be equitably determined by the Commission in view of propagating the copies to the widest extent possible;
11. The twenty-sixth to twenty-seventh copies to the local broadcast or print media entities as may be equitably determined by the Commission in view of propagating the copies to the widest extent possible; and
12. The twenty-eighth to thirtieth copies to the major citizens' arm, including the accredited citizens' arm and other non-partisan groups or organizations enlisted by the Commission pursuant to Section 52 (k) of Batas Pambansa Bilang 881.

The board shall also print three (3) copies of the Statement of Votes by City/Municipality, and each copy shall be attached to the COCs intended for the Regional Board of Canvassers, the Election Records and Statistics Department, and the Chairman of the Provincial Board of Canvassers.

The Certificate of Canvass and Statement of Votes shall be signed and thumbmarked by the chairman and members of the provincial board of canvassers, and the watchers, if available. Thereafter, all copies, with their respective supporting documents, shall each be sealed with a serially numbered paper seal (CEF No. 12) and placed inside their corresponding envelopes. Each envelope shall likewise be sealed with a serially numbered paper seal.

The USB key used to back-up the provincial consolidated results shall also be placed inside an envelope, duly sealed, and submitted to the regional board of canvassers.

SEC. 21. Certificate of Canvass and Proclamation of Winning Candidates for the Regional Assemblymen. - The provincial board of canvassers shall print, in seven copies, a Certificate of Canvass and Proclamation (COCP) of Winning Candidates for Regional Assemblymen for each legislative district, to be distributed as follows:

1. The first copy, to the ERSD;
2. The second copy, to the Chairman of the Provincial Board of Canvassers;
3. The third copy, to the Secretary of the Regional Legislative Assembly;
4. The fourth copy, to the Secretary of the DILG;
5. The fifth, sixth and seventh copies, to each of the winning candidates.

The Certificate of Canvass and Proclamation (COCP) shall be signed and thumb marked by the chairman and members of the provincial board of canvassers, and the watchers, if available.

The board shall also print three (3) copies of the supporting Statement of Votes by City/Municipality, and shall be attached to copies (a), (b) and (c) of the Certificate of Canvass and Proclamation. Copies (a), (b), (c) and (d) shall then be individually folded from top to bottom, sealed with paper seals such that the certificates cannot be opened without breaking the seal, and placed inside their respective envelopes which shall likewise be sealed with paper seals.

SEC. 22. Delivery of the Certificates of Canvass to the Commission. - The Chairman of the Provincial Board of Canvassers shall personally deliver by fastest means to the Regional Board of Canvassers the original copy of the Certificate of Canvass (copy for the Regional Board of Canvassers) for the Regional Governor and Regional Vice-Governor, together with a copy of the Statement of Votes by City/Municipality.

The provincial board of canvassers shall submit said documents, along with the USB Key used as back up of the provincial consolidated results, to the regional board of canvassers immediately after completion of canvass.