Resolution No. 8910

This pertains to the Memorandum dated May 8, 2010 of Commissioner Armando C. Velasco relative to the amendment to Section 27 of the Comelec Resolution No. 8810 promulgated March 30, 2010, entitled: "General Instructions Governing the Consolidation, Transmission, and Canvassing of Votes for the Special Board of Canvassers in Hong Kong and Singapore in connection with the Overseas Absentee Voting for the May 10, 2010 National and Local Elections"

The Memorandum of Commissioner Velasco reads:

"Undersigned has observed an apparent oversight in the distribution of the Certificate of Canvass of votes as provided in Section 27 of Comelec Resolution No. 8810 promulgated on 30 March 2010 entitled 'General Instructions Governing the Consolidation, Transmission, and Canvassing of Votes for the Special Board of Canvassers in Hong Kong and Singapore in connection with the Overseas Absentee Voting for the May 10, 2010 National and Local Elections', which adopts that used in manual elections instead of the distribution in automated elections.

It is respectfully recommended to the Honorable Commission en banc that Section 27 of Comelec Resolution No. 8810 should be amended to conform with the disfribution of COCs used in automated voting
and should read as follows:

Sec. 27. Distribution of Certificate of Canvass. - The SBOC shall distribute the COC of Votes for President, Vice-President, Senators and Party-List as follows:

1. The first copy shall be sent to Congress, directed to the President of the Senate for use in the canvass election results for President and Vice-President;
2. The second copy shall be sent to the Commission for use in the canvass of the election results for senators;
3. The third copy shall be kept by the chairman of the board;
4. The fourth copy shall be given to the citizens' arm designated by the Commission to conduct an unofficial count. It shall be the duty of the citizens' arm to furnish independent candidates copies of the COC at the expense of the requesting party;
5. The fifth copy to Congress, directed to the President of the Senate;
6. The sixth copy to be posted on a wall within the premises of the canvassing center;
7. The seventh and eight copies to the dominant majority and minority parties;
8. The ninth and tenth copies to two accredited major national parties representing the majority and the minority, excluding the dominant majority and minority parties, to be determined by the Commission on the basis of the criteria provided in Section 26 of Republic Act No. 7166;
9. The eleventh to thirteenth copies to national broadcast media entities as may be equitably determined by the Commission in view of propagating the copies to the widest extent possible;
10. The fourteenth copy to another citizens' arm or in the absence thereof, to a non-partisan group or organization enlisted by the Commission pursuant to Section 52(k) of Batas Pambansa Blg. 881. Such citizens' arm or non-partisan group or organization may use the copy of election return for the conduct of citizens' quick count.

In view of the foregoing, the undersigned as Chairman of the Committee on Overseas Absentee Voting, recommends the approval of the proposed amendment to conform with the distribution of COCs adopted in automated voting.

Please include the foregoing in the agenda for the consideration and approval of the Honorable Commission en banc."

In order to conform with the distribution of the Certificates of Canvass (COCs) used in automated voting, the Commission RESOLVED, as it hereby RESOLVES, to approve the foregoing recommendation of Commissioner Armando C. Velasco, COAV Chairman, to amend Section 27 of Comelec Resolution No. 8810 promulgated March 10, 2010, to now read, as follows:

"Sec. 27. Distribution of Certificate of Canvass. - The SBOC shall distribute the COC of Votes for President, Vice-President, Senators and Party-List (OAVF No. 21) as follows:

1. The first copy shall be sent to Congress, directed to the President of the Senate for use in the canvass election results for President and Vice-President;
2. The second copy shall be sent to the Commission for use in the canvass of the election results for senators;
3. The third copy shall be kept by the chairman of the board;
4. The fourth copy shall be given to the citizens' arm designated by the Commission to conduct an unofficial count. It shall be the duty of the citizens' arm to furnish independent candidates copies of the COC at the expense of the requesting party;
5. The fifth copy to Congress, directed to the President of the Senate;
6. The sixth copy to be posted on a wall within the premises of the canvassing center;
7. The seventh and eight copies to the dominant majority and minority parties;
8. The ninth and tenth copies to two accredited major national parties representing the majority and the minority, excluding the dominant majority and minority parties, to be determined by the Commission on the basis of the criteria provided in Section 26 of Republic Act No. 7166;
9. The eleventh to thirteenth copies to national broadcast media entities as may be equitably determined by the Commission in view of propagating the copies to the widest extent possible;
10. The fourteenth copy to another citizens' arm or in the absence thereof, to a non-partisan group or organization enlisted by the Commission pursuant to Section 52(k) of Batas Pambansa Blg. 881. Such citizens' arm or non-partisan group or organization may use the copy of election return for the conduct of citizens' quick count."

Let the Education and Information Department furnish the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Transportation and Communications, Philippine Postal Corporation, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Overseas Worker's Welfare Administration, Commission on Overseas Filipinos, the Foreign Service Institute, the Social Security System and other government agencies concerned with the welfare of Filipino overseas and cause the widest dissemination possible.

SO ORDERED.