Resolution No. 9837

WHEREAS, Section 25 of Republic Act Number 8189, also known as The Voter's Registration Act of 1996, provides for the issuance of a voter's identification card to a registered voter to serve as a document for his identification;

WHEREAS, the Commission deems the distribution of Voter Identification Cards to be an essential element of the orderly management of the country's electoral system, which forms part of the Commission's mandate under the 1987 Constitution;

WHEREAS, despite the promulgation of the GUIDELINES ON THE RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION AND REGENERATION OF THE VOTER'S IDENTIFICATION CARDS, thousands of Voter Identification Cards remain undistributed at COMELEC Offices nationwide;

WHEREAS, the Commission seeks to establish a more systematic means of distributing Voter Identification Cards, in order to ensure that voters receive their Identification Cards as envisioned by the law;

WHEREAS, on 10 December 2013, the Education and Information Department submitted a project proposal, entitled "#VoterIDKo, which aims to achieve the following objectives:

1. To distribute 50,000 Voter ID cards before the resumption of the continuing system of voter registration
2. To establish a mechanism by which citizens can regularly query the COMELEC effectively, with regard to the status of their voter id cards, by improving internal communications and leveraging social media

WHEREAS, to achieve these objectives, the #VoterIDKo project will:

1. Establish a searchable database of all available but undistributed Voter IDs;
2. Cause the publication of the names of the voters with unclaimed Voter IDs in the most cost-efficient way possible, including on-line publication;
3. Establish a mechanism, primarily using a text-messaging system, by which voters can
   1. Be informed of the actual availability of their Voter IDs;
   2. Be informed of the reason for the unavailability of their Voter IDs;
   3. Be advised of the best course of action to take, if their IDs are unavailable.
4. Establish an ID release monitoring system by which the COMELEC can keep track of the number of Voter IDs released.

WHEREAS, the Commission believes that the proposed project will generate significant awareness among the general public of the availability of Voter Identification Cards and of the various procedures for claiming said Identification Cards;

WHEREAS, the proposed project will also serve as a means to prepare the public for the scheduled resumption of the Continuing System of Registration in 2014;

WHEREFORE, premises considered, the Commission RESOLVED, as it hereby resolves:

1. To APPROVE the #VoterIDKo Project as proposed by the Education and Information Department in its Memorandum for the Commission En Banc, dated 10 December 2013, with the following proposed equipment budget;

2. DIRECT the Education and Information Department to immediately form a Social Media Support Unit (EID-SMSU), with the following functions and composition:
   
   Functions
   • Receive queries and complaints from the general public, regarding Voter ID concerns
     • Verification of availability of Voter ID
     • Complaints about unavailable Voter ID
     • General Information needs
   • Coordination with EOs and the ITD for the resolution of queries
   • Database building
   • Online promotion of the #VoterIDKo campaign
   • Submit daily reports to the Director IV of the EID, on:
     • The nature of the issues reported
     • The number of issues resolved
     • The number of Voter IDs verified as available for release
   
   Composition
   • Four internet-based SMS Operators (EID personnel)
   • Four computer operators (EID personnel preferred)
   • Six support staff (Job-order Contractuals)
3. APPROVE the hiring of six (6) job order casuals for the aforementioned purpose, for a period of three (3) months, beginning January 2014;
4. PROVIDE the EID-SMSU with four (4) post-paid, unlimited data-only SIM cards;
5. PROVIDE the EID-SMSU with four (4) tablet computers;
6. To DIRECT the Information Technology Department to furnish the EID with MS Excel files containing a complete listing of the names of voters whose Voter IDs have been printed and dispatched, on or before the 18th of December 2013;
7. To DIRECT the Administrative Services Department to provide the EID with four (4) computers - whether desktop or laptop - with complete peripherals, for use by the EID-Social Media Support Unit, on or before the 18th of December 2013;
8. To DIRECT all Election Officers to:
   1. Furnish the EID with the complete listing of the names of voters with unclaimed Voter IDs, on or before the 18th of December 2013;
   2. Cause the posting of the list of voters with unclaimed Voter IDs, at Barangay Halls and similar public places, on or before the 7th of January 2014, and to immediately inform the EID of the fact of such posting;
   3. Immediately institute the span of 8AM til 3PM as Daily Voter ID Releasing Time, and to immediately inform the EID of such designation, for purposes of information dissemination to the public;
   4. Coordinate changes in Releasing Time with EID for proper information dissemination to the affected public;
   5. Submit a daily report, beginning the 7th of January 2014, to the EID, on:
      1. the number of Voter IDs released,
      2. the number of individuals with no Voter IDs found (with complete contact information), and
      3. the possible reasons for the lack of Voter IDs in those cases.

Let the Information and Technology Department, Personnel Department, Administrative Services Department, Education and Information Department and Finance Services Department implement this resolution.

SO ORDERED.