Commission on Elections Chairman Atty. George Erwin M. Garcia "THE MAN WITH A PURPOSE"

ATTY. GEORGE ERWIN M. GARCIA

For the upcoming 2025 election, there is only one man who heads the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) with the support of a credible and capable team of commissioners, lawyers, and regional officers: meet the man of the hour, Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia.

Nicole Cordoves, the resident host of In Charge, interviewed Chairman Garcia to gain deeper insights into his mandate.

What have you been preparing for Comelec?

“Well, we’ll have to understand that 2025 is what we call the super-election year simply because we have three elections next year: two simultaneous elections by May 12, the national and local elections, and the Bangsamoro parliamentary election. Five months later, we are going to have our Barangay and SK elections. We have to understand also that when it comes to the national and local elections and the Bangsamoro parliamentary election, it’s an automated election.”

“However, when it comes to the Barangay and SK elections, it’s manual. So because of the different systems that we are going to adapt, there are different preparations, and of course, every day of the commission is very hectic. We have to stick to our timelines so that we will not be delayed in our preparations.”

Chairman, what is your goal for this upcoming election?

“Of course, an honest, credible, peaceful, and acceptable election to the Filipinos. We have to maintain that kind of integrity in the election so that the people will keep believing in our democracy and will continue supporting the democratic processes that we have. More specifically, the spirit of what elections should be, and that is part of a democratic process that will sustain the democratic leadership that we have in our country.”

When asked about his task and position in one of the most important agencies in the Philippines:

“It’s a very difficult position. I came from the private sector. I have been an election lawyer for the last 23 years, focusing mainly on election lawyering. I did not anticipate that the job of being the chairman of the commission is completely different from being a lawyer for different candidates or elected and appointed officials. Of course, you have to manage almost 7,000 people nationwide. You have to manage the election, and then on the same day, you have plebiscites, special elections, and electoral exercises that are not necessarily regular. So again, it’s not an easy job.”

According to Chairman Garcia, it’s not an easy job, and the discrediting attacks are already flowing right in.

“I made a sacrifice when I accepted the position of chairman of the commission. Before, I was a commissioner of the Comelec, appointed by then-President Rodrigo Duterte, and then afterward, I was appointed by President BBM as the chairman of the Commission on Elections.

There was a sudden shift from being in private life to public life. I did not anticipate that things like these—the attacks—would be coming from certain individuals who are my friends, who were actually my former clients. So I was quite amazed. My advice to people in government is that they should not take it personally.”

“We are living in a glass cage. Everybody is watching, and they will be watching all our moves, all our actions, and therefore, they’ve been asking me, ‘Are you not going to file cases against this attack force?’ I told them definitely not. Simply because if I do that, then I will be moving into their trap, simply because that is perhaps what they want—to gain the limelight, and number two, to gain our access and valuable time with media entities.”

“I will not give that opportunity. I will just perform my job. I will just explain to our people that they should perform their job well so that, at least, we will be able to prove to them that they are wrong. But in the final analysis, if the truth is with you, no evils can be cast against you. I think that is the most important thing.”

According to Chairman Garcia, as long as you are telling the truth, as long as your integrity is intact, and as long as you are standing for your goal of being a nation builder through the election, you are okay.

“One of those is regulating the social media campaign, and that’s a wide reach as well. It has been a social media election in the recent ones. Paano kaya natin to tatahakin? Yeah.”

ATTY. GEORGE ERWIN M. GARCIA

When asked about the use of AI:

“I made a proposal to the Commission en banc. I made a maximum proposal of prohibiting the use of AI and deepfake, but I know for a fact that you cannot really prohibit AI in the campaign. But the reason why I proposed this is so that there will be a massive discussion in the nation as to what AI really is, what can be regulated as part of AI, and what should really be banned AI, like, for example, deepfake.”

“You should be honest enough to tell the people you are the ones talking, it’s your face, it’s your voice, not somebody else’s. If it is a robot or artificial intelligence, then you are not being truthful to the electorate. And so again, the use of AI in the Philippine election has been fully maximized, but this election, I had anticipated that candidates and political parties would be using AI not only for their benefit but also to attack opponents. I will not allow that. If level playing field is the goal, that should be the name of the game. It’s a complex role to ensure that there will be equal opportunity for all. If we cannot do that, then we are a failure in our job.”

About Traditional Media:

“Yes, it’s our problem, and again, I want our people to understand. When it comes to the regular media—television, radio, and newspapers—that’s highly regulated by the commission because there is a law regulating this format of media. They have to submit to us the contracts.”

Traditional media must follow the number of minutes: 120 minutes for television, 90 minutes for radio, and a certain percentage that should be deducted from the overall price per publication or whatever minutes or hours they will have to appear on television or radio.

“In social media, there is nothing, and that’s the reality because we do not have social media law or regulation in the Philippines. In the United States, they are attempting to regulate social media, but they are not so successful. Why? Because of the possibility that it may intrude on the constitutional guarantee of free speech and expression.”

“But the committee will try to regulate social media.”

Chairman Garcia is promising that, immediately, he hopes to come up with a guideline on how to regulate social media, and anyone who will be affected can go to the Supreme Court and question the action of the Comelec.

“However, we have to make that bold move. I think the present commission will be defined by our actions, regardless of the consequences, as long as we can ensure that everybody will have an equal opportunity. At the end of the day, we will be judged by whether the Comelec made that bold decision or not.”

“Yes, and it will benefit whatever party.”

On Monitoring Social Media:

“And that’s the reason why we really have to tap the help of social media platforms, such as X, Google, etc. We will have to tap them because they have to help us, not only to police their ranks but also whatever the Comelec will tell them to police, for purposes of ensuring an honest and equal opportunity for all elections.”

“During the Barangay SK election, we imposed the policy that when the candidates file their candidacies, they are considered candidates already. Meaning, they cannot roam around, they cannot shake hands with anybody, they cannot put up posters, or whatever, because they are already considered candidates. Premature campaigning will set in because the Barangay SK election is a manual election.”

“However, under the regime of an automated election that we are going to have by 2025, under the law and the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Preniera vs. Comelec, once they file their candidacies by October 1 to 8, they are not yet considered candidates.”

“According to the Supreme Court, they are considered candidates only on the first day of the campaign period, which in this case is 90 days before the election for national positions and 45 days before local positions.”

“Everybody can roam around after the filing of the candidacy. The posters can be seen on streets, on practically everything. They can do everything without any prohibition because they are not yet candidates. They don’t even need to report to the Commission on Elections the expenses from October, November, December, January, up to February for national, and up to March for local, because they are not yet candidates. We do not want to be blamed. We do not want the people to say that this commission is an unneutral commission because they are failing to prevent the candidates. But the reality is there is a law, and there is the Supreme Court decision.”

ATTY. GEORGE ERWIN M. GARCIA

On Legacy:

“Well, the people should be able to believe in the commission and in the integrity of the election. Again, our democracy will not survive if the election is not believed to be fair, honest, and credible by the people. More than anything else, we must be able to explain to the people what the importance of the election is, what their role in the election is, and more specifically the youth. And so, we have to institutionalize everything.”

“We have to be very transparent, and we have to be accountable, and we have to be inclusive. You see, an election without including everybody is no election at all. It should be inclusive, regardless of their race, their beliefs, whether they are old or young, or whether they belong to the common people or the members of indigenous people.”

“We have to include everyone because, well, my principle is: a vote not cast is a voice not heard. Therefore, we should never disenfranchise a single individual in our country.”

On Democracy:

“Very much alive. We have a regular election for the presidency and vice presidency, regardless of beliefs. We have the election, and at the same time, people are able to voice their sentiments. People are able to cast their votes. Very important. You see, only in voting can we say that we are equal. Your vote, my vote—we only have one ballot, one Filipino, one ballot. That’s very important. And therefore, to me, that is an indication of a democracy that is alive and kicking.”