FILE PHOTO: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. PNA Photo Rolando Mailo
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said he wanted the integration of voter education in the country鈥檚 education curriculum to encourage the youth to make informed choices during elections.
In his speech at the National Election Summit in Pasay City, the President told officials of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to always 鈥渆nsure accurate and unalterable results鈥� to maintain the sanctity of the polls and the people鈥檚 trust.
鈥淚n ensuring excellent results, we must continue to discuss the nitty-gritty of our processes, including recalibrating the capacity of our teachers as electoral board members, and integrating voter education in the curricula of K to 12, tertiary level and the National Service Training Program,鈥� he said.
鈥淪o as we engage with discussions among our students and the Filipino youth, we likewise promote and encourage them to form and cast an informed vote, as well as discerningly choose the leaders of our society,鈥� he added.
READ: Comelec conducts voter education seminars
The Chief Executive also urged the Comelec to 鈥渙pen yourselves to the recommendations of our experts and Filipino voters, who are [our] partners in ensuring free, orderly, honest and credible elections.鈥�
鈥淎s a democratic and republican government, we derive our power from the people, we recognize that sovereignty is exercised by its citizens through suffrage. On this note, I underscore the Comelec鈥檚 critical role as the guardians of our people鈥檚 sovereign will in ensuring the integrity of the electoral process,鈥� the President said, noting the poll body must ensure 鈥渁ccurate and unalterable鈥� results to maintain the sanctity of the elections and people鈥檚 trust.
Marcos also challenged Comelec officials to 鈥渋mplement positive reforms and make election result transmission faster and maintain its accuracy,鈥� citing that the government has been using modern technologies during the elections.
He thanked poll officials for holding the summit to provide a platform for a national dialogue among elections stakeholders in developing policies, plans, and programs in poll administration, enforcement and adjudication.
According to the President, this is a process he felt 鈥渉as been too long delayed,鈥� citing the Comelec鈥檚 critical role as the guardians of the people鈥檚 sovereign will in ensuring the integrity of the election.
鈥淒riven by the commitment to strengthen the people鈥檚 trust and confidence in the Comelec, I ask you to open yourselves to the recommendations of our experts and Filipino voters, who are [our] partners in ensuring free, orderly, honest, and credible elections,鈥� he said.
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