MANILA — Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Erwin Garcia on Monday vowed to institute reforms in the poll body in order to make voter's registration and voting "accessible" and "convenient".

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In his message on National Heroes Day, Garcia said fulfilling the mandate of the poll body is ”the most meaningful way to honor our heroes,” referring to its duty so “that our democratic processes reflect the collective will of our electorate.”

“We should innovate ways to encourage early and timely registration and make the registration process even more convenient for the public. We will continue to explore ways to make voting accessible to our PWDs, senior citizens, OFWs, and other marginalized sectors, and solicit the help of stakeholders in institutionalizing needed reforms," he said.

Garcia said it is also a must to earn the public’s trust by practicing transparency “in all aspects of elections and our preparations.”

He vowed to fight misinformation and disinformation, and make Comelec information readily available while keeping communication lines always open and responding to people’s concerns.

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“Transparency is the only way to gain the public's trust... We will prioritize transparency in all aspects of elections and our preparations. We will fight misinformation and disinformation that tend to erode public trust," he said.

Garcia committed to implement “data-driven and measurable improvements," learning from the public's experiences in past elections.

“We must not be complacent nor satisfied with marginal improvements, and instead identify how to maximize efficiency in all aspects of our operations,” he said, adding that the poll body will reorganize departments and offices “as necessary to increase support where needed and streamline our processes.”

“We will also work to eradicate outdated policies and update legislation where necessary,” he said.

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Garcia urged poll workers to fulfill their duty to uphold the will of the majority.

“A vibrant democracy is only possible with a strong and empowered electorate, and an empowered electorate can exist only when we maintain an electoral system that is accessible, fair, and reliable. This is a responsibility that we ought to remember every day, but especially today,” he said.

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