Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia said on Monday, Aug. 29 that the "most meaningful" way that they can honor the country's heroes is to fulfill their mandate of guaranteeing that the democratic processes reflect the collective will of the electorate.

Garcia made the statement in celebration of National Heroes' Day which according to him, commemorates the sacrifices of the many men and women who fought long and hard to win the freedom being enjoyed today.

"Every one of us in the Commission should realize that our constitutional duty does not arise or renew only during the election year. Day in and day out, our actions must be geared towards fulfilling our mandate holistically. We must work, aware and conscious of the hope and weight that our fellow Filipinos place on their votes," he said.

Garcia further explained this in three points: making the elections accessible; earning the public's trust; and implementing data-driven, measurable improvements.

On the first point, Garcia stated that the poll body has made significant strides in increasing voter turnout with the legislation and implementation of the continuous voter registration program. He noted that each election year, there is always a clamor for more extensions.

"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.

On his second point, he explained that transparency is the "only way" to gain the public's trust. Guided by best practices here and abroad, inputs from civil society organizations, election experts, the public, and our own research, he said that Comelec will prioritize transparency in all aspects of elections and our preparations.

He added that they would fight misinformation and disinformation that erodes public trust. They will also make Comelec information readily available, our communication lines will always be open, and we will respond to the public's legitimate concerns.

Lastly, he stated that Comelec's goal is to elevate the Commission to the highest level, in terms of performance and public trust. He said that they need to implement changes with regard to their processes responsive to their own and the public's experiences in the past elections. He added that they must not be complacent nor satisfied with marginal improvements, and instead identify how to maximize efficiency in all aspects of our operations.

He also mentioned that they are looking to reorganize departments and offices as necessary to increase support where needed and streamline their processes. He added that they will also work to eradicate outdated policies and update legislation where necessary.

"The triumph of our heroes is really a triumph of the Filipino people who fought to live under a democracy and uphold the will of the majority. Our own Constitution states this: 'sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them.' This sovereignty is reflected in the ballots," he said,

"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 added.

Garcia ended his statement by greeting fellow election workers a peaceful National Heroes' Day.