By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz | Philippine News Agency
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will use the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) communications and command center for next year’s elections.
In a memorandum of agreement signed Tuesday at the MMDA headquarters in Pasig City, the command center will be used as a hub for Comelec coordinating activities.
The MMDA will provide extra manpower, equipment, and other resources.
“We will also provide our equipment, such as deployable cameras and body-worn cameras, radios, and other communication devices to be deployed in critical areas for election-related monitoring and communication activities during the midterm elections next year,” MMDA Chair Romando Artes said during the event.
In addition to the CCC, the MMDA will also give the Comelec access to its mobile command center to facilitate real-time monitoring.
“Aside from the deployment of our trained personnel for traffic assistance, MMDA will assign necessary manpower to assist election officers of the NCR and Comelec main office in carrying out the teardown and removal of unlawful election materials,” Artes said.
As part of the agreement, the MMDA will designate a representative at the Comelec command center for final testing and sealing, international observation, mock elections, and other related election activities.
“Additionally, MMDA officers shall provide storage for confiscated materials if deemed necessary,” he said.
Comelec chair George Erwin Garcia thanked the MMDA for the collaboration.
“Every election, we have always been collaborating with MMDA. I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Chairman Artes for allowing us to use the agency’s resources for operations here in Metro Manila so that we can effectively ensure transparency throughout the election period,” Garcia said.