Aware of the ever changing political scenery and the ultimate goal for the attainment of national stability through elections, the key officials headed by the Chair and Commissioners defined its mission and vision for the COMELEC as follows:

Mission

The COMELEC, being entrusted by the Filipino people of their confidence with the duty to safeguard the sanctity of their ballot, aims to provide excellence in service, be fair and impartial in the exercise of its powers, so that posterity, progress and good governance thereby be attained through a continuing development of free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible elections.

Vision

In the nation's quest for full democratic restoration, the COMELEC has committed its share in the continuing task of nation-building. Through gains and failures which it learned from past elections, the COMELEC shall pursue to modernize the electoral processes, promote excellence in service, undertake election education programs, human resource development and community mobilization: Thus,

All these commitments, through the guidance of Divine Providence, we strive to fulfill in the pursuit of our Constitutional mandate of protecting the people's will.

1. Regular Elections

a. Synchronized National and Local Elections.
b. Congressional Elections.
c. Regional Elections.
d. Barangay Elections.
e. Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Elections.

2. Special Elections

3. Plebiscites

4. Initiatives

5. Recalls

6. Referendums

To enable the COMELEC to perform its principal duties and attain its goal, its organization is structured as follows:

The Commission Proper

The Commission Proper is the policy-determining body composed of the Chair and six Commissioners who must be:

The Chair is the Chief Executive Officer of the Commission.

Assisting the COMELEC are the Executive Director; Deputy Executive Directors for Administration and Operations; nine Department Directors; fourteen Regional Election Directors; the COMELEC Secretary; 77 Provincial Election Supervisors; and 1,641 Election Officers. The COMELEC has a complement of more than 5,000 employees.

The Chair and Commissioners are appointed by the President, with the consent of the Commission on Appointments.

The Chair and the Commissioners hold office for seven years without reappointment. Of those first appointed, three Members hold office for seven years, two Members for five years and the last Members for three years, without reappointment. Appointment to any vacancy is only for the unexpired term of the predecessor. In no case shall any Member be appointed or designated in a temporary or acting capacity.

Functions

As a deliberative and judicial body, it performs all functions vested in it by the Constitution, laws and decrees and such other functions inherent in a policy-determining body.

Chair

The Chair acts as the Presiding Officer of the Commission Proper. He/She is the Chief Executive Officer of the Commission and executes/administers the policies, decisions, orders and resolutions approved by the Commission. He/She directs and supervises the operations and internal administration of the Commission in accordance with its policies, rules and regulations.

The Chair can also delegate his/her authority, in whole and in part, to other officials of the Commission in accordance with rules and regulations of the Commission.

Commissioners

The Commissioners exercise quasi-legislative and quasi- judicial functions, either en banc or in division. They also perform such other functions as may be assigned by the Commission or the Chair.

Commission Secretary

The Commission Secretary receives and prepares the agenda for the sessions of the Commission. All minutes of sessions, hearings and conferences, orders, decisions, rulings or opinions of the Commission are under his/her control and safekeeping, and performs other functions as may be assigned by the Commission.

Executive Director

The Executive Director advices and assists the Chair in the implementation of the objectives, policies, plans and programs of the Commission; and performs such other duties as may be delegated by the Chair.

Deputy Executive Director for Administration

The Deputy Executive Director for Administration assists the Executive Director in over-seeing the operations of all departments performing administrative support functions, namely: Administrative Services, Education and Information, Finance Services, Personnel and Planning Departments.

Deputy Executive Director for Operations

DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES

Departments

Electoral Contests and Adjudication Department (ECAD). Under the direction of the Commission, the ECAD handles all contests relating to elections, returns, and qualifications of all elective provincial and city officials; provides legal and technical services to the Commission, whether sitting en banc or in division, as the sole judge of such electoral cases; represents the Commission in the Supreme Court in cases where the Commission is named respondent in relation to protests in quo warranto proceedings; and performs other related functions.

Election and Barangay Affairs Department (EBAD). The Election and Barangay Affairs Department performs advisory and consultative services to the Commission on the formulation and implementation of policies for the effective, efficient and economical holding of elections, etc. and canvassing of results; develops guidelines, criteria, standards and procedures on the conduct of registration of voters and the holding of elections and other political exercises for the observance of Commission personnel in the field; prepares and updates projects and maps of precincts indicating their respective locations and jurisdictions; and performs other related functions. It has two divisions, namely: Registration and Precincts Divisions.

Election Records and Statistics Department (ERSD). Composed of three divisions, namely: Records and Statistics, National Central File, and Voters Identification Divisions, the ERSD provides for the safe-keeping, maintenance, control and disposition of election records of the Commission, except the records of the Office of the Secretary; gathers, compiles and analyzes election statistics; classifies, verifies and identifies fingerprints of voters and document examination; and performs other related functions.

Law Department. The Law Department performs consultative and legal services to the Commission in quasi-judicial cases; plans and coordinates with the administration and enforcement of all laws relative to the conduct of elections, etc.; prepares pleadings and briefs in cases involving the Commission; represents the Commission in cases before the courts and other tribunals; investigates complaints relative to the conduct of elections and prosecutes, on its own or in collaboration with government prosecutors, cases of election offenses; processes and recommends final action on applications of political parties for registration and accreditation; prepares rulings and opinions on legal questions involving other departments or offices of the Commission; studies and recommends pardon or parole of prisoners convicted of, or violating, election laws, rules and regulations; drafts proposed legislative measures to improve and update election laws and practices for submission by the Commission to the Congress or to the President; digests, compiles and analyzes election and constitutional cases decided by the courts; conducts researches on legal queries propounded by the Commission; and performs other related functions.

The Law Department has two divisions, namely: Investigation and Prosecution and Legal Opinion and Research Division.

Administrative Services Department (ASD). The Administrative Services Department has six divisions, namely: Cash, Property, Data Processing, General Services, Internal Records and the Library Divisions which provide the housekeeping services of the Commission, including custody and disbursement of funds; purchase of supplies and equipment; custody, maintenance and repair of properties; security of officers and personnel; and use of motor vehicles; provides for custody and maintenance of internal records; administers the Library; exercises functional supervision over the Regional Offices; and performs other related functions.

Education and Information Department (EID). The Education and Information Department is the media office of the Commission. It has two divisions, namely: Information and Public Relations Divisions. EID handles press relations work; issues press releases; conducts research and studies on information needs; prepares reports on the conduct of elections, etc. for submission to the President and the Congress. The Department also develops informative and educational materials for multi-media use; maintains liaison with government offices, media agencies and other public and private organizations to ensure effective and efficient implementation of the education and information program of the Commission; and performs other related functions.

Finance Services Department (FSD). The Finance Services Department is primarily responsible for the preparation and administration of the budget of the Commission. It has three divisions, namely: Budget, Accounting and Vouchers Processing Divisions. The Department advises the Commission as to its financial condition and on the status of appropriations and allotment; maintains an accurate record of all financial transactions and prepares fiscal reports; exercises functional supervision over the Regional Offices; and performs other related functions.

Personnel Department. The Personnel Department has three divisions, namely: Personnel, Manpower Development and Health Services Divisions. The department is tasked to advise the Commission on personnel policies and administration, career and manpower development, employee welfare, including recruitment and employment, position classification, salary administration, medical and dental services, and other related personnel matters; conducts investigation and administrative cases involving Commission employees, and recommends action to be taken by the Commission; exercises functional supervision over the Regional Offices; and performs other related functions.

Planning Department. With three divisions, namely: Planning and Programming, Management Systems Development, and Management Information System Divisions, the Planning Department develops and maintains a management improvement program in the Commission; develops new and improved management systems and helps the organizational units concerned in implementing them; prepares, in coordination with organization units concerned, manuals on organization, systems and procedures and delegation of authority; develops and implements a research program of the Commission relative to the administration of elections, etc. and other programs and projects of the Commission; and performs other related functions.

National and Regional Offices

Main and Unit Offices. The COMELEC Main Office is located on Postigo corner Gen. Luna Streets, Intramuros, City of Manila, Metropolitan Manila where the Executive Offices of the Commission and the different departments are housed in two buildings for the past 42 years. Beside it is the 12-storey Palacio del Gobernador and east of the main building is the historic Manila Cathedral.

The Elections and Barangay Affairs, Finance Services and Personnel departments occupy part of the fifth floor of the Palacio. The Office of Region IV occupies the 2nd floor of the Bankers Association of the Philippines Building at the corner of Soriano and Arzobispo Streets, while the National Capital Region Office is housed at the 2nd floor of the FEMI Building along Soriano Street. Unit offices in Metropolitan Manila are usually located in the city/municipal buildings where they are situated.

The Manila Unit offices occupy the Geriatrics Building on Lion Street along Arroceros, City of Manila, Metropolitan Manila.

The Session Hall is located at the 2nd floor of the main building where elections cases are heard, and where occasional conferences/meetings are also held.

Regions I - XII, NCR, CAR & the ARMM. The Regional Election Directors of the fourteen (14) regions represent the COMELEC in the regions and implement laws, policies, rules, regulations, decisions and guidelines of the Commission, as delegated, in the regional areas. They also direct, supervise and coordinate all official activities of provincial, city and municipal election offices of the Commission in the regional offices of other government agencies and local government units.