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28 ENHANCING ELECTIONS AS INSTRUMENTS OF DEMOCRACY IN THE ASEAN REGION

Oversight of the COMELEC is provided by the Supreme Court, which
can review and, if necessary, reverse COMELEC decisions, and by the

Congress, which can impeach COMELEC commissioners or hold hearings
to investigate COMELEC’s actions with respect to specific laws, budget
spending, breaches of discretion and jurisdiction.

The COMELEC exercises oversight and administrative responsi-
bilities over the following:

Election Administration

Policymaking and implementation. The COMELEC is
responsible for enforcing and administering all laws and regulations
pertaining to the conduct of elections. The Commission has the authority

to address all concerns affecting the elections, including the determination
of the number and locations of polling places, the appointment of

election officials and inspectors, and the registration of voters.

Voter Registration. Suffrage may be exercised by all citizens of
the Philippines who are at least 18 years of age, and who have resided in

the Philippines for at least one year and in the place where they intend

to vote for at least six months immediately preceding the election. No

literacy, property or other substantive requirement is imposed on the
exercise of suffrage.

The registration of voters is facilitated by the COMELEC and is

governed by the Voter’s Registration Act of 1996. A voter is registered
in the permanent list of voters in a precinct of the city where he/she

resides. A registered voter gets a Voter Identification Card (Voter’s ID) and
a Voter Registration Number.