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King Prajadhipok’s Institute 39

Chairman and Commissioners

The COMELEC consists of one Chairman and 6 commissioners

appointed by the President with the consent of the Congressional

Commission on Appointments for a term of seven years. Commissioners

are not eligible for reappointment, and appointments to vacant seats
are only for the unexpired term of the predecessor. They can be
removed from office only by impeachment, and are provided with salaries

fixed by law, which shall not be decreased during their term of office.
These safeguards were put in place to ensure the independence of the

Commission.

The Commission is under the overall control of the Chairman

and the Commissioners, who constitute the policymaking body that lays
down the guidelines and regulations for elections, referenda, plebiscites,
initiatives and recalls. The Commission sits either En Banc or in two divisions

in order to expedite disposition of election cases including
pre-proclamation controversies.

Central Office Management and Administrative Units

Working with the Chairman as Chief Executive is the Executive

Director (ED), whose duty is to implement policies and decisions and
to take charge of the administrative affairs of the Commission. Assisting
the Executive Director are two deputies: a Deputy Executive Director

for Administration (DEDA) and a Deputy Executive Director for Operations
(DEDO). The DEDA oversees the performance of administrative support

functions of the Planning Department, Administrative Services Department,
Personnel Department, Education and Information Department, and