DOST certifies Electoral Board members in Capiz

Roxas City, Capiz —  The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is mandated by law to implement the Certification Program for the Electoral Board (EM) members of the 2022 National and Local Elections (NLE).  A certification process in the province of Capiz is ongoing starting March 2 until March 24 at the Kapis Mansions in Roxas City.

There will be 10 batches of the Certification Program and it will cover a total of 1,812 teachers from all 16 municipalities in Capiz including Roxas City. The certified teachers will be deployed in precincts during the 2022 NLE on May 9.  Each batch will be trained by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and will undergo the DOST EB Certification.  The EB will compose the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs).  Four certifiers will make up the team to include members from the DOST Capiz and Capiz State University (CapSU), and a Quick Response Team (QRT) member on standby in the absence of the Certifier.

The Certification Process is automated and has two parts, the Online Theoretical Examination, and the Practical Examination or Hands-on test on the Vote Counting Machine (VCM) operation. All teachers are required to take and pass both the online theoretical and practical examinations to be certified as EB.

Moreover, Republic Act (RA) No. 8436, as amended by RA No. 9369 or the Amended Automated Election Law aims to increase public trust, using automated technology for voting, counting, canvassing, transmission, consolidation, and recounting of the votes.  It is required by law that at least one member of the BEI shall be an information technology-capable person, who is trained or certified by the DOST to use the Automated Election System (AES).

All persons involved in the conduct of the Certification Program are required to stay in a COVID bubble where they are not permitted to leave the hotel premises for the entire duration of their training.  Only EBs and Certifiers with negative COVID-19 antigen or RT-PCR test results are allowed to attend the activity as part of the health and safety protocols.  The activity is conducted in partnership with the COMELEC and the Department of Education (DepEd). (SSalazar, DOST VI-KMU with reports from MCPielago/JMAbarales, DOST Capiz)