COMELEC under Transformative Progress

HON. George Erwin Mojica Garcia is the 23rd Chairman of the COMELEC. He assumed office on 3 August 2022, shortly after he served as Comelec Commissioner.

Before he focused on his career in private practice, Hon. Garcia first joined the COMELEC in 1997. During the early stage of his career, his distinguished leadership skills and profound appreciation for election laws already manifested as he rose from the ranks and became the Chief of Staff of the Office of COMELEC Commissioner Julio F. Desamito.

Coming in full circle, Hon. Garcia has a panoramic understanding of the COMELEC and the way the institution operates inside out: from grassroots challenges to broader policy issues that are part and parcel of election management and administration. With this, Hon. Garcia’s first year in leadership was devoted to providing the COMELEC with a blueprint that sketches the implementation of innovative policy and legislative reforms and embeds the principles of transparency, inclusivity, and accountability in its institutional processes.

As the Chairman of an organization described as the bastion of democracy, Hon. Garcia’s transformative leadership is focused on recognizing and navigating complex institutional barriers of the COMELEC and providing feasible and transparent solutions consistent with his commitment to Constitution and the rule of law.

His leadership hinges on his ability to make swift yet firm decisions that align with only the best interests of the Commission, the Filipino people, and his own sense of integrity. He recognizes that his role is built on trust and accountability, both individual and collective, within the Commission En Banc.

Hon. Garcia’s transformational practices are mapped out clearly in the blueprint of his chairmanship. In the first year of his tenure, he formulated a framework with policy and legislative reforms attuned with the current developmental needs for a thriving democracy. The template for Hon. Garcia’s framework is designed to endure any interest except the will of the Filipinos.

In line with this, Hon. Garcia pursued the codification of all the provisions of the Omnibus Election Code with all other election laws and guidelines into a Revised Code of the COMELEC to ensure stability in the processes of the COMELEC despite changes in its administration.

The structural and management reforms introduced by Hon. Garcia set out the implementation of data-driven and measurable improvements to elevate the performance and efficiency of the Commission. Currently, the COMELEC implements an overall high-impact operations in the conduct of elections and democratic exercises.

In the age of information, Hon. Garcia prioritized the integration of science and technology in its operations to materialize an impactful and accessible voting and registration processes to all qualified Filipino voters, including those abroad.

In demonstrating Hon. Garcia’s belief in the power of voter education, he continued to harness the expertise of the Education and Information Department (EID) to amplify the impact of the COMELEC information drive and voter education campaigns in the pursuit of an informed and engaged electorate.

In his daily series of interviews, Hon. Garcia is in the front line of providing timely updates on the latest electoral rules, disseminating information about the innovative strides of COMELEC, and addressing pressing questions from the public with utmost transparency. Recognizing the potential pitfalls of misinformation, he takes it upon himself to clarify intricate areas of election law that might be vulnerable to confusion or misinterpretation.

Moreover, Hon. Garcia’s blueprint sketched out avenues to foster an environment of open dialogue and deliberation and to harness the collective resources of the EID.

Hon. Garcia champions not only the mechanisms of governance but also the profound responsibility of nurturing an electorate empowered by knowledge. His commitment to education radiates through each interaction, reminding the nation that the future lies in the hands of those who are informed, engaged, and steadfast in their pursuit of a brighter collective destiny. He firmly believes that the act of casting a vote transcends mere participation; it embodies a collective responsibility to make informed decisions that shape the trajectory of the nation.

Career Highlights

Private Practice of Law

Founder/Principal, G.E. GARCIA LAW OFFICE

As an election law practitioner, he had handled cases before the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, Presidential Electoral Tribunal, Senate Electoral Tribunal, House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal, Comelec, First level courts, and Office of the Ombudsman and other prosecution offices.

Hon. Garcia largely contributed to the enrichment of the Philippine jurisprudence in the field of Political Law, Constitutional Law, Election Law, Administrative Law and the Law on Public Officers through his significant participation in various landmark decisions

Academe

Dean, College of Law and Law Center, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM)

President (Acting), Board of Regents and Office of the Secretary of the University, PLM

Member, Board of Regents and Office of the Secretary of the University, PLM

Professor of Law, PLM, De La Salle University College of Law, Philippine Law School, Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) – Manila and General Trias, Cavite, Manila Law College

MCLE Lecturer and Resource Person in Election Law

Civic Engagement

[Pro bono] TV, Radio and Social Media Program Host, Huntahang Ligal, UNTV

[Pro bono] Radio Host, UNTV Pollwatch, UNTV

Organizational Affiliations

Lifetime Member, Cavite Chapter, Integrated Bar of the Philippines

1999 Philippine Bar Examination Passer

Senior Fellow, Philippine Public Safety Colleges Council of Fellows

Member, Philippine Trial Lawyers Association

Member, Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution

Awards

Year 2024

EXEMPLARY VALUES IN MANAGEMENT AWARD, by Net25 Trailblazers Awards (January 2024); PUBLIC SERVANT OF THE YEAR awardee, by Kiwanis International (January 2024); ASIA’S INFLUENTIAL FIGURE IN ELECTION LAW, Influential Leader in Public Service awardee, Asia’s Influential Awards (February 2024); ICONIC LEADER IN PUBLIC GOVERNANCE award by Asia’s Golden Icon Awards (May 2024); MEN AND WOMEN OF POWER AND PURPOSE LIST awardee, by the Embassy of Indonesia in the Philippines (June 2024); MANAGEMENT EXCELLENCE – Election Law award, by BizNewsAsia (November 2024); and PUBLIC SERVANT OF THE YEAR awardee, by INCHARGE Magazine (December 2024).

Year 2023

MAN OF THE YEAR: PUBLIC SERVICE, Global Excellence Awards by the Manila Times (May 2023); Honouree named as NATION BUILDER, Emerging Leaders and Captain from Different Industries, Rising Tigers Magazine Anniversary Issue: “Top 50 Rising Tigers – Beyond Leadership” (June 2023 Issue); MAN OF THE YEAR awardee, Asia Leaders Awards 2023 (November 2023); EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR PUBLIC SERVICE, 36th Annual Awards by Aliw Awards Foundation, Inc. (December 2023); and CAPTAIN OF INDUSTRIES awardee by Rising Tigers Magazine (December 2023).

Consistent Academic Scholar and Outstanding Student; Local Scholarship Program (Masteral Degree) Recipient, Civil Service Commission; Outstanding Alumnus Award, PLM, LPU, Cavite State University; Awardee of the Outstanding Student for Academic Excellence and Leadership Award, LPU; Ten Outstanding Students of Manila (TOSM); Ten Outstanding College Editors; and finalist for the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) and of The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM), among others.