Namfrel History

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"It is better to light a candle, than to curse the darkness"

Namfrel is the pioneer in election monitoring. It started with the establishment of the operations registration committee in 1957. In the 60’s and early 70’s, the Citizens National Electoral Assembly (CNEA) was organized by then Comelec chairman Jaime Ferrer with bishop Mariano Gaviola as chairman together with Jose Concepcion, Jr. of Namfrel and Charito Planas as secretary general.

Namfrel’s commitment to clean elections was best shown during the 1986 snap presidential elections with over 500,000 volunteers who offered their time, energy and even their lives, to preserve the sanctity of the ballot.

Since 1984, namfrel has been accredited by the Comelec to conduct the Operation Quick Count (OQC). Namfrel was accredited in 21 electoral exercises. 
Namfrel heroes
.... Rodrigo Ponce
Jaime Alcala
Cresencio Barcuma
Hamlet Canales
Fructuoso Javines
Irineo Magbanua
Alexis Parao
Samuel Moulic
Dan Sarmiento
Neoldino Del Corro
Abdulhak Balabadan

…and nameless volunteers, who made the supreme sacrifice of their lives to defend the sanctity of the people’s will.
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Mending The Flag
We liken the country, as it goes through the triennial elections, to our dear flag mounted on a pole exposed to rain, lashed out by strong winds and burned under the intense heat of the tropical sun. The elements beat on a tender fabric.

Every elections the tender fabric of Philippine society, politics, culture, economy, religion, peace and order, its youth, its poor, its women and men, its children, its structures and institutions, its pride – most importantly its future, are subjected to the “elements.” The elements of intense political rivalry and political divide, the tense and uncertain situations and a host of other not-so-desirable events, seem as if tests that tender fabric to its limits.

The election environment sizzles for almost two weeks starting at the close of the campaign period and until the counting and canvassing of the votes. It cools down when the results seem irreversible – and that “fabric” would have taken quite a beating.

The colors fade, the stitches loosen – the damage has been done. But the Filipino fabric is a resilient one. Its inherent capacity to bear the beating of the elements and the humor woven into with each thread keeps it from tearing apart.

Post elections, it is once again time to mend the flag.

Timeline

Month/Date

Event

July 1998

Namfrel leads 10-member Philippine delegation of observers to the parliamentary elections in Cambodia

October 1998

IDEA Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark

Jan 1999
 

Namfrel sponsors the Manila Dialogue, participated by representatives of Indonesian EMOs

May 1999

Namfrel observed the conduct of the Special Registration in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)

June 1999

Namfrel leads 100-member Philippine delegation of observers to the Indonesian Elections

February 2000

Civil society meets with Comelec to demand a plan to implement RA 8436

April-May 2000

Namfrel conducts OQC for the mayoral recall elections in Pasay city, Mercedes (Camarines Sur) and Lucena city

July-September 2000
 

Namfrel conducts briefings before various sectoral organizations on election automation

August -September 2000
 

Namfrel spearheads the signing of the Manifesto urging the Commission on Elections to implement nationwide automation for the 2001 elections

July 2000- Feb 2001
 

Namfrel meets with provincial chapters to prepare of the elections and to orient chapters on election automation

September 2000
 

Namfrel together with IT and business groups submitted the “Recommendations to the Comelec on the implementation of RA 8436 for the May 14, 2001 elections”

October 2000
 

Namfrel files petition for accreditation to conduct Operation Quick Count (OQC) for the 2001 elections before the Comelec

August 2000
 

Philippine Computer Society designates Namfrel as representative of the private sector in the Advisory Council (for RA 8436) of the Comelec

October 2000
 

The Advisory Council (private sector representatives) and Namfrel submitted their comments/concerns on the Invitation for Bids for the ACCORS project

December 2000
 

Namfrel delivered a paper entitled “Comelec can still automate the May 14, 2001 polls up to 80% of the precincts in the country” before the House committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms during its public hearing on amendments to RA 8436.

July 2001

Namfrel OQC tallies X% of total precincts for senatorial posts and X% of precincts for the party-list elections

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Electoral Exercises

Month/Date

Event

1984

Election Of Members Of The Batasan Pambansa

1986

Snap Presidential Election

1987

National Plebiscite On The 1987 Constitution

1988

National Elections For Local Positions

1988

Congressional Elections

1990

Plebiscite On The Organic Act Of The Autonomous Region In Muslim Mindanao (Armm)

1990

Plebiscite On The Organic Act Of The Cordillera Autonomous Region

1990

First Regular Elections Of The Armm

1992, With The Media
Citizens’ Quick Count

General Synchronized Elections For National And Local Positions

1995

General Elections For Senatorial And Local Positions

1995

General Registration In The Armm

1996

Legislative Assembly Elections In The Armm

1996

Special Elections In Parang, Province Of Sulu

1997

General Registration Of Voters

1997

Recall Elections In Kalookan City

1998

General Elections For National And Local Positions

1999

General Registration In The Armm

2000

Recall Elections In Pasay City

2000

Recall Elections In Mercedes, Camarines Norte

2000

Recall Elections In Lucena City, Quezon

May 14, 2001

National And Local Elections

August 14, 2001

Expanded Armm Plebiscite

November 26, 2001

Armm Legislative Assembly Elections

May 10, 2004

National Elections

May 14, 2007

Midterm Elections

May 10, 2010

National Elections

May 13, 2013

National and Local Elections

October 28, 2013

Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections

May 9, 2016

National and Local Elections

May 14, 2018

Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections