INITIALIZATION PROCESS COMPLETED: Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III and House Speaker Rep. Lord Allan Velasco lead the initialization of Consolidation and Canvassing System (CCS) at the House of Representatives in Quezon City, Monday, May 9, 2022. During the process, Sotto and Velasco confirmed that both chambers are now ready to canvass the votes for the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates. Under the 1987 Constitution, the Senate and the HOR are mandated to canvass the votes for the presidential and vice-presidential race and proclaim the winning candidates. Also in photos are the Secretariat officials of the two chambers. (Louie Millang / Office of Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III)
MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Lord Allan Velasco called on his colleagues to exercise prudence and diligence as Congress prepares to sit as the National Board of Canvassers for the 2022 national elections.
Velasco made the remark as the Congress — the House of Representatives and the Senate — performed the initialization of the Consolidation and Canvassing System (CCS) for the electronic reception by Congress of the certificates of canvass (COCs) for the 2022 presidential and vice presidential elections on Monday.
“As Members of Congress, it is our constitutional mandate to receive and canvass the votes for the two highest leaders of our country – our next President and Vice President,” Velasco said in a statement.
“May we all undertake this task with a profound, and even critical, awareness that we are entrusted by the Filipino people with this duty to ensure that our choice of leaders is the legitimate expression of the will of our people,” he added.
According to Velasco, in performing their duties, members of Congress should “exercise prudence and diligence, so that we may ensure the integrity of our electoral process.”
“For the past two years, the Philippines, along with the rest of the world, has faced a global pandemic and the magnitude of its social and economic impacts,” Velasco said.
“The fact that we are all here today is proof that we are survivors, and this 2022, as we all settle into a better normal, we are ready to welcome a new leadership that will usher our nation towards much needed economic growth and recovery,” he added.
In an interview with reporters following the event, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said both chambers of Congress plan to begin canvassing on May 24 and proclaim the country’s two new leaders by May 27 at the earliest.
Both chambers are currently on break and will resume sessions on May 23.
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