NAMFREL to launch election data site for better transparency in May polls

THE NATIONAL Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) announced on Thursday it will be running a Website aimed at expanding transparency during the midterm elections on May 13. In a press briefing, NAMFREL, which was accredited as the citizens’ arm of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) last March 29, said one of its flagship projects for the 2019 National and Local Elections (NLE) is “designing and maintaining an Open Election Data website.” NAMFREL National Chairperson Augusto C. Lagman said this will be the first time they are undertaking such a project since the watchdog’s establishment and participation in elections beginning 1983. NAMFREL Council Member Lito S. Averia explained that the site “is a platform with a variety of election data that is generated by the automated election system and the goal is for us to generate new insights on election management, which may lead to improving access to and the quality of election related services, stimulate voter participation, promote inclusiveness, and foster citizen engagement.” NAMFREL has also been accredited by Comelec to conduct random manual auditing while its 50,000 volunteers will monitor 85,768 clustered precincts nationwide during the election period. — Gillian M. Cortez