This compendium of policy papers by Earl Parreño argues that while the Philippine electoral system is a vital democratic system for leadership transition, there are systemic flaws in it. These include weak political party structures, enduring vote-buying, complex election laws, and operational flaws in the Automated Election System (AES) that severely undermines its integrity which is further heightened by the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Key findings show that political party-switching and elite-driven family dynasties impede democratic maturity. Social media has become an unregulated place for campaigns and is liable to misinformation. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is also burdened by the responsibility of administration and settling conflicts, resulting in frequent operational glitches. To address these problems, the paper recommends integrating election laws into a unified Omnibus Election Code, establishing strict legislation against switching political parties and political dynasties, regulating campaigns in social media to ensure transparency and proper spending. It also calls for establishing an independent Election Adjudication Board, adopting alternative voting methods like advance voting, and implementing ISO-standard quality management systems within COMELEC to ensure safe, inclusive, and credible elections.
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