CODE-NGO has been active in Task Force Eleksyon, a nationwide coalition of electoral reform advocates. The coalition hopes to have a transparent and honest elections this May 2016. In the past months, Task Force has launched VERITAS, the yardstick by which Task ForceEleksyon proposes the people choose whom to vote.

VERITAS stands for Vision, Engagement with Communities, Respect for Environment, Integrity, Track Record, Accountability, and Servant Leader. According to the statement released by Task Force, “Task Force Eleksyon finds in VERITAS a new hope for our afflicted politics. VERITAS promotes the qualities that will reorient candidates toward the issues that matter most to the people, and will thus put people back at the center of politics.”

CODE-NGO member networks have also started to work with Task Force Eleksyon to form hubs with other organizations in their respective regions. These hubs will implement similar projects to that of the national Task Force, but focused on the local and regional level.

CODE-NGO has also been involved in COMELEC’s PiliPinas Debates. CODE-NGO submitted questions to the United Nations Development Programme, some of which were asked during the live national debate aired on GMA News last February 21. Succeeding debates were on March 20 and April 24 which were aired on TV5 and ABS-CBN, respectively.

Ayeen Karunungan is the Advocacy Officer of CODE-NGO.