THE Commission on Elections has announced the designation of Commissioner Lucenito Tagle as the new chair of the Committee on Overseas Absentee Voting.

Comelec Resolution No. 9358, promulgated  February 7, said Commissioner Armando Velasco has signified his intention to relinquish the chairmanship in favor of Tagle.

Velasco was designated chair of the COAV on August 11, 2009 by virtue of COMELEC Minute Resolution No. 09-0501. However, he and Commissioner Rene Sarmiento are due to retire in February next year.

“Commissioner Armando Velasco may continue to provide assistance to and discuss with Commissioner Lucenito Tagle matters concerning the committee should the need arises,” the resolution read.

The COMELEC further said that the turnover process in the COAV shall be on or before Feb 15.

Sarmiento said the early change of hands is to ensure that there will be no glitches in the preparation for absentee voters for the senatorial elections in May next year.

“Commissioner Velasco and I won’t be here anymore for the elections next year. He has to turn over the committee chairmanship to ensure that its preparations will not be affected,” he told the Peoples’ Journal.

The COMELEC has set May 31 as the deadline of filing of Manifestation of Intent to participate in the Party-List System of Representation.

The poll body said party-list groups desiring to participate in the May 13 national and local elections should file with the COMELEC a manifestation of intent to participate in the party-list election together with its list of at least five nominees, no later than May 31 at the close of business hours.