Uap election manual

United Architects of the Philippines
The Integrated and Accredited Professional Organization of Architects

UAP Election Manual
ELECTION RULES OF PROCEDURE

UAP DOCUMENT 104
January 2006

UAP Election Manual: Election Rules of Procedures
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Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface 6

Rationale and Objectives 7
Rule 1 Title of Manual 8
Rule 2 Interpretation of this Manual 9
Rule 3 Definition of Terms Used in this Manual 10-14
Rule 4 UAP National Election Timeline 15-17
Rule 5 Rules of Conduct 18
Rule 6 Qualifications for National Officers and District Directors 19-21
1. Elected Positions
2. Qualifications for National Officers
3. Qualifications for District Directors
4. Exemptions on Qualifications
5. Term of Office
6. Vacancy
Rule 7 Committee on Nominations 22-26
1. Introduction
2. Composition
3. Duties and Functions
4. Duties of the Committee Chairman
5. Term of Office
6. Rules and Regulation Governing Nominations
a. Call for Nominations
b. Nomination by Members
c. Documents to be submitted by the Nominator
d. Nomination Close
e. Nomination Verification
f. Consensus in every district
g. Preparation of Committee report

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Rule 8 Committee on Elections (COMELEC) 27-30
1. Introduction
2. Composition
4. Duties of the Commission Chairman
5. Term of Office
6. Rights and Powers of the Commission
7. Meetings of the Commission
8. Standing Committees
9. Restrictions of the Commission
10. Vacancy
11. Means to Adopt and Effects Resolutions, Circulars, Memoranda
Rule 9 Electoral College 31-35
1. Definition of Electoral College
2. How the Electoral College Works
a. Rules on Electoral College
i. The General Rule
ii. Exception to the General Rule
iii. The Supplemental to the General Rule
iv. Summary of Rules on Electoral College
b. Restriction on Members of the Electoral College
Rule 10 Campaign Procedures 36-37
1. Purpose
2. Definition of Campaigning
3. General Guidelines
4. Candidate’s Campaign Managers
5. Methods of Campaigns
6. A Candidates Forum
7. Procedures for Complaints
8. Sanctioning Guidelines
9. Disqualification
Rule 11 Election Procedures 38-44
1. Definition of Election Procedures
2. Procedures Prior to Election

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3. Procedures During the Election
4. Post-Election Procedures
Rule 12 Proclamation of Winners 45
1. Proclamation of Winners
2. Induction of Newly-Elected Officers
3. Vacancy in the Elected Positions
Rule 13 Protest 46
1. Definition of Protest
2. Initiation of Protest
3. Protest Processing Fee
4. Other Charges
5. Time Period of Protest
6. Contents of Protest
7. Lapses of Protest Period
8. Hearing and Investigation
9. Decision
Rule 14 Grounds for Disqualification of Election 47-48
1. Definition of Election Offenses
2. Types of Offenses
3. Procedures on Filing Petition
4. Appeal
5. Decision
Rule 15 Warranting Sanctions 49
1. Campaign Offenses Warranting Sanctions
2. Non-exclusivity of Liability
Rule 16 Finance 50
Rule 17 Amendments 51
1. Amendments
Rule 17 Repealing Clause 52
Rule 18 Effectivity 53

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Annexes 54-78

Annex 1 Call for Nominations (set) 55-57

Annex 2 Nominations by Members 58-60

Annex 3 Good Standing Report by National Treasurer 61

Annex 4 Committee on Nominations Resolution (sample) 62-64

Annex 5 Committee on Nominations Resolution (sample) 65-67

Annex 6 Transmittal Letters of Committee on Nominations to Commission 68
On Elections

Annex 7 Announcement of List of Official Candidates 69

Annex 8 Chapter Board Resolutions on Chapter’s List of Members 70-72
of the Electoral College

Annex 9 Chapter Board Resolutions on Chapter’s Common Candidates 73-74
for National Office

Annex 10 Sample of Campaign Paraphernalia 75

Annex 11 Official Ballot 76

Annex 12 Certification of Election Results 77-78

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Preface

The need for a new guideline in the UAP Election process was initiated by National President
Edric Marco C. Florentino. This guideline was deemed necessary as brought about by two (2)
significant events. First, the enactment of the Republic Act No. 9266 otherwise known as “The
Architecture Act of 2004 and second, the recognition of the UAP as the IAPOA, Integrated and
Accredited Professional Organization of Architects.

Corollary to these developments and considering the complexities that have now been placed
under the UAP’s responsibilities, corresponding re-structuring and adjustments in the UAP’s
structure have become imperative.

One of the vital reforms must be made in the process of election of the UAP Leadership to
respond to the bigger role and responsibilities that it has now been called upon to do.

This guideline was formulated by the Commission on Election (COMELEC) within the
limitations of the existing By-Laws of the Association. These innovations have been done as
‘interim’ until the UAP By-laws on election shall have been reviewed and reformulated by the
next administration.

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Rationale and Objectives

The UAP has grown in leaps and bounds over the years. Today, as it has been declared and
recognized as the Integrated and Accredited Professional Organization of Architects (IAPOA)
by the Professional Regulation Commission under Board of Architecture Resolution No. 03,
series of 2004 , the sheer number of professionals that shall come-in will become a
management problem. More and more shall be demanded from the people who will steer the
organization to its established goals.

The objectives of this manual include:

1. Politics of Growth and Development – To wean away the professional organization
from the negative and divisive kind of politics and to move towards the politics of
growth and development focusing more on service rather than the grab for power.

2. Transparency – To assure members that they are sufficiently informed all the time of
the Leader’s every major moves and decisions. If everything is done in open
consultations, there will be less room for questions in the minds of the members.

3. Democratic Process – To make sure that everyone has free access to foras and
debates to ventilate their ideas and opinions and for their voices to be heard and
counted.

4. Empowerment of the Chapters – For the chapter members to be personally
responsible in the election of the leaders from the Chapter Level to the District Level
and to the National Level.

This Election Manual shall be liberally construed in order to promote the effective and efficient
implementation of the objectives of ensuring the holding of free, orderly, honest, peaceful and
credible elections and to achieve just, expeditious and inexpensive determination and
disposition of every action and proceeding brought before the UAP Commission on Election.

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Rule 1: Title of Manual

This Manual shall be referred to as the “UAP Election Manual: Rules of Procedure” based on
the Amended By-Laws of the United Architects of the Philippines as of October 20, 2005.

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Rule 2: Interpretation, Authority and Applicability of this Manual

1. Interpretation of this Manual

Any doubt in the interpretation of this Manual shall be resolved by the National Board of
Directors of the United Architects of the Philippines, en banc, in a manner which would ensure
fairness, keep order, and preserve the integrity of the UAP national elections.

2. Authority of this Manual

This Manual is authorized and empowered by the By-laws of the United Architects of the
Philippines, as amended October 20, 2005, specifically as indicated under Article IX, Sections
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and other sections in the Amended By-laws herein
indicated.

3. Applicability of this Manual

This Manual shall govern the elections of UAP National Officers as defined in Article 5,
Sections 2.1 and 2.2 of the UAP By-laws.

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Rule 3: Definition of Terms

As used in this Manual adopted by the UAP National Board of Directors under the UAP By-
Laws, unless the context otherwise requires:

Accreditation Slip.

This is a form issued by the Commission on Election to all Chapter Presidents requiring them to
list their respective members to the Electoral College (Art. 9, Sec. 4.7). However, the
COMELEC through its Committee on Accreditation has the power to disqualify any Member of
the Electoral College in accordance with the provisions of the UAP By-laws (Art. 9, Sec. 2.2.4-
a).

Ballots.

A pre-numbered Official Form prepared and issued by the Commission on Election to the
Members of the Electoral College for them to cast or register a vote.

By-laws.
This pertains to the Amended By-laws of the United Architects of the Philippines as of October
20, 2005.

Campaign Material.

Campaign Material means any material that contains text, graphics, or other images or visual
presentations and to be distributed only by the Commission on Election (COMELEC).

Campaign Manager

A campaign manager shall be defined as anyone who actively coordinates the planning and
implementation of a qualified candidate's campaigning activities. It shall be the responsibility of
the registered candidate to ensure that his or her campaign manager(s) have read and
understood the elections procedures.

Candidate.

A Candidate for UAP National Office is any UAP member having duly filed for the purpose of
running for the offices of the UAP National elections and who meets the qualifications for the
office sought and has been nominated for that office in accordance with the UAP By-laws and
this Manual.

Chapter Board Resolution

A Chapter Board Resolution is a concise statement of the Chapter’s stance towards a particular
issue or decision and serves as a call to action for the Chapter and its members. Herein, it
describes and endorses a defined course of action agreed upon by the majority of Chapter
members in good standing, i.e. to elect members to the Electoral College and endorse common
candidates for national office.

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Format Resolutions must be written in the standard “Whereas” and “Therefore, be it resolved”
format. The main issues should be presented as “Whereas” statements. Desired actions and
implementation strategies should be specific and presented within “Therefore, be it resolved”
declarations.

Commission on Election (herein referred as “Commission”)

The Commission on Elections is composed of annually appointed representatives from each
District appointed by the UAP National President and confirmed by the UAP National Board of
Directors at least 120 days prior to the National Election (Art. 9, Sec. 2.1). The COMELEC acts
as an independent body (Art. 9, Sec. 22.1) that is responsible for overseeing the conduct of
UAP national elections, for maintaining the UAP Election Manual: Rules of Procedure, and for
other tasks as specified herein.

Committee on Nominations

The Committee on Nominations is composed of the Chairman who is the incumbent Chancellor
of COF, and one Member from each District, (except the incumbent District Directors); which
shall be officially constituted by the incumbent National Board at least 120 days prior to the
UAP Annual Meeting and national elections. (Art. 9, Sec. 3.1.1).

Consensus.

Consensus is defined as an agreement among the chapters within the District to choose who
will represent the district and sits as their district director in a meeting held for the purpose.

The Committee thru its district representative shall conduct a consensus in every district, at
least thirty (30) days before the elections to arrive at common candidate from among the
regular members in each District. (Art. 9, Sec. 3.1.2-b).

Decorum.

Since the UAP annual election is the most honorable manner of consulting the general
membership, a proper decorum-an attribute which pertains to rules of behavior, decency and
good order shall be maintained by all members of the Commission and in no way shall be
involved in electioneering or acts that tend to show partiality (Art. 9, Sec. 2.4).

Elected National Officers

The UAP National Officers who are elected by the Electoral College are: National President,
National Executive Vice President for Planning and Development, Four(4) National Vice
Presidents for Operations representing: Area A (North of Luzon to Quezon City), Area B (From
City of Manila, part of Metro Manila to South Luzon, Bicol Region, and Palawan), Area C
(Visayas Regions), and Area D (Mindanao Regions); Secretary General, National Treasurer,
National Auditor and 17 District Directors representing the 17 Regional Districts of the UAP.
(Art. 6, Sec.1.1; Art. V, Sec. 2.1, 2.2).

Election Manual

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This pertains to the UAP Election Manual: Rules of Procedure based on the Amended By-Laws
of the United Architects of the Philippines as of October 20, 2006, specifically as indicated
under Article IX, Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and other sections in the
Amended By-laws herein indicated.

Electoral College.

The UAP Electoral College is the body of qualified electors (refer to Rule on Electoral College)
who formally elect the national officers of the United Architects of the Philippines.

Good Standing Member.

To be in good standing for the current fiscal year and be able to register in National
Conventions and Conferences, a member should have paid the individual annual dues on or
before September 30 of the current fiscal year, and is not under suspension from the practice
of architecture from the PRC-BOA or from membership privileges of the UAP (Art. 4, Sec. 4.1).

Good Standing Chapter.

To be in good standing, a Chapter must have at least thirty (30) members in good standing as
of September of the fiscal year. A Chapter in good standing shall be given the right to vote
through a representation in the Electoral College of one (1) vote per five (5) members in good
standing except otherwise defined somewhere in these By-laws (Art. 4, Sec. 4.2).

Information brochure
The information brochure is a brochure or information sheet prepared and distributed by
COMELEC to UAP members. It is intended to provide sufficient information about each
candidate to permit voters to make an educated choice. For each candidate it identifies the
office sought and contains a photograph, a biography and a personal statement provided by
the candidate. Specific requirements concerning the biography and statement appear
elsewhere in this Manual.

National Board of Directors.

The UAP National Board of Directors is the governing body of the United Architects of the
Philippines (Art. 5, Sec. 1) duly composed of nine (9) National Executive Officers elected by the
members of the Electoral College (Art. 6, Sec. 1.1) and seventeen (17) District Directors (Art. 5,
Sec. 2.1, 2.2) elected through a consensus by their respective districts (Art. 9, Sec. 3.1.2-b)

Provisional Chapters.

According to Article 3, Section 6 of the UAP By-Laws, provisional UAP Chapters shall be such
organizations which generally subscribe to the purposes and objectives of the UAP, situated in
very remote places of the country, where there are at least seven (7) Regular Members but less
than thirty (30), which is the required minimum for a regular Chapter.

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Polling Place.

The polling place shall be designated by COMELEC (Art. 9, Sec. 8.3), however, should be
designated within the premise where the UAP National Convention is held (Art. 9, Sec. 1).

Processing Fee.

A protest processing fee of not less than two thousand pesos (P 2,000), which is non-
refundable shall be filed by an unsuccessful candidate together with the protest to the
COMELEC (Art. 9, Sec. 11.2).

Protest.

A protest is a formal declaration of disapproval or objection issued by an unsuccessful
candidate to the conduct or results of the election accompanied by specific allegations that if
proven true would have a probable impact on the outcome of the UAP national election.

Resolution of Ties.

When two (2) or more candidates garnered the same number of votes for any position, the
COMELEC after officially recording this fact, shall break the tie by drawing of lots (Art. 9, Sec.
9.4).

Quorum.

A quorum is a gathering of the minimal number of members of the Commission on Elections
and or of the Committee on Nominations to conduct their respective business. For both the
Commission on Elections and Committee on Nominations, nine (9) members shall constitute a
quorum.

UAP National Elections.

This pertains to the democratic process by which the general membership through the Electoral
College (Art. 9, Sec 4.1) cast their votes under the provisions of the UAP By-laws.

Every year, UAP holds its national election (Art. 9, Sec.1) in which the new leaders (Art. 6, Sec.
1.1; Art. 5, Sec. 2) of the organization are chosen by an Electoral College. Candidates go on
sorties and campaign, offering their platforms and programs so that the general membership
would give them the mandate to serve as national leaders of the organization.

Term of Office of Committee on Nominations and Commission on Elections

This is the period during which the Members of the Commission on Elections and Committee
on Nominations shall serve their respective offices.

The Committee on Nominations shall immediately exercise its functions upon receipt and
acceptance of its appointment which shall not be later than 120 days prior to the UAP Annual
Convention (Art. 9, Sec. 3.1.3-a) and shall automatically be dissolved after its submission of the
official list of qualified candidates to the Secretary-General and the COMELEC for dissemination
to the UAP membership (Art. 9, Sec. 3.1.3-b).

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The members of the Commission on Elections shall serve for the period beginning from 120 days
prior to the date of National Election or Convention and shall end on the 30th of June (end of the
fiscal year (Art. 9, Sec. 2.3).

Term of Office of National Officers

The Members of the National Board shall serve for one (1) fiscal year starting on July 1st up to
June 30th of the following year, or until their successors shall have been duly elected and
qualified. An Officer of the National Board shall serve for a term of one (1) year and may be re-
elected for another term, but in no case shall one serve for more than two (2) consecutive
terms in the same office. (Art. 5, Sec. 3) An Officer may serve for not more than three (3)
consecutive terms, provided, that this provision shall not apply for the three elections
specifically from fiscal years 2004-2005, 2005-2006 and 2006-2007. (Art.5, Sec 3 as amended
last October 20, 2005 and approved by the SEC on January 15, 2005).

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Rule 4: UAP National Election Timeline

The UAP National Election Timeline is the presentation of a chronological sequence of
nominations and elections events along a drawn line that enables the general membership to
understand the schedules as indicated in the UAP By-laws.

Legend on the Election Timeline:

1. For Letter A – 120 days before the UAP Annual Election

a. Appointment and Confirmation of Members of the COMELEC. The COMELEC is
composed of representatives from each District appointed by the National President
and confirmed by the National Board at least 120 days prior to the National Election
(Art. 9, Sec. 2.1.1)

b. Commencement of the Term of Office of the COMELEC. The members of the
COMELEC shall serve for the period beginning from 120 days prior to the date of
National Election or Convention and shall end on the 30th of June (end of the fiscal
year)- (Art. 9, Sec. 2.3)

c. Appointment and Confirmation of the Members of the Committee on Nominations. The
Committee on Nominations is composed of the Chairman who is the incumbent
Chancellor of COF, and one Member from each District, (except the incumbent District
Directors); which shall be officially constituted by the incumbent National Board at least
120 days prior to the UAP Annual Meeting and national elections (Art. 9, Sec. 3).

d. Term of Office of the Members of the Committee on Nominations. The Committee on
Nominations shall immediately exercise its functions upon receipt and acceptance of
its appointment which shall not be later than 120 days prior to the UAP Annual
Convention (Art. 9, Sec. 3.1.3).

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2. For Letter B – 45 days before the UAP Annual Election

a. Submission of Nomination to the Committee on Nomination. Subject to the provisions
of the By-laws, any qualified member in good standing of UAP may be proposed in
writing by at least thirty (30) members in good standing who shall submit the
nomination together with his bio-data to the Committee on Nominations, which has full
power to accept or reject such proposal. Such proposal must be received forty-five (45)
days prior to the Annual National Elections (Art. 9, Sec. 3.2.2)

3. For Letter C – 30 days before the UAP Annual Election

a. The Committee on Nominations to conduct a consensus. The COMELEC is tasked to
conduct a consensus in every district through its District Representatives, at least thirty
(30) days before the elections to arrive at a common candidate from among the regular
members in each District (Art.9, Sec. 3.1.2-b).

4. For Letter D – 15 days before the UAP Annual Election

a. Notices of UAP Annual Meeting. Notices of Annual Meetings and National Conventions
shall be sent by the Secretary General to all the members through Chapters and their
addresses appearing in the records of UAP, by mail or by personal delivery at least
fifteen (15) days before the scheduled date of the meeting.

5. For Letter E – 25 days and not later than 15 days before the UAP Annual Election

a. Submission of all the members of the Electoral College to the COMELEC. Not earlier
than twenty-five (25) days and not later than fifteen days (15) prior to the elections, the
Chapter Secretaries shall submit to the COMELEC a list of the names of all the
members of the Electoral College, including their alternates. The list shall then remain
closed and shall not be altered except upon direction of the COMELEC. However, it
shall be open for inspection by all members, and, upon request, copies thereof shall be
furnished to any member upon payment of actual cost of printing.

6. For Letter F – UAP Annual Conventions (and Annual Election)

a. Election Day. The Annual Election shall be scheduled as one of the functions in the
UAP Annual Convention within the month of April of each year (Art. 9, Sec. 1).
Activities during the election day include: voting, canvassing, certification of results and
other related activities.

7. For Letter G – 24 hours after the UAP Annual Election

a. Period of Filing Election Protest

8. For Letter H – End of the Fiscal Year (June 30)
a. Submission of Final Report/Decision in case of Protest. COMELEC shall forward their
Final Report/Decision in case of Protest to the incumbent National Board which shall
not be later than June 30 of the current fiscal year (Art. 9, Sec. 11.3).

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9. For Letter I – Period of the Induction of the Newly-Inducted National Officers

a. The induction of the newly elected officers shall be done on or before July 1 during the
turn over ceremony. The Induction of the newly elected officers shall be under the
auspices of the incumbent National Board (Art. 9, Sec. 13).

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Rule 5: Rules on Conduct

Since the UAP annual election is the most honorable manner of consulting the general
membership, a proper decorum - an attribute which pertains to rules of behavior- decency and
good order shall be maintained by all members of the Committee on Nominations and the
Commission of Election and in no way shall be involved in electioneering or acts that tend to
show partiality (Art. 9, Sec. 2.4).

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Rule 6: Qualifications for National Officers and District Directors

1. Elected Positions

The National Officers of UAP who are elected by the members of the Electoral College to their
specific positions are: National President, National Executive Vice-President, Area Vice-
President for Area A, Area Vice-President for Area B, Area Vice-President for Area C, Area
Vice-President for Area D, Secretary-General, National Treasurer and the National Auditor
(Article 6, Section 1). Election of District Directors shall be in accordance with UAP By-laws,
Article 9, Section 3.1.2, that a Committee on Nominations shall conduct a consensus in every
district through its District Representatives, at least thirty (30) days before the elections to
arrive at a common candidate from among the regular members in each District.

2. Qualifications for National Officers

According to Article 5, Section 3.1 (3.1.2, 3.1.3, 3.1.4, 3.1.5, 3.1.6, 3.1.7, 3.1.8, 3.1.9), a
candidate for National Office shall satisfy all the following requirements:

1. Must be a regular member in good standing of the UAP from a regular chapter in
good standing;

2. Must have ten (10) years of active practice and active membership prior to
nominations;

3. Must have been endorsed by the National Committee on Nominations;

4. Must have been an officer of a UAP Chapter or must have served as a member of the
UAP National Board;

5. Must have demonstrated his dedication to the profession in general and to the UAP in
particular;

6. Must possess managerial capability, varied training and expertise necessary to
accomplish the requirements of the position;

(a) For the position of National President a candidate must have served as
(Vice President, Secretary General, National Treasurer or National Auditor)
member of the Executive Committee;

(b) For the position of Vice President, a candidate must have served as
Secretary General or National Treasurer;

(c) For the position of Secretary General, National Treasurer or National
Auditor, a candidate must have served as a regional district director, as
Chapter president and a Fellow or as an executive director and a Chapter
president.

7. Must possess good moral character and must have adhered to the Architects
National Code: Code of Ethical Conduct and Standards of Professional Practice.

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3. Qualifications for District Directors

According to Article 5, Section 3.2 (including 3.2.1, 3.2.2, 3.2.3, 3.2.4, 3.2.5), a candidate for
District Directors shall satisfy all the following requirements:

1. Regular membership in continuous good standing in a regular chapter for at least five
(5) years prior to nomination;

2. At least five consecutive years of practice of the profession prior to the nomination;

3. Service of at least three (3) years as an officer of a UAP Chapter in good standing
and a Chapter President or a Fellow;

4. Good moral character and adherence to the Architects National Code: Code of
Ethical Conduct and Standards of Professional Practice; and

5. Endorsement by the National Committee on Nominations.

Election of District Directors shall be in accordance with UAP By-laws, Article 9, Section 3.1.2,
that a Committee on Nominations shall conduct a consensus in every district through its District
Representatives, at least thirty (30) days before the elections to arrive at a common candidate
from among the regular members in each District.

4. Exemptions on Qualifications for both the National Officers and District Directors

According to Article 14, Section 1, during the first three (3) elections under the UAP By-laws, or
until the amendment of the provisions of the UAP By-laws on the qualifications of candidates
shall have been amended, all bonafide members of the United Architects of the Philippines as
the Integrated and Accredited Professional Organization of Architects (UAP-IAPOA) shall have
been qualified and the residency and service requirements for candidates for chapter or
national positions shall be deemed suspended. Further, if after three (3) years the provisions
on qualifications for candidate for Chapter or National Positions have not been amended; the
same shall be deemed suspended.

Specifically, according to Article 5, Section 4, “…an Officer may serve for not more than three
(3) consecutive terms, provided, that this provision shall not apply for the three elections
specifically from fiscal years 2004-2005, 2005-2006 and 2006-2007.”

5. Terms of Office

The Members of the National Board shall serve for one (1) fiscal year starting on July 1st up to
June 30th of the following year, or until their successors shall have been duly elected and
qualified. An Officer of the National Board shall serve for a term of one (1) year and may be re-
elected for another term, but in no case shall one serve for more than two (2) consecutive
terms in the same office. An Officer may serve for not more than three (3) consecutive terms,
provided, that this provision shall not apply for the three elections specifically from fiscal years
2004-2005, 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 (Article 5, Section 4)

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6. Vacancy

Except in those cases where a vacancy is filled up in accordance with other provisions of the
UAP By-laws, any vacancy among the Officers and Directors shall be filled by the remaining
Members of the National Board if still constitute a quorum. The rule of succession shall be
applicable (Article 11, Section 1).

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Rule 7: Committee on Nominations

1. Introduction

Prior to the call for nominations, a Committee on Nominations (ComNom) is formed to oversee
the UAP nomination process and responsible to seek out and make sure that all candidates for
UAP National Office shall conform to the qualifications of candidates set forth in the UAP By-
Laws and to officially certify a properly selected slate of Candidates to be placed in nomination
before the Commission on Elections.

Since the UAP By-laws are silent on the qualifications of the members of the Committee on
Nominations, it is fairly appropriate that all members of the Committee should be in good
standing and should come from a chapter in good standing prior to their appointment and
confirmation.

All incumbent national officers and district directors are disqualified to become members of the
Committee on Nominations.

2. Composition

The Committee on Nominations is composed of the Chairman who is the incumbent Chancellor
of the College of Fellows (COF), and one Member from each District, (except the incumbent
District Directors); which shall be officially constituted by the incumbent National Board of
Directors at least 120 days prior to the UAP Annual Meeting and national elections (Art. 9, Sec.
3.1.1).


The functions of the Committee on Nominations are as follows: (Art. 9, Sec. 3.1.2-a,b,c)

a. Ensure that all candidates meet the qualifications set forth in these By-laws and
officially nominate them accordingly.

b. Conduct a consensus in every district through its District Representatives, at least
thirty (30) days before the elections to arrive at a common candidate from among the
regular members in each District;

c. Submit to the COMELEC the names of all qualified candidates who are willing to
serve, in case of failure to arrive at a common candidate.

4. Duties of the Committee Chairman

In the performance of its administrative functions as head of the Committee on Nominations,
the Chairman of the Committee shall:

a. Issue calls for the meetings of the Committee;

b. Preside over the meetings of the Committee;

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c. Designate any of the Members of the Committee to preside over sessions of the
Committees, en banc, in the event of his absence, disqualification or inhibition;

d. Preserve order and decorum during the meeting;

e. Enforce orders, resolutions, and decisions of the Committee;

f. Exercise such other duties and functions as he/she may deem proper upon
consultation with the Members of the Committees or with the National Board of
Directors of the UAP.

5. Terms of Office

The Committee on Nominations shall immediately exercise its functions upon receipt and
acceptance of its appointment which shall not be later than 120 days prior to the UAP National
Convention. It shall automatically be dissolved after its submission of the official list of qualified
candidates to the Secretary-General and the COMELEC for dissemination to the UAP
membership (Art. 9, Sec. 3.1.3- a, b).

6. Rules and Regulations Governing Nominations

The following pertains to the Rules and Regulations governing nominations under Article 9,
Sec. 3.2 of the UAP By-laws.

a. Call for Nominations (Annex 1)

The Committee on Nominations shall select from the official roster of UAP membership those
who are qualified to become candidates for the elective positions in accordance with the UAP
By-laws, after which (Art. 9, Sec. 3.2.1), the Committee shall:

1. Notify in writing each of them regarding their qualifications (Art. 9, Sec. 3.2.1);

2. Request from them signed written advice of their willingness to be included in the official
list of candidates (Art. 9, Sec. 3.2.1).

3. Prepare a nomination notice that specifies the process for submitting nominations, the
offices to be filled and the job description/duties for each office. The nomination notice
should also include the term of office, instructions for making a nomination and eligibility
requirements for candidates and nominators as well as deadlines for nominations.

4. Include the Notice of the timelines for the national election

5. Include a Nomination Form which will contain at least the following information:

i. year of the election, starting date of the term of office, and ending date or
length of term;

ii. a space in which to indicate the office being sought, or identification of the
office if only one is open for this election;

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iii. a space for the candidate's name;

iv. statement that the candidate accepts the nomination and space for the
candidate's signature affirming this statement;

v. spaces for the appropriate number of signatures (at least 30 lines) required for
support of candidacy, and a statement that all signers must be in good
standing during the current fiscal year;

vi. summary instructions for filling out and submitting the nomination form

b. Nomination by Members (Annex 2)

Any qualified member in good standing of UAP may be proposed in writing by at least thirty
(30) members in good standing who shall submit the nomination together with his bio-data to
the Committee on Nominations, which has full power to accept or reject such proposal. Such
proposal must be received forty-five (45) days prior to the Annual National Elections (Art. 9,
Sec. 3.2.2).

c. Documents to be submitted by the Nominator

The following documents should be submitted by the Nominator to the Committee on
Nominations at least forty-five (45) days prior to the Annual National Elections:

1. Nomination Form (provided by the Committee on Nominations) - refer to Annex 1
2. Curriculum Vitae with the following required information ( to be provided by
Candidates)
a. Complete Name of Nominees
b. Address
c. Contact Numbers
d. PRC Number
e. UAP Number
f. IAPOA Number
g. Taxpayer’s Identification Number
h. Educational Background
i. Summary of Experience, Activities, Associations and Affiliations,
Achievements and Awards received.
3. Endorsement letter by at least thirty (30) UAP members in good standing-refer to
Annex 1

These documents should be forwarded to the Committee on Nominations or its assigned
personnel at the UAP National Headquarters No. 53 Scout Rallos Street Diliman, Quezon City.

Upon receipt of nomination materials, the Committee on Nominations will immediately complete
and return to the nominator the Nomination Acknowledgement Form.

The Committee shall keep an accurate record of all nominations and documents submitted.

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d. Nomination Close

The nomination period closes at exactly 6:00 pm on the 45th day prior to the UAP Annual
Elections. If the close of nominations would occur on a weekend, the nomination period is
extended until the first following business day of the United Architects of the Philippines

e. Nomination Verification

The Committee on Nomination shall evaluate the Nomination Forms including the attached
documents submitted by the Nominators. Evaluation includes:

1. Verification if the nominee is:
a. A member in Good Standing for the current fiscal year.
b. A of a Chapter in Good Standing for the current fiscal year.
c. Endorsed by at least thirty (30) members in good standing

2. Verification of the completeness of the documents submitted and the date of which
such documents were received by the Committee.

A Good Standing Report which pertains to the above requirements shall be certified by the
National Treasurer (Annex 3)

The Committee has the power to disqualify any nominee if he/she doesn’t meet the
qualifications and requirements set forth in the UAP By-laws and in this Manual. However, the
Committee will notify the nominator regarding the reason/s of disqualification, but no petition
shall be entertained by the Committee.

f. Consensus in Every District

The Committee thru its district representative shall conduct a consensus in every district, at
least thirty (30) days before the elections to arrive at common candidate from among the
regular members in each District. (Art. 9, Sec. 3.1.2-b).

g. Preparation of Committee Report

The Committee shall prepare a Summary Report which includes the Official List of Qualified
Candidates (Annex 4, Annex 5). This report shall be forwarded to the Secretary-General and
the COMELEC for dissemination to the UAP membership (Art. 9, Sec.3.1.3-b).

However, the Committee shall submit to the Committee the names of all qualified candidates
who are willing to serve, in case of failure to arrive at a common candidate (Art. 9, Sec.3.1.3-c).

If there is only one candidate for an office, that candidate may be declared elected by
acclamation. However, it is the policy of the UAP that the candidate shall undergo the process
of election and their name and information be included in all election materials if applicable,
and their votes, if any, shall be properly counted.

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The Summary Report which includes the Official List of Qualified Candidates should include the
following:

1. Nomination Forms (Certificate of Candidacy) of Nominees– (Art. 9, Sec. 3.2.2)

2. Curriculum Vitae of Nominees (Art. 9, Sec. 3.2.2)

3. Proposal by at least thirty (30) members in good standing (Art. 9, Sec. 3.2.2)

4. A Resolution of the Committee on Nominations on the List of Qualified Candidates
duly signed the Chairman and by at least nine (9) members of the Committee
(Annex 4 and Annex 5)

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Rule 8: Commission on Elections

1. Introduction

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) who shall be appointed by the National President
and confirmed by the National Board of Directors at least 120 days prior to the national
elections shall be an independent body which will take charge of all matters concerning UAP
elections and shall direct, supervise and control the overall conduct of the elections, enforce
rules and regulations, directives, orders and instructions in all matters relating to the functions
in accordance with the By-laws and this Election Manual.

2. Composition

The Commission on Elections is composed of representatives from each District appointed by
the National President and confirmed by the National Board at least 120 days prior to the
National Election (Art. 9, Sec. 2.1.2).

The following are disqualified to serve as members of the COMELEC:

a. Incumbent officers and members of the National Board (Art. 9, Sec. 2.1.3);

b. Incumbent officers and members of the Chapter Board (Art. 9, Sec. 2.1.3);

c. All candidates for office, their campaign managers, and anyone openly campaigning
for any candidate;


The functions of the Commission on Elections are as follows:

a. Act as an independent body and shall take charge of all matters concerning elections
(Art. 9, Sec. 2.2.1);

b. Direct, supervise and control the overall conduct of the elections, enforce rules and
regulations, directives, orders and instructions (Art. 9, Sec. 2.2.2);

c. Deputize any member of UAP in good standing to act as its agent in the enforcement
and implementation of the provisions of these By-laws (Art. 9, Sec. 2.2.3);

d. Constitute Committees under its general administration and supervision of election
procedures as follows (Art. 9, Sec. 2.2.4);

4. Duties of the Commission Chairman

The powers and duties of the Chairman of the Commission when discharging his/her functions
in all administrative actions or proceedings before the Commission are as follows:

i. To issue calls for the meetings of the Commission;

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ii. To preside over the meetings of the Commission;

iii. To designate any of the Members of the Commission to preside over meetings of the
Commissions en banc in the event of his/her absence, disqualification or inhibition;

iv. To preserve order and decorum during the meetings;

v. To decide all questions of order, subject to appeal to the Commission en banc;

vi. To enforce orders, resolutions, and decisions of the Commission and its Standing
Committees;

vii. To exercise such other duties and powers as are vested upon him by UAP By-laws or
by specific provisions of this Manual.

5. Term of Office

The Members of the Commission shall serve for the period beginning from 120 days prior to
the date of National Election or Convention and shall end on the 30 th of June (end of the fiscal
year) (Art. 9, Sec. 2.3);

6. Rights and Powers of the Commission

Since the Commission acts as an independent body that is in charge of all matters concerning
the UAP elections (Art. 9, Sec. 2.2.1), the Commission has inherent rights and powers such as:

a. To execute and interpret this Manual and preserve the integrity of the election;

b. To enact any special rules governing the election process, however, should not
conflict with the UAP By-laws, or this Manual;

c. To disqualify any member of the Electoral College (Art. 9, Sec. 2.2.4-a);

d. To canvass, count and tally the votes (Art. 9, Sec. 2.2.4-b);

e. To validate or invalidate any ballot cast in the election (Art. 9, Sec. 2.2.4-b);

f. To prepare the official record of the elections (Art. 9, Sec. 2.2.4-b);

g. To set-up systems and procedures achieving the objectives of the Electoral
College (Art. 9, Sec. 4.7);

h. To impose disciplinary actions against erring candidate/s (Art. 9, Sec. 4.7);

i. To direct the opening of the list of all the members of the Electoral College,
including their alternates (Art. 9, Sec. 8.1);

j. To prescribe the voting hours of the UAP National Elections (Art. 9, Sec. 8.5.1)

Page - 28 -

Note: The power to designate the place, time and date of election is a power
vested upon the UAP National Board (Art. 9, Sec. 8.4.1);

k. To permit a candidate or his representative to personally witness the reading of the
ballots within the canvassing area (Art. 9, Sec. 9.2);

l. To break the tie by drawing lots when two (2) or more candidates garnered the
same number of votes for any position (Art. 9, Sec. 9.4);

m. To certify the results of the elections (Art. 9, Sec. 9.5);

n. To proclaim the winners in the elections (Art. 9, Sec. 10);

o. To hear, investigate and decide on all cases pertaining to election matters, such as
protest (Art. 9, Sec. 11.3), and petitions;

7. Meetings of the Commission

The Commission or its Standing Committees shall hold meetings on such days and time as it
may call by the Commission Chairman or Committees Chairs, or at such other places in the
Metro Manila as it may designate.

8. Standing Committees

The following shall be the standing Committees of the Commission on Elections (Art. 9, Sec.
2.2.4-a,b):

a. Committee on Accreditation – which shall compose of two members a Chairperson
who must have be a member of the UAP College of Fellows. The Committee shall take
charge of the accreditation of Members of the Electoral College; and have the power to
disqualify any Member of the Electoral College in accordance with the provisions the
UAP By-laws. (Art. 9, Sec. 2.2.4-a);

b. Committee on Canvassing – which compose of two Members and a Chairperson who
must have be a member of the College of Fellows shall take charge of the canvassing,
counting and tallying of votes in the National Elections. The Committee has the authority
to validate or invalidate any vote ballot cast in the election and take charge of preparing
the official record of the elections to be submitted to the Secretary General (Art. 9, Sec.
2.2.4-b)

c. Other Committees - The Commission may create special committees that it deems
necessary to effectively and efficiently carry out its responsibilities such as but not limited
to committees pertaining to review and evaluation, campaign materials, public
information, documentations, and others.

9. Restrictions of the Commission

Under no circumstances may the Commission on Elections or its Members perform any of the
following acts or omissions:

Page - 29 -

a. Involve in electioneering or acts that tend to show partiality (Art. 9, Sec. 2.4);

b. Exercise any adjudicative or rule-making power beyond those specifically granted in
the UAP By-laws and this Manual;

c. Fail to elect Chairpersons on Committee on Accreditation and Committee on
Canvassing who are members of the College of Fellows (Art. 9, Sec. 2.1.2).

d. Remove any candidate’s name from the ballot once placed there;

e. Halt the count of all ballots

f. Fail to provide or make available to candidates and others any of the forms required
to be distributed by this Manual, such as accreditation slips forms, etc;

g. Hold and conduct a business meeting without the required quorum;

h. Be appointed to any UAP national office position aside from being Member of the
Commission on Elections;

i. Fail to list a candidate on the ballot if said candidate has filed his/her completed
declaration forms by the deadline;

j. Fail to verify the electors in the master list of the members of the Electoral College;

k. Allow non-member of the Electoral College inside the polling place;

l. Fail to void the ballots with identifying marks;

m. Fail to tally the number of Ballots issued to the Electoral college;

n. Fail to certify the election results

o. Fail to submit the official record of the election results in the secretariat;

10. Vacancy

Should a vacancy occur in COMELEC, the National Board shall immediately appoint a
replacement (Art. 9, Sec. 2.5).

11. Means to Adopt and Effect Resolutions, Circulars and Memoranda

All auxiliaries, processes and other means necessary to carry into effect its duties and
responsibilities may be employed by the Commission; and if the procedure to be followed in the
exercise of such duties and responsibilities is not specifically provided for by this Manual, any
suitable process or proceeding may be adopted through the issuance of a Resolution, Circular
and or Memoranda by the Commission.

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Rule 9: Electoral College

1. Definition of Electoral College

The UAP Electoral College is the body of qualified electors who formally elect the national
officers of the United Architects of the Philippines.

2. How the Electoral College Works?

The Electoral College works according to the following rules:

1. Rule No. 1 - Every Chapter in Good Standing shall be entitled to one (1) member of the
Electoral College for every five (5) Regular Members in good standing. (Art. 9, Sec. 4.1)

2. Rule No. 2 – Provisional Chapters or New Chapters are entitled to membership in the
Electoral College in accordance with membership in Rule 1 (Art. 9, Sec. 4.3).

3. On Rule No. 1 and Rule No. 2, membership to the Electoral College shall be elected by
the general membership of the Chapter during their Annual Membership Meeting (Art. 9,
Sec. 4.1).

4. Further, the Chapter shall also elect an equal number of alternate members who shall
exercise the power of the regular members to the Electoral College in case of their
absence during the election.

5. Rule No. 3 - All incumbent Chapters presidents in good standing of both regular and
provisional chapters; and all incumbent Members of the National Board of Directors shall
also be members of the Electoral College, provided that they personally cast their votes
(Art. 9, Sec. 4.5 and 4.6).

6. Electors representing the incumbent Chapter Presidents and incumbent members of the
National Board are not anymore elected because they shall personally cast their votes.

3. Discussion on Rules on Electoral College

I. The General Rule.

1. Accordingly, every Chapter in Good Standing shall be entitled to one (1) member of the
Electoral College for every five (5) Regular Members in good standing. The Members
thereof shall be elected by the general membership of the Chapter during their Annual
Membership meeting. The Chapter shall also elect an equal number of alternate
members who shall exercise the power of the regular members in case of their absence
(Art. 9, Sec. 4.1; Art. 4, Sec. 4.2).

2. Note that according to Art. 4, Sec. 4.2, to be in good standing, a Chapter must have at
least thirty (30) members in good standing as of September of the fiscal year.

3. In order that a chapter member must be in good standing, a member should have paid
his/her annual dues on or before September 30 of the current fiscal year (Art. 4, Sec. 4.1)

Page - 31 -

4. To summarize the above general rule, in order to be part of the Electoral College, the
chapter must comply with the sole standard requirement: The Chapter must have least
thirty members in Good Standing as of September 30 of the fiscal year.

5. Example: The Computation shall be: One (1) member of the Electoral College for every
five (5) regular members in good standing.

Take a look at this table:

Chapter Total Members in Required Total Member/s of the
Good Standing Divisor Electoral College
Chapter A 30 5 6
Chapter B 25 5 None
Chapter C 44 5 8.8 = 8 only
Chapter D 120 5 20

For Chapter A - Chapter A will be allotted 6 slots in the Electoral College since they have 30
members in good standing. (The rule says that a Chapter in Good Standing shall be entitled to
one (1) member of the Electoral College for every five (5) Regular Members in good standing.)

For Chapter B – Chapter B is disqualified to receive slots in the Electoral College since
chapters with less than thirty (30) Members in good standing shall not qualify to have
membership in the Electoral College (Art. 9, Sec. 4.2).

For Chapter C – Chapter C will be allotted 8 slots in the Electoral College. Rounding off
Numbers cannot be applied in the electoral rule since the UAP By-laws state that “a Chapter
in Good Standing shall be entitled to one (1) member of the Electoral College for every five (5)
Regular Members in good standing”

For Chapter D – Chapter D will be allotted 20 slots only in the Electoral College since “A UAP
Chapter should have a maximum of one hundred (100) members” (Article 3, Section 2.1.3).

II. Exception to the General Rule:

1. According to the general rule, Chapters with less than thirty (30) Members in good
standing shall not qualify to have membership in the Electoral College, except otherwise
provided in the UAP By-laws. (Art. 9, Sec. 4.2).

2. This exception includes a provisional UAP chapter with at least seven (7) members in
good standing (Art. 9, Sec. 4.3). Provisional Chapters with at least seven (7) Members in
good standing are entitled membership in the Electoral College in accordance with
membership provision as per Article. 9, Sec. 4.1.

3. What is a provisional chapters? According to Article 3, Section 6 of the UAP By-Laws,
provisional UAP Chapters shall be such organizations which generally subscribe to the
purposes and objectives of the UAP, situated in very remote places of the country, where there

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are at least seven (7) Regular Members but less than thirty (30), which is the required minimum
for a regular Chapter. Therefore, Rule No. 2 is an exception to the general rule (Rule No. 1).

4. Further, according to Article 3, Section 2.1.3 of the UAP By-laws “…new chapters may be formed
starting at twenty (20) and must build up its active members in three years to thirty (30)
members.”.

5. Are new chapters allowed to have slots in the Electoral College? Definitely yes, because
a new chapter has the same characteristic with that of a provisional chapter since both of
them do not meet the standard requirement with that of a regular chapter - having at
least thirty (30) members in good standing.

6. Take note Art. 3, Sec. 2.1.3 of the UAP By-laws states that “a regular UAP Chapter
should have a minimum of thirty (30) members in good standing at any one time and a
maximum of one hundred (100) members”.

7. How can we determine if a chapter is a provisional chapter/new chapter or not?
According to Article 3, Section 2.1.3, “new chapters may be formed starting at twenty
(20) and must build up its active members in three years to thirty (30) members”.

8. The benchmark for a new chapter to become a regular chapter is three years which is
required to build up its active members to thirty (30) members.

9. Therefore, any chapter formed or established within the three-year period, from the year
of election backward, shall be considered as new or provisional chapter and entitled to a
membership in the Electoral College in accordance with membership provision as per
Article. 9, Sec. 4.1.

10. Example:

Take a look at this table:

Chapter Date Chartered Members in Status Total Members in
Good the Electoral
Standing College
Chapter A Jan. 6, 2004 15 Provisional 3
Chapter B Aug. 8, 2005 9 New 1.8=1 only
Chapter C Sep. 17, 2002 7 Regular none

If the election will be held on April 15, 2006, then the benchmark period is from April 15, 2003
to April 15, 2006. Any chapter formed and chartered within that period shall be considered as
new or provisional chapter. Hence,

For Chapter A – Chapter A will be allotted 3 slots in the Electoral College since it was
chartered within the 3-year benchmark period.

For Chapter B – Chapter B will be allotted 2 slots in the Electoral College since it was
chartered within the 3-year benchmark period. Again, Rounding off Numbers cannot be
applied in the electoral rule since the UAP By-laws state that “a Chapter in Good Standing

Page - 33 -

shall be entitled to one (1) member of the Electoral College for every five (5) Regular
Members in good standing”

Both Chapters A and B are considered to be either new or provisional chapters.

The computation for Electoral College for new or provisional chapters is based on Article 9,
Section 4.3 which states that “Provisional Chapters with at least seven (7) Members in good
standing are entitled membership in the Electoral College in accordance with membership
provision in Article 9, Section 4.1”.

Membership provision in Article 9, Section 4.1 states that “…be entitled to one (1) member of
the Electoral College for every five (5) Regular Members in good standing…”.

For Chapter C – Chapter C is not considered as new or provisional chapter since it was
chartered beyond the 3-year benchmark period and therefore disqualified to receive slots in
the Electoral College since chapters with less than thirty (30) Members in good standing shall
not qualify to have membership in the Electoral College (Art. 9, Sec. 4.2).

The Commission on Election shall require the Secretary General to submit the list of UAP
Chapters and their corresponding chartered date to help them determine the status of each
chapter.

III. The Supplemental to the General Rule:

1. The supplemental to the general rule is clearly defined under Article 9, Section. 4.5 of the
UAP-By-laws which states that “…the incumbent Chapter Presidents in good standing
and provisional chapters shall also be members of the Electoral College, provided that
they personally cast their votes” and Article 9, Section 4.6 of the By-laws “The
incumbent Members of the National Board shall also be members of the Electoral
College, provided that they personally cast their votes”

2. Therefore, Rule No. 3 stipulates that all incumbent Chapters presidents in good standing
of both regular and provisional chapters; and all incumbent Members of the National
Board of Directors shall also be members of the Electoral College, provided that they
personally cast their votes.

3. The right to vote of the incumbent chapter presidents and the incumbent members of the
National Board of Directors cannot be delegated to anybody because they are obliged to
personally cast their vote.

b. Restriction on Members of the Electoral College

1. Members of the Electoral College are not allowed to vote for whichever candidate they
want since in the spirit and intent of an Electoral College, a Member of the Electoral
College shall cast his vote as the reflection of the collective choice of the Chapter he
represents (Art. 9, Sec. 4.4). Refer to Election Procedures

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2. Members of the Electoral College representing the incumbent Chapter Presidents and
incumbent members of the National Board cannot delegate their right to vote to anybody.

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Rule 10: Campaign Procedures

1. Purpose

The purpose of the Campaign Procedures is to outline the rules that shall govern election
campaigning and to provide the Commission on Election with guidelines for dealing with
campaign violations, complaints, sanctions, and appeals.

It is expected that all candidates will conduct their campaigns in an honest and ethical manner,
with particular considerations for the rights and privileges of fellow candidates.

2. Definition of Campaigning

Campaigning is defined as promoting one’s candidacy to the UAP general membership. This
includes but is not limited to speeches and campaigning. Additional campaigning activities will
be at the discretion of the COMELEC. Campaigning should highlight:

a. Presentation of the personal qualifications and accomplishments of the candidates;

b. Discussing a candidate’s stand on issues; and

c. Discussing a candidate’s goals and objectives

3. General Guidelines

a. Rules are meant to ensure fairness, keep order, and preserve the integrity of the UAP
election. In general, candidates should try to maintain the “spirit of the campaign”
which is an atmosphere of friendly competition with others and respect for the election
process.

b. All candidates are responsible for their campaigns, which includes others whom they
know are campaigning for them. It is the responsibility of all candidates to know the
campaign rules and to ensure that their campaign helpers follow the rules.

c. Campaigns may not violate any existing provisions of the UAP By-laws, COMELEC
rules or policy or destructively interfere with:

1. The COMELEC’s job to run the election and preserve its integrity.

2. Other candidate’s campaigns.

d. No candidate may begin campaigning before the time set by the Commission on
Elections as the start of official campaigning.

e. No campaign materials are allowed to be distributed or posted to any place within the
UAP National Convention premises.

f. Candidates and campaign helpers are not allowed to campaign in places of voting

Page - 36 -

4. Candidate’s Campaign Managers

Many candidates choose to appoint a campaign manager to assist them in preparing for their
campaign. It is not a requirement of the COMELEC that each candidate has a campaign
manager; however, if one is appointed, he/she must be a member of the United Architects of
the Philippines. Then, the following guidelines should be strictly followed by the Candidate’s
Campaign Managers:

a. A candidate may choose one campaign manager and one alternate campaign
manager to handle his/her campaign. If so, the manager and alternate must register as
such and should work with the Nominations and Elections Committee;

b. All campaign managers must be UAP members;

c. The COMELEC will be responsible for monitoring candidates and campaign managers
and their activities;

d. No campaign manager may work for more than one candidate.

5. A Candidates Forum

a. A Candidates Forum shall be conducted under the supervision of COMELEC which will
be the official venue for the presentation of candidates and their platforms (Art.9,
Sec.7).;

b. The COMELEC Chairman shall present the Official Candidates, in alphabetical order,
from lower to higher positions;

c. Candidates for the office of the National President will present his or her statements for
a maximum time of five (5) minutes, visual presentations, if any, shall be part of the
maximum time allotted.

d. Candidates for all other offices will present his or her statement for a maximum of three
(3) minutes, visual presentations, if any, included. After all statements from the
candidates are completed, the COMELEC Chairman is responsible for closing the
Candidates Forum.

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Rule 11: Election Procedures

1. Definition of Election Procedures

Election Procedures are set of rules used by the Commission to effectively and efficiently
implement its mandates under the By-laws of the United Architects of the Philippines and to
ensure fairness, keep order, and preserve the integrity of the UAP national election.

2. Procedures Prior to Election Day

a. Election of Committees Chairpersons

The Members of COMELEC shall elect from among themselves their Chairpersons on
Accreditation and Canvassing who must be a member of the College of Fellows (Art. 9, Sec.
2.1.2).

b. Acceptance of Reports from the Committee on Nominations

Receipt of the Official List of Qualified Candidates from the Committee on Nominations (Art. 9,
Sec. 3.1.3-b).

c. Announcement of Candidates

The COMELEC in coordination with the Office of the Secretary General shall disseminate the
Official List of Qualified Candidates to the UAP General Membership (Art. 9, Sec. 3.1.3-b) (Annex
7)

d. Call for Submission of Campaign Materials

The COMELEC shall require the Qualified Candidates to submit their campaign paraphernalia
and election materials, such as but not limited to:

1. Video/Powerpoint Presentation – limited to 3 minutes

2. Biographical/Electoral Statement of not more than 250 words.

3. One (1) passport size photograph. All that is needed is a head and shoulders photo and
should be in formal attire. A photograph in digital format is acceptable.

Refer to Campaign Procedures for more details.

e. Call for Submission of Members of the Electoral College and Choose to Common
Candidates for National Office

Inform all UAP Chapters to submit the List of the Names of all the Members of the Electoral
College.

1. The Members thereof shall be elected by the general membership of the Chapter during
their Annual Membership meeting. The Chapter shall also elect an equal number of

Page - 38 -

alternate members who shall exercise the power of the regular members in case of their
absence (Art. 9, Sec. 4.1).

2. Not earlier than twenty-five (25) days and not later than fifteen days (15) prior to the
elections, the Chapter Secretaries shall submit to the COMELEC a list of the names of all
the members of the Electoral College, including their alternates. (Art. 9, Sec. 8.1). (Annex
8)

3. Since the power to elect shall be exercised by the general membership (Art. 9, Sec. 8.2),
then Chapter members should choose their common candidates for National Office
during their Annual Membership Meeting, through secret balloting, based on the List of
Official Candidates approved by the Commission on Election.

4. A Chapter Board Resolution must be prepared indicating the List of the Names of all
Members to the Electoral College, including their selected common candidates for
National Office.

5. The said Chapter Resolution must be officially signed by the incumbent Chapter
President and duly attested by the Chapter Secretary (Annex 9)

f. Acceptance of the List of the Names of all the Members of the Electoral College

The COMELEC will receive the Chapter Board Resolution with the List of the Names of all the
Members of the Electoral College including their alternates from UAP Chapters including their
common candidates for National Office not earlier than twenty-five (25) days and not later than
fifteen days (15) prior to the elections.

The list shall then remain closed and shall not be altered except upon direction of the COMELEC.
(Art. 9, Sec. 8.1).

g. Election Regulations for Candidates

The COMELEC shall inform the all the qualified candidates of the following:

That all qualified candidates:

1. Will be provided with copies of all election rules and regulations, including this Manual;

2. Will have the opportunity to meet with the COMELEC, in attendance with all other
candidates, to review the rules and regulations and to ask questions of the COMELEC;

3. Are entitled to be included in the campaign materials prepared and distributed by
COMELEC;

4. Are obliged to attend the Orientation Meeting with all candidates duly called by the
COMELEC. All qualified candidates will be expected to attend the meeting in order to
have all regulations explained to them and have the opportunity to ask questions of the
Election Committee. No meetings with separate candidates will be held by the
COMELEC in order to insure that all candidates receive the same information and

Page - 39 -

have the opportunity to hear answers to all questions. Copies of regulations will be
mailed to candidates who do not attend the Orientation meeting.

h. Campaign Period

No candidate may begin campaigning before the time set by the Commission on Elections as
the start of official campaigning. Refer to Rule 10 for specific provisions regarding
Campaigning.

i. Holding of a Candidates Forum

A Candidates Forum is the official venue determined, conducted and supervised by the
COMELEC (Art. 9, Sec. 7).

Traditionally, A Candidates Forum is held a day before the UAP National Election or during the
Annual Convention.

A Candidates Forum must be scrupulously non-partisan.

j. Preparation of Election Forms and Materials

The COMELEC shall prepare the following election forms and materials such as but not limited
to:

Election Pamphlets. The COMELEC shall prepare all election materials and paraphernalia of
the candidates in a standard format as determined by the COMELEC (Annex 10)

No candidate shall be allowed to distribute campaign materials unless permitted by the
COMELEC. (Art. 9, Sec. 5.1).

Election Forms. These pertain to all COMELEC Official forms which include the following:
Certificate of Candidacy, Ballots. Accreditation Slips, Tally Sheets, and other related
documents.

1. Ballots. The Ballot Forms should contain only the following: (Annex 11)

i. Title(s) of the office(s) for which the election is being held;

ii. Summary instructions for completing and returning the ballot;

iii. Control Numerical Reference

If the back of the ballot form is not needed for any information, it should remain
blank.

k. Determination of the Electoral College

The COMELEC shall determine the Members of the Electoral College in accordance with the
rules and guidelines stipulated in this Manual. Further, the COMELEC shall inform the general

Page - 40 -

membership on the Total Members of the Electoral College before the conduct of the UAP
National Election.

l. Designation of Place, Time and Date of Election

The place, time and date shall be designated by the National Board of Directors through the
COMELEC which shall be announced by the COMELEC at the starting date of the UAP
National Convention (Art. 9, Sec. 8.4.1).

2. Procedures During the Election Day

a. Designation of Place, Time and Date of Election

The polling place shall be designated by COMELEC (Art. 9, Sec. 8.3.1);

The size, arrangement and contents shall conform to the standard requirements as the
COMELEC may see fit; (Art. 9, Sec. 8.3.2); and

It shall be arranged so that booths, tables, ballot boxes and the whole polling place shall be in full
view of the COMELEC, deputies, voters, and other persons within the polling place (Art. 9, Sec.
8.3.3)

b. Balloting

Voting hours shall be prescribed by the COMELEC at the Convention which shall be posted
conspicuously, announced at every opportunity during the Convention and printed as part of the
Convention Program (Art. 9, Sec. 8.5.1);

All elections shall be by secret ballot based on democratic and popular concept of free will and
judgment. The power to elect shall be exercised by the general membership as provided in the
UAP By-laws (Art. 9, Sec. 8.2) through their respective representatives in the Electoral College
(Art. 9, Sec. 4.1)

Procedures:

1. A qualified member of the Electoral College will be issued his ballot at the polling place
on the day of the election upon presentation of his Accreditation Slip and verification in
the Chapter Board Resolution indicating the List of the Members of the Electoral College
and their common candidates for National Office (Art. 9, Sec. 8.5.2);

2. The Chapter elector shall cast his/her vote on the ballot based on their respective
Chapter’s common candidates for National Office;

3. Names to be placed on the ballot shall be written legibly using pencil or ball pen that will
be provided in the polling place by the COMELEC. Ballots with identifying marks shall be
considered void (Art. 9, Sec. 8.5.5);

Ballots issued shall not be taken out of the polling place but shall be cast and dropped in the
ballot box (Art. 9, Sec. 8.5.3);

Page - 41 -

Only members of the Electoral College shall be allowed inside the polling place (Art. 9, Sec.
8.5.4); and

In no case shall the absentee voting be allowed in the UAP National Elections.

c. Voting Guidelines

1. A Member of the Electoral College, after receiving an official ballot shall
immediately enter an unoccupied booth. If all booths are occupied, then a
Member of the Electoral College, shall wait in an orderly line and enter the first
unoccupied booth when his/her time in line comes to enter a booth.

2. Only ballots marked in a booth shall be put into the ballot box.

3. The voter shall fold the ballot and physically put the ballot into slot in ballot
box.

4. If for any reason a ballot becomes spoiled, the voter shall return all ballots in
his possession to the COMELEC where they will be destroyed in the presence
of the elector and a new set will be issued.

5. At the closing of the polls, all Members of the Electoral College in line at the
closing hour shall be given an opportunity to cast a ballot. NO others will be
allowed to join the line past the closing hour.

d. Closing the Voting Period

Election closes at the time designated by the COMELEC.

e. Tallying

Prior to the start of the canvassing of the ballots, the Committee on Canvassing shall publicly see
to it that the number of ballots cast in the ballot box shall tally with the number of Ballots issued
by the COMELEC to the Electoral College (Art. 9, Sec. 9.1) according to Chapter.

In no case shall the ballots be more than the number of official ballots duly printed or distributed.
No canvassing of votes shall be done unless this provision is satisfied (Art. 9, Sec. 9.1)

f. Canvassing and Tabulation

Immediately after the polls are closed all ballots shall be turned over to the Committee on
Canvassing where the counting of the ballots shall commence (Art. 9, Sec. 2.2.4-b)

Canvassing and tabulation shall be done in a public place without interruption only when the
ballots issued tallies with the number of ballots cast by the Members of the Electoral College who
participated in the election (Art. 9, Sec. 9.2)

Page - 42 -

Prior to the canvassing and tabulation, the COMELEC may allow a candidate or his
representative to personally witness the reading of the Ballots within the Canvassing area (Art. 9,
Sec. 9.3)

The COMELEC shall resolve any challenged ballots, if possible, before any ballot envelopes
are opened and the counting begins. The COMELEC should keep a record of decisions made
and explain the reason for each voter eligibility decision to observers.

g. Procedures for Counting Ballots

1. At the time of poll closing and the last ballot has been cast the ballot box shall
be shaken in a manner to thoroughly mix ballots. The Ballot Box will be
unlocked by the Chairman of the COMELEC and the Chairman of the
Committee on Canvassing duly witnessed by all Members of the COMELEC,
and any person duly authorized by the COMELEC.

2. There shall be present at the counting:
 The COMELEC Chairman
 The Chairman on Committee on Canvassing
 All Members of the COMELEC

3. The COMELEC shall sort all the ballots according to chapter;

4. The COMELEC shall determine each ballot if is in accordance with the
consensus of their respective chapters in relation to common candidate
previously agreed upon; otherwise, any inconsistency shall be void by the
COMELEC immediately;

5. The COMELEC may allow a candidate or his representative to personally
witness the reading of the ballots within the Canvassing area (Art. 9, Sec. 9.3).

6. The COMELEC may designate specific area for the public who wish to witness
the reading of ballots.

7. The Committee on Canvassing shall take charge of the canvassing, counting
and tallying of votes (Art. 9, Sec. 2.2.4-b).

h. Reason for Failure to Count Ballots

At ballot counting, the COMELEC shall act as umpire in determining if a ballot is void or not.
Ballots with identifying marks shall be considered void (Art. 9, Sec. 8.5.5). The disqualified
ballot will be signed by the Chairman on Canvassing and reason for disqualification.

i. Resolution of Ties

When two (2) or more candidates garnered the same number of votes for any position,
COMELEC after officially recording this fact, shall break the tie by drawing of lots (Art. 9, Sec.
9.4)

Page - 43 -

j. Certification of Election Results

After the completion of canvassing, the election results shall be duly certified by the Chair and
Members of the Committee on Canvassing and the Chair of COMELEC and shall be submitted
as the official record in the secretariat. All election documents shall be properly secured as
provided for in the UAP IRR (Art. 9, Sec. 9.5). (Annex 12)

3. Post-Election Procedures

a. Submission of the election results

Election results duly certified by the Chair and Members on Canvassing and the Chair of the
COMELEC shall be submitted to the UAP National Secretariat.

b. Press Releases

The Commission on Election shall announce the results of the UAP National Election in any
national leading newspapers.

Page - 44 -

Rule 12: Proclamation and Induction of Winners; Vacancy in the Elected
Position

1. Proclamation of Winners

The Chair of COMELEC shall officially proclaim the winners in the Elections as duly certified,
immediately after the canvassing. General proclamation shall be done on the last day of the
National Convention (Art. 9, Sec. 10).

2. Induction of Newly-elected Officers

The Induction of the newly-elected officers shall be done on or before July 1 during the UAP
Turnover and Recognition Night Ceremonies. The Induction of the newly-elected officers shall
be under the auspices of the incumbent National Board of Directors. (Art. 9, Sec. 13).

3. Vacancy in the Elected Positions

Should a vacancy occur among the newly elected positions of National Officers, before
assumption of office, the position shall be filled up automatically by the candidate who received
the next highest number of votes during the election as certified by the Chair and Members of
the Committee on Canvassing and the Chairperson of COMELEC (Art. 9, Sec. 12).

Page - 45 -

Rule 13: Protests

1. Definition of Protest

A protest is a formal declaration of disapproval or objection issued by an unsuccessful
candidate to the conduct or results of the election accompanied by specific allegations that if
proven true would have a probable impact on the outcome of the UAP national election.

2. Initiation of Protest

A protest may be initiated only by an unsuccessful candidate by the filing of a written notice to
the Commission on Election.

3. Protest Processing Fee

A protest processing fee of not less than two thousand pesos (P 2,000), which is non-refundable
shall be filed together with the protest (Art. 9, Sec. 11.2)

4. Other Charges

Other charges incurred by the Commission in relation to protest (e.g., in case of recount) filed
by an unsuccessful candidate or petitioner shall be paid by the said candidate or petitioner.

5. Time Period of Protest.

Any protest contesting the result of the Elections shall be filed within the twenty- four (24) hours
after the proclamation of the winning candidates (Art. 9, Sec. 11.1).

6. Contents of Protest

The protest shall be filed with COMELEC in writing (Art. 9, Se. 11.1) which is limited only on
the objections to the conduct or results of the election accompanied by specific allegations that
if proven true would have a probable impact on the outcome of the election.

7. Lapse of Protest Period

After the required twenty-four (24) hours and no protest had been filed, the proclamation of the
winning candidates by the COMELEC shall become final and irrefutable (Art. 9, Sec. 11.1)

8. Hearing and Investigation

Upon receipt of a protest, COMELEC shall immediately conduct a hearing and investigation of
the case and shall make a decision within twenty four (24) hours after the closing of the
investigation. COMELEC shall forward this immediately to the incumbent National Board which
shall not be later than June 30 of the current fiscal year (Art. 9, Sec. 11.3)
9. Decision

All decisions by the COMELEC en banc, are final and unappealable, and shall be made by a
majority vote of the total members of the Commission. Voting shall be by raising of hands.

Page - 46 -

Rule 14: Grounds for Disqualification of Election

1. Definition of Election Offense

An election offense a misdemeanor act whether committed by a candidate for any elective office
in UAP or by any other member, directly and indirectly, in any form or manner, by himself or
through another person by any person in relation to all UAP national election activities, including
gross violations of this UAP Election Manual and any election policy and procedures which may
be adopted by the Commission on Elections.

2. Types of Offenses

The following shall be considered offences whether committed by a candidate for any elective
office in UAP or by any other member, directly and indirectly, in any form or manner, by himself or
through another person (Art. 9, Sec. 6) -

a. Personal advertisement and press release;

b. Distribution of campaign materials that tend to discredit, destroy or cast aspersions
upon the honor of a candidate;

c. Payment of dues or indebtedness of any member of the Electoral College;

d. Giving of food, drinks, entertainment, transportation or any article of value or any
similar consideration of any person for election consideration;

e. Solicitation of campaign funds, promising or causing expenditure to be made or
offered for the purpose of inducing or influencing a member to withhold his vote or to
vote for and against a candidate;

f. Violation of any of the above shall be subject to evaluation and decision of the
COMELEC and the provisions on Discipline Action of these By-laws;

Any question relating to the eligibility of a candidate must be raised prior to the casting of ballots,
and shall be immediately decided by the COMELEC chair. An appeal from such decision may be
taken to the members of the COMELEC who shall forthwith resolve the appeal by plurality vote.
Voting shall be by raising of hands. The decision of the members shall be final, and the elections
shall thereafter proceed.

No member may be elected to any office whose name is not duly included in the list of nominees

3. Procedures on Filing Petition

Any question relating to the eligibility of a candidate must be raised prior to the casting of
ballots, and shall be immediately decided by the COMELEC chair (Art. 9, Sec. 6.7)

Page - 47 -

4. Appeal

An appeal from such decision may be taken to the members of the COMELEC who shall
forthwith resolve the appeal by plurality vote. (Art. 9, Sec. 6.7)

5. Decision

Voting shall be by raising of hands. The decision of the members shall be final, and the
elections shall thereafter proceed (Art. 9, Sec. 6.7)

Page - 48 -

Rule 15: Warranting Sanctions

Offenses listed in this Manual, violations of the UAP Bylaws, or violations any existing Rules
and Regulations of the organization (specifically on all matters pertaining to election), as well
as any civil or criminal violations, shall be grounds for collateral and appropriate disciplinary
action by the Commission on Elections.

Any individual found to be responsible for any damage to the organization shall be held liable
for the costs associated with these violations.

No part of this Manual shall be interpreted to mean adherence to it will relinquish one from any
civil or criminal liability or disciplinary action by the United Architects of the Philippines.

The provisions of this Manual are intended only to be minimum requirements for an orderly and
free election, and failure to proscribe any act or course of conduct is not to be interpreted as a
license to act in a manner contrary to the by-laws of the United Architects of the Philippines.
Neither this section, nor this Manual creates any additional offenses not elsewhere stipulated
by this Manual.

Page - 49 -

Rule 16: Finances

All expenses incurred by the Commission on Elections and its Standing Committees and the
Committee on Nominations shall be reimbursed and paid by the United Architects of the
Philippines, except for the cost incurred in relation to protest. This shall be paid by the
protester/s.

Page - 50 -

Rule 16: Amendments

1. Amendments

This UAP Election Manual: Election Rules of Procedure may be amended by the UAP National
Board of Directors only after one (1) year upon its effectivity or in case the UAP By-laws,
specifically on provisions relating to election procedures, are amended, whichever comes first.

Page - 51 -

Rule 16: Repealing Clause

All rules and regulations, circulars, memoranda, or any part thereof and the rules and
regulations promulgated or any part thereof, in conflict with or contrary to this Election Manual
or any portion hereof, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Page - 52 -

Rule 17: Effectivity

The herein Election Manual: Election Rules of Procedure shall be effective upon approval by
the Majority of the National Board of Directors of the United Architects of the Philippines.

Recommended for Approval:

The Commission on Election
Fiscal Year 2005-2006

Archt. Froilan L. Hong, fuap
Chairman, Commission on Elections

Signed by the Majority of the Members of the Commission:

Approved by:

National Board of Directors
United Architects of the Philippines
Fiscal Year 2005-2006
UAP Board Resolution No. ___, series of 2006

Thru:

Arch’t. Edric Marco C. Florentino, fuap
National President

Attested by:

Arch’t. Gil C. Evasco, uap
Secretary General

Page - 53 -

ANNEXES

Page - 54 -

Uap election manual

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