COMELEC MEMO No.

2017001
Dated: 20 February 2017

TO: Loyola Schools Student Body

FROM: Ateneo Commission on Elections
RE: Status of Political Parties' Accreditation

Good day!

As of 15 February 2017, the accredited status of all accredited political parties

expired; as per Article II Section 5g of the Provisionally Approved Electoral Code of 2016:

"The validity of the accreditation of parties shall be maintained until three (3) days
prior to the start of the next filing of candidacy for the General Elections." (emphasis
added)

As such, and as per the same provision in the Code, existing political parties must
submit reaccreditation documents to the Commission by a set deadline to reaccredited in time
for the Filing of Candidacy and therefore participation in the 2017 Sanggunian Elections.
This deadline was on 14 February 2017.

It is thus with great pleasure, after due diligence and review of the submitted
documents, that the Commission announce the reaccreditation of the Union of Students for
the Advancement of Democracy (USAD).

However, the Ignation Initiative for Transformative Empowerment Movement

(IgnITE) did not submit reaccreditation documents, and is therefore no longer an accredited
political party. It cannot field candidates for the 2017 Sanggunian Elections. This is as per
Article II Section 5h of the same Code:

"Failure of any party to meet the deadline of the submission of requirements for
accreditation shall result in its disqualification to field candidates for all elections to be
conducted by Ateneo COMELEC for the school year." (emphasis added)

No other organized group of students filed to become a political party in the same
period.

Thank you!

With integrity at heart,

 (Sgd.) Dom Martin Raises
Chief Commissioner
Commissioner for Human Resources

(Sgd.) Wilbert Jan R. Liao (Sgd.) Hannelore Borja

Commissioner for Logistics Commissioner for Secretariat

(Sgd.) Frances Nangan (Sgd.) Martin Moreno

Commissioner for Communications Commissioner for Finance