JUDGE FERDINAND T. RAFANAN

A native of Tamorong, Sta. Catalina, Ilocos Sur, Judge Ferdinand T. Rafanan graduated as Class Valedictorian from Ilocos Sur National High School in 1975. He finished Political Science in 1979 as a National State Scholar, and Law in 1983 as a White-Doyle scholar in UP Diliman, with UPCAT rating of 96.44 and UP Law Aptitude Exam rating of 98.08. He took the bar exam in 1983 with a rating of 86.05. He began teaching law in 1986 in various colleges and law schools as a part-time instructor for many years.

Before becoming the Regional Election Director of the NCR in July 2000 up to May 2008, he first served as a public attorney from 1988 up to 1998, when he then became Provincial Election Supervisor – both in his home province of Ilocos Sur, and then Assistant Regional Election Director of Region I. Judge Rafanan was the Chairman of the Special Bids and Awards Committee in 2009 that selected the Automated Election System of 2010. Through transparent, uncorrupted public bidding, the Comelec saved P4.1 Billion or 36% of the budget from that bidding alone.

He was simultaneously the Director IV of the Law Department for 3 years during which he boldly took an uncompromising stand in the investigation of scandalous procurements and election offenses that involved high officials. For refusing to compromise, he had to be eased out, reason for which he was detailed to the Planning Department. But what he enjoyed most in Comelec for the longest time was his aggressive advocacy of voters education in schools, barangays and the media using his innovative module called ELECTVOICE (Election Law Enforcement and Compliance Thru Voters’ Instruction and Candidates’ Education).

His colorful 17 years in Comelec as a CESO III (Career Executive Service Officer, with a rating of 90.29 in the MATB, top 7) reached its peak in February 2015 upon his appointment as RTC Judge in Mandaue City, Cebu while he was the Director of Comelec’s Planning Department and Head of the newly created Campaign Finance Unit. He is now assigned as Acting Presiding Judge in San Juan City, Metro Manila.