**** Politics is the Art of Possible *****

Its good to know this. I hope this will least lessen the cheating activities in our election which I personally witnessed.

Although vote buying or shall we say using money to influence the decision of the voter still cannot be eliminated with this technology.

As a Software Engineer my concern is the Transparency of this data that travels from poll precints up to the central database here in Manila. If the public can see that data (read access only) that would be sufficient for transparency. Since we can use it to counter check if the result is exact and accurate.

As an IT professional I believe cheating can also be done with this technology but it requires high level of intervention and technical know how. Yes it is possible. And as as we know, Politicians who cheat will do anything just to win.

We still should not rely everything to this technology. I hope the participation of the NGOs and the church will be enough (in terms of technology know how) in monitoring the election process, the machine calculation and the counter checking of result.

Thank you….
- Ferdie

Poll Automation is good, but corrupt Comelec needs cash. This could be another cash scam. Remember the multi-billion peso MegaPacific Computerization Scam? Nothing happened. Scams are everywhere in the government.

The Comelec is writing a formula for disaster.

It has unilaterally botched two previous automation programs. The first one was in 2004 when even the supreme Court, and the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, called for the prosecution of Comelec people involved in the anomalous computerization deal. Again in 2007, it decided on its own that there was no more time to implement automation which would have been pilot-tested in key areas including Metro Manila.

Comelec boasts of testing automation in the ARMM region which is not a good place to showcase an election system/technology, and the patent disinterest shown by national stakeholders (probable candidates and political parties) on the last ARMM elections proves this point.

The popular mantra has been automation = clean and honest elections. But the very institution to implement automation has not shown any good sign of reformation, so how can we now suddenly trust the people behind the machines?

Even election watchdogs like the PPCRV have exhibited ignorance, through its various pronouncements regarding options such as different hybrid systems, about the nuances of the automation issues. I deeply suspect that these people have not even cared to read RA 9369. Otherwise, they would have protested the glaring inconsistencies and gray areas in the law regarding issues like transmission, documents and evidence to be used in cases of protest, protest course in case of cheating domne at the system level, and many more. Today these watchdogs bear watching, too.

Why was the Comelec late in submitting to Congress its automation proposal and budget? I can think of only two reasons: First, because it is simply grossly incompetent; Second, to deliberately pressure Congress and deny the lawmakers space and time to scrutinize the automation program and budget. Is there a reason why I should not be this cynical towards the poll body?

Within six months after the conduct of the pilot-test it should have submitted to Congress a full report on the said test. But up to now it has not officially submitted one, except for a copy each sent to the Offices of Sen. Richard Gordon and Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr. How can Congress then effectively assess its capability to implement automation on a nationwide scale, much less approve an Php 11 billion budget?

The proper course of action left is to have the Gordon Law (RA 9369) amended to mandate another pilot-testing in key areas nationwide as originally envisioned under the law. In fact, it is highly questionable legally whether or not Comelec can implement a nationwide automation without satisfying the requirement of pilot-testing in key areas. I suspect that some vigilant personalities or groups will come and question the Comelec before the Supreme Court on this legal issue.

Remember, there will be names in the 2010 list of national candidates who are prepared to lead the people into an uprising in the likely case of a disastrous implementation of the automation program.

Poll automation is better than manual counting. For me I think chairman Melo is better than former chairman Benjamin Abalos, or let me say credible than Abalos.

I’m not saying tha this is the ultimate solution for cheating but at least lessen the cheating activities during election.

Majority of the Filipino people when they heard “COMELEC” the equivalent description is cheating or fraud. It sad to say that comelec still in that prison, still in the captivity of negativity.

to all those against the election automation , do you have an alternative or any other option? pls. speak up.

The key to the success of poll automation is the technology that will be used. If Comelec is really serious on choosing a secure system, the technology is there. However, they can also choose an inferior system that will allow ways to cheat.
One system that will ensure minimum chances of cheating is to adopt a system similar to the ATM in the banking system.
Each voter and candidates should be issued an account simlilar to the bank account. The votes will be like money that will be transferred to the candidates account from the voters’ account. This way will already stop flying voters because a voter can only transfer so much vote allowed. The results will also be real time just like in the banks thereby leaving no time for result manipulation or intervention. Voters identification card should be like the ATM with secret pin code to provide security. To prevent vote buying by giving the ATM to another person, surveillance CCTV camera, just like in the banks should be installed in polling places. As for hard copies, voters should get transaction receipts just like in the banks and these should be dropped in a ballot box for verification purposes only if there is a poll protest.
If this system could be refined it might even allow online voting and voting in other polling places convenient for the voter just like inter -branch withdrawal or transactions in banks.
In the end it really depends on the real agenda of the Comelec and the integrity of the commisioners and chairman.

Filipinos in the United States had to wait a long agony of six months for them just to renew their passports, the reason are the DFA’s lack of budget in acquiring more the latest technology in producing the machine-readable passports. Now, who are these people? the people who are transmitting millions of their hard-earned dollars to keep the Philippine economy afloat.

Why there’s no money or funds when it comes to ordinary Filipinos benefit? Why we have plenty of funds everytime for the benefit of our” HOLY CORRUPT POLITICIANS”?

Politicians are runnings like dogs everytime a bill comes for their own benefit, while other important bills for the Filipinos lying rotten in those chambers for so long without action. What happened to the “anti political dynasty bill” that had been conceived since the time of President Corazon Aquino? It was never been debated in a congress dominated by power-hungry politicians?

I am getting sick everytime I am hearing this type of news..because all of this crap are not for our people’s benefit.

Why not allocate the 11.3 Billion of public money to provide more accesible health care for the poor especially in the poor provinces of Masbate, Samar and areas of Mindanao?