Let us first define what is Automated Elections? There is no particular definition on automated election. However to give an overview Automated election is conducted through computers where people cast their vote on machines instead of paper ballots. The counting of votes is fast and the results are announced within a short period of time.
But every turning of points to an end has always questions to answer with. Are Philippines ready for the first automated elections? How will Election Automation affect the Philippines? Turns out any successful implementation have effects beyond the political arena, as pointed by any who wants to remain anonymous. We’ve gone many trials and success to every endeavor we made and I believe that our country Philippines have reached to its technological level. Yes, we are now adopting this high technology in voting. In addition to that we Filipinos have these skeptical feelings about the upcoming elections. Why is this so? Maybe, because we are afraid to come up with unsatisfied output. We don’t have any knowledge about this computerized election but do we really have to argue about pursuing or not pursuing this first automated election in the Philippines? I guess we have to discuss and analyze first the cons and pros of implementing this newly form of election.
Whether the Philippines implement an automated election is not the point in question. Automation of the election process in the Philippines is simply a way to show that we have upgraded our gears. The question is, “Have we changed our culture in politics?” Well, this time, the ballots are not the things to be protected but voting machines in the automated election.
Philippine election officials can learn how to run automated elections properly. Primarily by designing election machines that make sense to the average Filipino voter, and relying on the results of sustained testing for any necessary revisions to the system.
Malacañang Palace assume that people behind every controversy between Total Information Management (TIM) and Smartmatic would give a valid reason on making such irrelevance act on not pursuing the agreement in the incoming first automated election. This steps made by Malacañang when TIM negotiate with Smartmatic and fully quit the agreement made by two bidders in the past weeks. According to Presidential adviser on Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio, they mark that every person involves in the said controversy will surely face the consequence and answers all the questions why they change their mind about the negotiation. Who will benefit when 2010 poll automation canceled? It would give a big chance and happiness for those people who really want to steal in every election. If the government would really want to pursue a peace, organize and easy election, then poll automation should bounce back and implemented. But the problem is, cheating would mostly happen for those personnel and officials whom handling the power.
The past “Hello Garci” issue would remain from time to time if we would not make a move on how to kill this rat election. It would still happen again in different and more crucial ways if this unprogressive election would be implemented again. Well, bias politician pray that poll automation would be cancelled, so that they can do what they did in the past election. But who knows are we really confident on poll automation? It doesn’t mean that if Total Information Management (TIM) back out as a local partner of Smartmatic, computerize election would be canceled. However, officials involve in Commission on Election said that it’s a matter of time upon preparing the computerize election this 2010. Months, days and even years, they already plan this poll automation on election. Funds and Budgets are indeed ready already, in the past months they all settled it for the preparation of the incoming election together with the said companies, but unfortunately TIM decided not to continue the negotiation last weeks for the reason that they feel soar grapping. Officials and even normal citizen worry about the election for they are thinking that we have to use back the lection which we used to be. Counting of votes are they pointing why bias election appeared. Why not looking for other companies where in fact theres a lot of available companies that they could negotiate which fit on supplying machines and computers in the public?
Sour grapping that’s how the chair of the Commission on Elections, Jose Melo, described the Senate probe into the winning bidder to automate the 2010 elections. These bidders, Melo noted, have sent letters to the commission raising doubts on the bidding process, the ownership of Smartmatic, its eligibility and the capability of the voting machines. He challenged the losing bidders to file a formal suit with the commission. Under the contract, bidders who want to appeal must deposit a bond of P112m. to the Comelec which amounts to 1 percent of the projects price of P11.2b. Malacañang is unfaced by doubts senators have raised over the credibility and ability of a Barbados. Based consortium to conduct the first fully automated national and local elections in the Philippines next year. Well they believe that 11 months away from the elections they are confident that the comelec will be able to handle the situation. And luckily after a long debate these winning bidders finally accept the memorandum of agreements and still the companies to provide the computerize machines which will be used in the upcoming 2010 first automated elections in the Philippines.
After the withdrawal of Total Information Management (TIM) from its join venture Smartmatic to supply the needs in upcoming elections, senate makes a move to settle everything and their differences and put national concern first before anything else. And at last the congress fully settle the miscommunication between the two bidders which the fruit and source of the Automated Elections in the Philippines. Senators are working to make things possible and take any risk just to put things in a formal way. Press release that we don’t have to take this manual election which cause delayed of announcing winners. We don’t have to wait weeks and days for the results to come out. I wish that the automated elections will happen because that will surely help us. Learning innovations about the standard election would greatly give a confident to every voters, but having this first automated election in the country would also give an advantages and disadvantages to everyone. But we have to take risk for we take the chance. Not only for our own profit but to our "kababayan" also.
Source: Sunstar Davao
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