Should the Philippine Congress finish deliberations on the proposed P11.3 billion supplemental budget on 2010 poll automation, the long-time dream for a fair elections in the country might have a chance.
Several groups have long been clamoring to automate elections in the country so as to eliminate cheating. During the 2007 elections, several French researchers covered the local elections here one of them said “the Philippine electoral system was designed for cheating!”
What a mess indeed. It is true. Even before a single vote is cast, the system already provides possible ways of cheating. Many would not even reach the election precincts but their votes will do. Yes Virginia, only in the Philippines. This is because all the materials used are manually collected, collated, counted, canvassed and transported to the designated canvassing centers.
The paper trail and documentation gives space for human intervention. Thus, as the saying goes, “in the Philippines there are really no losers in elections…only the winners and those who were cheated!”
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri has proposed to convert the plenary into a committee en banc for the discussion of House Bill 5715, also known as "An act appropriating the sum of P11.3 billion as supplemental appropriation for an automated election system and for other purposes."
Meanwhile, Sen. President Juan Ponce-Enrile acknowledges that there is urgency on the subject matter so they have to facilitate all the legislative procedures.
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