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Up to last year, I really was in doubt that the present administration would ever succeed in meeting even just one of its 10-point Agenda. My doubt changed when the Comelec finally got the money and succeeded in choosing the winning bidder, TIM-Smartmatic Consortium for the computerization of next year’s election. But recent news of the TIM-Smartmatic partnership break0up has changed my mind. Are we going to use the manual counting of votes again in next year’s election? Who gains and who losses in the breakup of the TIM-Smartmatic partnership?
It’s not hard to say that the break-up and consequent return to manual counting of votes is the preferred scenario of the present administration. This is not to say though that the break-up was instituted by PGMA’s people who still finds in her the best bet for them remain where they are with all the good things that being in high government positions can bring. Perhaps, the break-up was really caused by the squabbles for control of money and actual operation of the consortium during election time by the two partners. Yet we still cannot discount the possibility that someone, with or without the knowledge of the President, is actually working to make it hard for TIM and Smartmatic to work together if certain demands are not meet.
Whatever, the whole nation is now worried that next year’s election will not push through. In Manila, the vocal and influential Makati Business Club (MBC) already expressed its deep concernabout the break-up of the consortium which it believes is now putting the automation of next year’s election under a cloud of doubt. To prevent this from happening, MBC would like to see that all options still available are explored, including combining manual voting and counting with automated transmission and consolidation of the election results.
Generally, the feeling in Manila, as expressed by MBC and other groups, is one of dismay and great apprehension. Here in Cebu, what have we to say about the TIM-Smartmatic break-up and possible return to manual counting in the next presidential election? Reading from the local papers, none so far as we are still more excited with the news of who are being appointed to this and that high position in the newly created administration party that came out of the merger of Lakas-CMD and Kampi. Remember that Cebu is a Lakas-CMD –Kampi stronghold.
Believing that Cebuanos are really not behind Manila in responding to critical national issues, I sent out the Inquirer.net news item about MBC’s stand on TIM-Smartmatic breakup to the members of Cebu Business Club yesterday and ask what they thought about it. By the time I wrote this piece yesterday, I got three replies.
Pete Dimaculangan says he believes cheating will always be part of our election system but that automated election would minimize it. He is for automation, therefore, and hopes that what happened in the previous attempt to computerize elections where it was scrapped by the SC due to legal flaws in the bidding, qualifications and process history will not be repeated this time. A director of Alpha Consultancy, Pete heads the local extension office of the Manila-based University of Asia and the Pacific. It is one of the objectives of the UAAP to provide continuing education in business and economics to local businessmen and government officials in Cebu.
Roger Lim, president and CEO of East Utilities has more to say on the issue. Let me quote him in full here. “They tried it at ARRM, did it work? If so, continue with it. I think there is still time to do it on a limited scale, even if the Smartmatic deal does not push thru. They should automate on cheating-prone areas or regions, especially where civilian watch dog organizations are weak or non-existent, as in many areas in Mindanao and some regions in Luzon and Visayas. Continue with the automated ARRM election, since it is already in place. Is it still in place? Are the hardware still there?”
“I don’t think there is an urgent need to automate Metro-Cebu and Metro Manila. The other approach is to apply the Pareto Law, that is, automate 20% of the regions or areas that yields or controls 80% of the results. I believe in automation, even if it can no longer be done on a nationwide scale. Otherwise, it will never happen.”
Ven Lacustelas, another CBC member, has a similar idea. “It is much better to have an election (automated or manual) rather than nothing at all. It is up to the Filipino people to be mindful about their sacred ballots if only to improve the quality of life in the next 6 years under the new administration. Let us not join the caravan of accusation of who is responsible for this failed bidding if we are not very sure of it. The best of course is to stay neutral and help build confidence that elections should take place in 2010.
So there you are, ladies and gentlemen, a sample of CBC members’ views. What about you?
