Friday, June 23, 2006

A Proposal To Address The Political Impasse

ONE VOICE Lead Convenor Christian Monsod (former Chairman of Comelec), was explaining the five basic points of the new movement's Proposal to address the political impasse on ABSCBN News yesterday evening:
1. Discontinuance of the present “people’s initiative”.
2. A social reform program now.
3. Elections in 2007 as scheduled, as an indirect referendum, and electoral reform now.
4. If necessary, a constitutional convention (not a “con-ass”) after the 2007 elections.
5. A collective effort to rebuild the trustworthiness of our democratic institutions.
The essential idea behind One Voice's Proposal is to use the 2007 elections as a means of settling the"crisis of legitimacy" of the President, in what it calls an "indirect referendum" on Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

For the Opposition, One Voice lays down the challenge of winning the required number of seats in Congress to impeach the President, a measly 79, or one-third of the House membership, as mandated by the 1987 Constitution. If they fail, then the Opposition must accept the people's vote as evidence of their decision to let her finish out her full term until 2010. But if they do win enough seats next year, the Palace must accept an impeachment in the House and trial in the Senate to finally settle the issue. Either way, I agree with One Voice, it strengthens democracy by using a "free, fair and credible election" to break the devastating political impasse brought about by that "crisis of legitimacy" of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

On the Palace, One Voice places the onus of helping to ensure a free and fair election, mainly by appointing "the right" people to the Comelec. In fact, at least four out of the seven commissioners, have to be of "unquestioned integrity." The quid pro quo is the possibility of some peace and quiet for Gloria, that there won't be an annual impeachment crisis until 2010--if her side wins next year's elections.

IMPEACH COMELEC: One can already hear the snickering of course, ("What, Gloria the Patron of Garci, appoint honest men to Comelec?"). But I have an idea and a suggestion. Right now, the Supreme Court is in a toe-to-toe battle with the Ombudsman over that suspicious automation deal of the Comelec in 2004. That issue ought to be used to "reform" the Comelec, to take the initiative of Comelec "reform" away from the Palace. Perhaps the House Opposition should impeach Ben Abalos and the other Comelec Commissioners involved in the 2004 hijinks in addition to GMA. The ensuing process can then be used to promote a "free, fair and credible" 2007 elections.

AUTOMATION: But how to ensure that the 2007 elections will be free, fair and most importantly, credible? Mr. Monsod notes wryly that since Congress did not go for full automation for next year's elections, we are stuck with manual elections for 2007. He notes that PGMA had promised in 2001 that the 2004 elections would be automated, but they were not. (They were Garcificated instead.) Christian Monsod brightened considerably when he said, "We have to do it all over again...guard the ballots...make sure the result is fair...just like in 1986." (Paraphrase). He says that there must be at least FOUR members of the Comelec (out of seven) who are acceptable in the sense of having unquestioned integrity...He is recommending heroism and one more go at the old rotten manual electoral system based on Seven Just Men at Comelec. I am both skeptical and admiring of this "one more go" philosophy. But it's depressing to think we can't figure out a way to AUTOMATE the damn elections. How long does it take to put up an automated banking teller system anyway?

I strongly support One Voice's general position and philosophy and have linked to their website, but I am disappointed that One Voice did not take a stronger position on the matter of automation. Unlike Charter Change, every single instant is the right time to automate, as far as I am concerned. Just think of the electoral system as if it were the banking system. Would we say, oh let's just run the banks manually for another year and raise our vigilance on the Bankers"?

NECESSARY, BUT SUFFICIENT? Perhaps it's a generational thing, and the composition of One Voice has no true appreciation of technology. It is calling for a repeat of 20 years ago at Edsa 1. But that historic moment is passed; this is a different time, a different autocrat, and even heroism may not work. We need to get technologically smart about protecting democracy. Heroism will certainly be necessary next year. But will it be sufficient?

Under its proposal ONE VOICE asks the Palace to give up a lot in exchange for the expectation of some peace and quiet should the Opposition "lose" the impasse breaking elections next year. In bullet #1, it asks the Palace to ditch the chacha choochoo train, which may be fine with the President, but will only anger FVR and JDV, whose alter egos are now complaining that the Comelec isn't moving fast enough at counting the millions upon millions of Sigaw Ng Bayan collected signatures under the People's Initiative campaign. I think GMA will give up chacha in exchange for something along the way.

Here is the list of the One Voice Signatories:
Christian S. Monsod ; Raul T. Concepcion ; Ricardo S. Pascua ; Manuel L. Quezon III; Benjamin T. Tolosa, Jr.;

Most Rev. Ramon C. Arguelles, D.D. (Lipa); Most Rev. Oscar V. Cruz, D.D. (Lingayen); Most Rev. Angel Lagdameo, D.D. (Iloilo); Most Rev. Antonio J. Ledesma, SJ, D.D. (Cagayan de Oro); Most.Rev. Leonardo Z. Legaspi, OP. D.D. (Caceres); Most Rev. Orlando B. Quevedo, OMI, D.D. (Cotabato); Most Rev. John F. Du, D.D. (Dumaguete); Most Rev. Deogracias S. Iniguez, Jr., D.D. (Caloocan); Most Rev. Florentino G. Lavarias, D.D. (Iba); Fr. Daniel Patrick L. Huang, SJ (Philippine Jesuit Provincial); Fr. Albert F. Alejo, SJ (Ateneo); Fr. Carmelo A. Caluag II, SJ (Ateneo); Fr. Jose Magadia SJ (Ateneo); Fr. Antonio F. Moreno, SJ (Ateneo) ; Fr. Primitivo F. Viray, SJ (Ateneo); Fr. Tarciso Ma. H. Narciso, OSB (San Beda); Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres, SJ (Ateneo); Sister Sonia Aldeguer (Univ. of the Philippines);

Carmencita T. Abella; Ernesto M. Aboitiz; Fernando T. Aldaba; Felipe B. Alfonso; Rafael Alunan III; Maria Corazon M. Alcol; Antoinette Palma Angeles; Fely Aquino Arroyo; Rene B. Azurin; Elvie Baladad; Eric Batalla; Alfredo I. Benipayo; Florangel Rosario Braid; Mary Belle S. Beluan; Johnny Cardenas; Meneleo J. Carlos Jr.; Ramon Casiple ; Lydia Balatbat Echauz; Baltazar N. Endriga; Narcisa Escaler; Easter A. Garcia; Ricardo P. Guevara; Milwida Guevara; Luie Tito F. Guia; Ronald Holmes; Grace Gorospe Jamon; Armando D. Jarilla; Vicente T. Jayme; Anna Marie Karaos; Antonio G.M. La Viña Telibert Laoc; Augusto Lagman ; Vincent Lazatin ; Patricia B. Licuanan; Isa Lorenzo; Damaso G. Magbual; Melba Maggay; Victorino M. Manalo; Carlos P. Medina, Jr.; Elizabeth Melchor; Solita C. Monsod; Toby C. Monsod; Vitaliano N. Nañagas II; Conrado S. Navarro; Jose Noel D. Olano; Susan V. Ople; Vicente T. Paterno; Lourdes R. Quisumbing; Remedio I. Ruben; Jessie M. Robredo; Ricardo J. Romulo; Melison Salazar Jr.; Evelyn Singson; Wigberto F. Tanada; Janette C. Toral; Nena Del Rosario;
Noteworthy in the list of signatories is the presence of the Catholic Church hierarchy, both archbishops and heads of major religious orders and schools, like the Jesuits and the Benedictines, Miriam College and others. As of course, is that of Foreign Affairs Secretary Dick Romulo. Noteworthy for their absence are major figures of the Left, whose presence and anti-democratic ideas in the "Citizens Congress for Truth and Acountability" last year was the Kiss of Death by Turnoff for that movement. The big difference between One Voice and CCTA seems to be this: One Voice seeks to strengthen Democracy, while CCTA's kangaroo court only alienated many in the public sphere because it was just too weird even as Philippine Stalinist theatricality goes.

I wish One Voice Godspeed for it seems to be an earnest effort by some Edsa One personalities to break the political impasse by using Democracy, not breaking it-- as many in this group and the larger Edsa Dos "civilian-military-judicial" uprising did in 2001.
Democracy has certainly suffered a One-Two at our hands, in 2001 and 2004. Look at Edsa Dos -- that was basically an unconstitutional nullification of the indubitably fair and credible result of the 1998 election. And 2004 was a wholesale electoral fraud, if the Garci tapes are believed. Maybe "One Voice" is also an Act of Contrition by some very reverend and illustrious persons, a catharsis of self-recognition at what happened during the Erap Regime Change, a reaffirmation of the Edsa One revolution over the Edsa Dos coup.

I would only add: Trust but automate!

MLQ3 posted on this new movement yesterday, which also put out full page newspaper advertisements.

BREAKING NEWS:
The President reportedly had a tummy ache last night and was in hospital for tests. (Bad brandy?) Her trips to Compostela Valley and Davao today have been cancelled (apparently on word of a large rally by miners in the NPA-infested area.)

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

so hindi iba iba ang aking sinaasabi sa ibat ibang blog....

ganito sa blog ni ellen nagtanong ako kung ano tingin niola sa one voice....

sa tingin ni ellen(I pasted his reply to reader Emilio)

Emilio,
I’m wary about this “One Voice” group because of many of the signatories.I don’t think they are working for GMA’s ouster.

ako naman ganito sinabi ko sa MLQ's blog

"
Kahapon naisip ko.. ano ba ang priority,wala na bang tiwala sa impeachment,iniiisip ba nila na same results din yang impeachment and it will be a numbers game.

Pero ang sigaw ng bayan numbers game din naman ah,you guys think na mas madali ang numbers game kontra sa sigaw kesa sa numbers game kontra sa mga anti impeachment congressmen.

Malaki naman ang chances na the sigaw would fail bakit yan pa ang ginawang first priority at kung matuloy plebiscite wala namang epekto ang mga numbers na claimed ng sigaw,at the people will thumb it down kung ayaw talaga nila ng charter change based on the way it has been proposed.
Dapat kung talagang bottom line e matuloy ang 2007 election,mas priority dapat ang impeachment at electoral reform should be ahead of stopping sigaw ng bayan."

Jego said...

I’m wary about this “One Voice” group because of many of the signatories.I don’t think they are working for GMA’s ouster.

There's that word 'ouster' again. Everytime I see that word, Im reminded of the coup of 2001, aka EDSA 2. It gives me the creeps.

Anonymous said...

my apologies to ellen for bringing that up.

Unknown said...

Funny, I thought she's already past that - she's menopaused; why the tummyache?

Juan said...

One Voice, One Step at a Time

To impeach GMA vote out GMA's Congressmen, to vote out GMA's Congressmen impeach GMA's COMELECmen.

2005 Impeach-GMA, failed,
2006 Impeach-GMA, impending.
2006 Impeach-COMELEC, none.
2007 Vote-Out GMA's men, scheduled.
2008 Impeach-GMA, depending..

Juan said...

One Voice, One Step at a Time

To impeach GMA vote out GMA's Congressmen, to vote out GMA's Congressmen impeach GMA's COMELECmen.

2005 Impeach-GMA, failed,
2006 Impeach-GMA, impending.
2006 Impeach-COMELEC, none.
2007 Vote-Out GMA's men, scheduled.
2008 Impeach-GMA, depending..

Abe N. Margallo said...

HB,

… and inq7.net had this breaking news: “Arroyo suffers abdominal pains, brought to hospital” followed by the not-so-off-on-a-tangent “Absence of semen doesn’t mean no rape was committed—lawyer” (no, not Macalintal whose claptrap on the new impeachment filing sounds more like “One can’t be impregnated while still pregnant” haha).

On the other hand, One Voice, conceivably hoping to skip the birth pangs, is “expecting” . . . a bit too much.

O boy, sometimes we get jealous about the privileges of being “in the family way,” don’t we?

Juan,

In the maternity ward, it’s called “stillborn,” in the military quarters, it’s called “abortive.”

Unknown said...

Hahahah!

Abe that was really funny!

"“Arroyo suffers abdominal pains, brought to hospital” followed by the not-so-off-on-a-tangent “Absence of semen doesn’t mean no rape was committed—lawyer”"

Hahahah!

Bernardo F. Ronquillo said...

The group styling itself as One Voice is presumptuous. No one among them who did Erap in can unite people into ONE VOICE by calling for it. We don't trust their judgement calls because they the ones responsible for putting us where we are now.

But then there are people who have lots of temerity and gall who presume that people look up to them and will do things on their call. During the elections they shouted "Anybody but Erap" but today I say "KUNG SILA LANG, SI ERAP NA!"

Up to now the 11 million that voted Erap into office has not left him. But the people now claiming One Voice had left Gloria whom they placed in Malacanang illegally and is asking her to resign and to put somebody from their ranks instead. They made mistakes and yet they want us to follow their call. Ano sila, hilo?

Jon Mariano said...

Mr. Ronquillo, if you don't agree with One Voice, what is it that you offer as alternative?

And when you say "we don't trust their judgment calls", who are included in the "we"?

Anonymous said...

Medyo hati nga tayo dito.


ako ang dami kong tanong kahapon sa one voice ;pero nag email din ako, para makilahok nga.Pero di ko na tiningnan kung sino sino na ang kasali at promotor nito.Tingnan ko na lang kung importante ang feedback ng mga sumali dito. e kung plantsado na ang plano nila at wala silang pakilalam sa feedback e di ibang usapan na yan.


BFR,
I still respect your opinions. pero wag mo sana masamain ang pagsali ko dito sa One voice...

kulas said...

Mr. Jon, napatawa po ako sa tanong ninyo kay Mr. Ronquillo, parang tanong na, kung ayaw niyo kay gma, sino ang ipapalit ninyo.

Jon Mariano said...

Kulas,

Di naman, my question goes beyond personalities.

The detractors of One Voice actually have succeded in making it a personality game. I thought that One Voice tried hard to make theirs one of a "principled" stand. That's good, kasi ang presidente (personality) may katapusan, pero ang bansa natin patuloy ang takbo niyan.

For one to make a valid and contructive criticism, he has to offer an alternative.

kulas said...

Mang Jon,

Di po ba tutoo na sa simulat simula pa e personality game na ang pulitiko sa atin? So, kataka-taka kaya kung iyan din ang paniniwala o isipin ngayon?

Hindi naman sa mahirap akong maniwala, sa katunayan, gusto kung maniwala na "principled" ang lahat ng ginagawa ng pinuno at namumuno ng ating bayan, nasa puwesto o hinde.

Hindi po ba masasabi na ang mga naglagay kay gma sa kapangyarihan, sa pagkakataong yun, ay masasabing "principled" o may prinsipyo ang layunin?

Ano po ba ang valid point nila noon na ngayon ay sinasabing mali?

Unknown said...

Dean,

Ee: "I wish One Voice Godspeed for it seems to be an earnest effort by some Edsa One personalities to break the political impasse by using Democracy, not breaking it-- as many in this group and the larger Edsa Dos "civilian-military-judicial" uprising did in 2001."

I join you in wishing them fair wind...

Gloria is not a serious proponent of democracy so the people of One Voice need all the help they can get to make democracy work.

Like you, I thought "One Voice" is also an Act of Contrition" so I'd like to give democracy a chance and beat Gloria at her own game.

Unknown said...

Juan,

Gloria's game is power game.

The aim should be to beat her at that/her own game and give the people back the power that is their sovereign right.

Jon Mariano said...

Kulas,

It's no bother to me whether you believe or not, or whether it's difficult for you to believe what others are proposing.

I'm sure you have other options than what One Voice is espousing. Maybe you're waiting for a better option? What could it be? Maybe status quo is ok for you? Or maybe GMA's continuos rule is ok for you? That's your call. And that should be respected.

I raise the same question for you then, the same question I asked BFR: What is the alternative that you propose?

To some, maintaining the status quo is not acceptable, their stand should be respected too. Doing something about what they believe is also tops in my book. It's something commendable.

Bernardo F. Ronquillo said...

An act of contrition must be coupled with an admission of guilt. And the latter should be followed by a realization that one cannot presume himself capable of forging a nation into ONE simply by calling his organization ONE VOICE. Erap also cannot make that call even with his faithful 11 million voters. Both of them cannot forge the nation into one. It is the singer, not the song.

But It would be my turn to be presumptuous if I now suddenly say, in answer to the challenge thrown my way, that I know "the alternative". Because that is precisely our PROBLEM today: Nobody is sure of the alternative or better still NOBODY WANTS TO BE THE ALTERNATIVE TO GLORIA because of what it would take to get rid of the present Malacanang tenant. Sinong lider ngayon ang susundan ng lahat, at talagang lahat, sa pagtalon sa bangin na hindi mo alam kung ano ang nasa ilalim? WALA.

I cannot propose an alternative to Jon but an old man like me abounds with this certain hope that a charismatic leader will soon rise up. respected, and listened to by everyone. Then we can be ONE. Again it is the singer, not the song.

kulas said...

Mang Jon,

Si gma po ay puspusang gumagawa ng kahit na anong paraan upang manatili sa kapangyarihang di kanya. Kasama na po diyan ang kanyang mga alagad. Wala po akong respeto o commendation sa mga taong ganyan.

May saysay po ang kabuoan ng sinasabi ng One Voice, bukod sa isang katayuan: Na kung sakaling hindi magtagumpay ang pagsulong ng impeachment complaint sa katapusan ng halalan ng kongreso sa 2007 ay makikisama na ang samahan ng One Voice kay gma.

Bakit, sumangayon po ba si gma o mapagkakatiwalaan ba ang salita niya na bababa siya sa katapusan ng termino niya sa 2010? May nagbigay ba sa kanya ng siguro na walang kasong ihaharap sa kanya sa kanyang pag-baba? Engot ba si gma?

Susunod po ba ang sambayanan sa One Voice?

Para sa akin, ito po ang mahinang haligi ng katayuan ng One Voice. Sa pasimula pa lamang ay may pahiwatig na ng pag-suko.

Ano po naman ang gagawain ng katakot-takot na bunganga ukol sa pangaabuso ni gma? Tatahimik ba ang mga ito? Matatahimik ba ang bansa kung walang kasagutan at katarungan ang mga kamaliang ginagawa ng gang ni gma? Tatahimik ba kayo?

Iisa lang po ang lunas sa ating malagim na kalagayan. Ang harapin at sagutin ni gma, ng kanyang kamaganakan at kabarkadahan ang mga kasong nilalatag sa kanila. Ang samahang walang pasubalit na ganito ang layunin ang matatawag na winner. Na ma pork barrel mang muli ni gma ang kongreso ay patuloy pa rin ang paglaban na patalsikin si gma. Walang cooperation sa mga walanghiya.

Sa gayon pa man, harinawa, hindi mangyari ang pagkakataon ng mag cooperate ang samahan ng One Vocie kay gma. Harinawa magtagumpay tayong lahat sa layunin na panagutan ni gma ang kamaliang ginagawa niya. Nasa pankaraniwang mamamayan ang tunay na kapangyarihan. Gumising sana tayong lahat.

Jon Mariano said...

BFR, I respect your stand. I read as you're waiting for something else. That in itself is a stand. You don't like One Voice, so you're not being forced to like it.

Kulas,
We keep waiting too, until GMA is replaced. In the meantime, what do we do? I would like to throw my support to One Voice.

Trip Atomic said...

Thank you for advocating the automation of the electoral process. That is something we have been working on since 1986. We are still working very hard to automate the 2007 elections, but alot of obstacles are slowing us down. The Supreme Court's decision in 2004 is preventing us from using the automated counting machines - which were tested by the DOST and pronounced 100% accurate and reliable - and the re-enacted budget means we cannot procure new machines, even under a new modernization program. The Court mandated process of returning the machines and recovering the money paid to the supplier is still pending with the trial courts, so using that money is not possible at this time.

On the technological front, the delay in the passage of the bill amending RA 8436 (the modernization law) means that if do get the wherewithal to automate in 2007, we will have to do so with optical mark reader machines - like the ACMs of 2004. However, using optical mark reader machines will require much preparation time as there will be several components that have to be developed: a ballot definition system that will design several thousand variations of paper ballots (RA 8436 requires candidates' names to be printed on the ballot. With synchronized elections, this means that the ballots for Quezon City, for instance, will be the same as the ballots to be used in Manila and so on); a canvassing system that will comply with the canvassing rules set out in RA 8436 (most of which are automation-unfriendly); the preparation of counting and canvassing sites nationwide (since ACMs have very specific requirements for optimal functioning) and the like.

If, on the other hand, the amendments are passed with greater dispatch (read:by August at the latest), and if funds are made available, there is an even greater chance to automate elections in at least part of the country. While this is less coverage than we would wish, we can look at limited automation in 2007 as the first step in a phased implementation of election automation. This approach will give the public a chance to accept the new technology and assimilate the changes in voting procedures that will be inevitable. While the novelty of the technology may not seem to be a major issue in urban centers, we must also contend with the fact that not all Filipinos are tech-savvy, and the sudden introduction of an automated system that would require them to abandon the pen-and-paper-ballot paradigm may cause some problems - among other things, problems with the use of the system (since people will probably be using voting machines and electronic ballots or voting by simply shading in an oval like in the standardized board exams), and problems with the credibility of the system (since people won't be able to physically witness automated counting and canvassing procedures). To use your ATM metaphor, I would compare this phased implementation strategy with the how the banks used to issue passbooks, with ATM cards as options only, then ATM cards AND passbooks, and now finally just ATM cards with passbooks strictly optional.

Once again, thank you for supporting automation and bringing it to the attention of your readers. As One Voice said, elections are non-negotiable as, in a democracy, it is the terminal point of the accountability system enshrined in the Constitution. For that, if for no other reason, we should all strive to do our bit in supporting elections, automated or otherwise.

Help Keep Elections Clean

Bernardo F. Ronquillo said...

Kulas: Mahusay ang panulat mo at makatotohanan ang mga isinulat mo. Salamat sa mga post mo na dapat ay magmulat ng mga mata ng maraming bukod sa hindi alam kung ano ang kanilang kasalanan sa bayan ay nag-aakala pang meron silang K na sabihan ang mga tao na sila na naman ang sundan.

Tama ka sa tanong mo: "Susunod po ba ang sambabayan sa One Voice?" Ang sagot ay hindi. Ang problema ay hindi ang katotohan na dapat magkaisa ang bayan kundi ang mga taong tumatawag para dito. Ang sagot kasi sa kanto: "KAYO NA NAMAN?"

Deany Bocobo said...

A warm welcome to Philippine Commentary to POSTIGO LUNA.

Thank you for visiting and I hope you will contribute to the lively discussions we always have here.

I particularly like your extension of the ATM analogy. Yes! paper ballots are just like paper passbooks and equally obsolete.

What is of course amazing to us is that it would be inconceivable to most for the banking system to be run manually by purely trustworthy bankers. Yet isn't it a historical fact that automation is what really makes banks "trustworthy." ?

I think the process of automation will be hard enough, but changing the attitudes of peopel towards a proper appreciation of how impt it is, THAT will be the real challenge!

kulas said...

Maraming salamat po sa inyong pagpuna, Mr. Ronquillo.

Emmanuel said...

after the reading the position paper of one voice i cant help but feel sorry for our democracy.
it is what i call a paper fit for those fence sitters.
the reason is simple: the assignatories of one voice is pleading for the government to listen to them ergo they recognize its legitimacy.
maybe they were thinking of putting up an organization that is removed from the fold of partisanship thus by stating that those who call for arroyo's ouster/impeachment are themselves self serving nincompoops. needless to say to state that they are non-partisan is equivocally an irony of their statements, it follows thereof that by pleading from the government that "cheated its way" to power they stand on the side of those who approve of the legitimacy of her ascent.

that while the reforms stated in their paper seem prolific in its own merit, it certainly misses the point as to its motivation why it was constructed.
maybe the ones who constructed such paper forgot that the reason it existed is because of GMA's "wicked" ascent to power thus the current push for "charter change and a move to a parliamentary form of government.
that such paper aims to strengthen the institutions mandated by the constitution, yet it deliberately gives credence to the illegitimacy accentuated by its main proponent--the President is contradictory in nature.

One Voice failed by not addressing the real problem.
that is by not caling for the impeachment from office of the President.
One voice becomes a queer model for change or reforms because it tries to address a president that doesnt respect the constitution nor practices its main tenets.
One Voice doesnt only encourages people to not actively practice critical mindedness rather in simpler terms it spouses mendicancy in the face of flagrant totalitarianism.

i am not encouraging people though to never join the group.
there are still people who even how blatantly their rights are trampled upon
or even how history seem to bang on their doorstep
they still never learn.

i recognize the majority of conditioned individuals that are afraid to go to the streets and suffer the ridicule or the stereotyping
and even how many activists are dying by the hundreds they are still trustful of the status-quo.

i also recognize the majority that are afraid to loose everything they have
i myself am also afraid to loose everything but i recognize that i already lost it even before i owned it because those who stay in power made us owe more than what we can earn and rightfully so even our children owes them and so forth ergo i never own anything
they are but a loan that i should be ready to loose when the need arises that i stand up for what we fought for hundreds of years and what we are still fighting for now "our freedom from our own oppressors"

One voice should listen to the call of the times.
rather than echo the same voice illustrados call from the past as Rizal was (and he is their mascot by the way) pleading from the same tyrannical government.

One voice should listen to the man on the street whose even God-given right to be protected by its constitution is being curtailed by this Government.

if one voice recognize these...

then i myself would join.

kulas said...

Dito po sa Amerika hindi pa computerized ang botohan. Importanteng issue rin po dito yan. Sa katunayan ang mga voting booths na ginagamit dito ay masasabing nung panahon pa ni limahong.

Ang pag computerize po ng botohan ay napakalaking atas at di dapat dali daliin. Bawat hakbang sa pagboto, mula sa registration ng botante hangang sa pagbilang ng boto ay masikap, maingat at makailang beses na sinusuri. Kahit may pinasimulan ng analysis ng pag-computerize, dapat ulitin ito from square 1 or at least give past and recent studies/analysis a thorough review and, if necessary, update.

Kasama na po diyan ang pag-identify kung anong software ang gagamitin, kung mayroon o kaya naman mag develop ng custom system from scratch(mahirap at matagal pong gawain ito).

Marami pa pong bagay na kailangang paghandaan tulad ng system failure contingencies, lalo na power outages, system back-up, security, at marami pang iba to ensure system integrity. At bago gamitin ito kung matapos, kailangan ng puspusang testing. Hindi po ora-oradang magagamit ito!

Of course, kailangang dumaan na sa tamang process ang pagpili ng gagawa ng system. Na qualified, experienced, and experts sa laragan ng large scale system implementation ang gagawa. Hindi maaring kamaganak, kumpare, kaibigan o dahilan sa pansariling interes lamang ng pasimuno ng project ang gagawa. Mahaba rin po ang process ng pagpili ng gagawa ng system.

Sa tutuo pong system implementation, madalas na pinapalitan o minomodify ang plano dahil sa kung ano anong bagay na di inaasahan: bagong batas, bagong pangangailangan, mas mahusay na paraan, or plain mistakes.

Kailangan rin po na may sapat na pera ukol sa project. Papano yan, kung walang sapat na pera ukol diyan! Isusulong pa ba ito kung walang budget? Pwede po bang I-shortcut na lang? Siempre, NO, ang sagot. Computerazation for its own sake is stupid!

Lest I be misunderstood, I will make it clear. I do not find anything wrong na icomputerize ang process ng botohan. It is all well and good, if it is done correctly. Let us all be reminded na computerization may make the election process more efficient. It will not ensure a clean and honest election. Tulad ng ATM system, maaring abusuhin ito. Maraming tao ang nasaid ang pundo sa savings and checking account dahilan sa mga ATM scams and outright pagnanakaw.

Tayo po, ang botante at matuwid na gobierno lamang ang maaring makasiguro niyan.