Comelec chief looks forward to automated 2010 polls

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections is looking forward to an automated elections in 2010, poll chairman Jose Melo said Tuesday. "Onward to 2010 na tayo (with the automation) Tuluy-tuloy na tayo," Melo told reporters during a press conference at the Comelec main office in Intramuros, Manila. Melo, however, could not say what system will be used in the presidential elections. He said that after the proclamation of winning candidates in Monday's ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao), the poll body will be assessing the machines and the systems to be used in future electoral exercises. "It's up to the advisory council (on poll automation) to tell us what technology will be used," Melo said. "Pag-aaralan ang mga glitches, kung ano ang magandang aspect dito sa ginamit nating sistema (It (council) will study the glitches and what would be the best aspect in the systems used)." He said the advisory council will also look into the cost of the systems. "Of course, ang cost titignan. Maaaring maganda nga e wala naman sa abot natin. (They will also study (the) cost. It may be a good system nut we will not be able to use if it is not affordable)," Melo said. "Baka we will still use a combination titignan natin (We can use a combination...we will look into that)," he added. Advisory council Henrietta de Villa, head of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) agreed with Melo, saying a single system for the whole country will not do. "I believe hindi pwede ang isang system lang sa buong Pilipinas. I think it will still be a combination of both or three kasi iba iba ang realities sa iba ibang lugar ng Pilipinas. Saka minsan may system na mas mahal sa iba. Kailangan din i-factor in yun (I believe a single system for the whole country is not possible. I think it will still be a combination of both or three because there are different realities in different parts of the country. There were also system that are more expensive than others)," De Villa said. The advisory council on poll automation is a body of expert advisers created by Republic Act 9369 tasked to recommend to the Comelec which technology to use for the automation of elections. The advisory council's members include the chairman of the Commission on Information Communication Technology, representatives from the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Education, a representative from the academe, representatives from IT professional organizations and from non-governmental electoral reform organizations. The ARMM polls used two systems: the Direct Recording Electronic and Optical Mark Reader. Maguindanao used DRE by technology provider Smartmatic-Sahi Joint Venture. DRE uses touch-screen technology, wherein the voter would simply press the part of the screen containing the candidate's name. The other technology, OMR of Avante International Technology Inc, was used in Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Shariff Kabunsuan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi. OMR uses a ballot system. The ballot contains the candidates' names and the voter simply shades the space corresponding to the chosen candidate. Melo said the Comelec is also pushing for biometrics wherein the picture, signature and thumbmark of the voter will be used to identify him. He expressed confidence they will finally be granted a fund for the biometrics after the cost of the technology went down from P50 million a couple of years ago to P10 million. "Mapopondohan siguro dahil according to our people, iyung mga expert dyan, yung cross- matching ang kailangan ay around 50 million dati pero ngayon it could be less than P10 million (We may finally get a fund for this as according to our people, the experts (said that), in cross matching, some P50 million is needed before but not it could be less than P10 million," Melo said. He said 50 percent of the entries in the voters list can now be used in biometrics. He said those who will be first time voters in 2010 elections will be asked to enter their information to enroll them to the biometrics system. - GMANews.TV