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Proposed budget for 2010 poll automation readied


MANILA, Philippines - The Executive department is preparing a P12-billion supplemental budget for the automation of elections in 2010, said Gabriel Claudio, President Arroyo's political adviser. Claudio said Malacañang is already preparing the proposed budget, adding that poll automation is a priority of the Arroyo administration. Also on Tuesday, Chairman Jose Melo of the Commission on Elections said Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita assured him that the proposed budget will be submitted to Congress for the release of the funds. "We will do so probably within the week," Claudio said. Senator Richard Gordon earlier said the status of poll automation is still in limbo despite a law that mandates the Comelec to implement automated elections in May 2010. "Right now, it isn't clear whether automation is possible for the 2010 elections since there is no supplemental budget yet submitted by the Comelec to Congress," said Gordon, author of the poll automation law. Gordon had been advocating for full poll automation to ensure clean, honest and credible elections. "Automating our elections signals that we are taking steps towards truly modernizing our democracy," the lawmaker said. He said the full automation of the 2010 elections is a "game-changer" because it will erase public suspicion that the Filipino people's votes would be stolen from them. - GMANews.TV
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