Melo: Poll automation budget to limit technology option

MANILA, Philippines - The proposed poll automation budget in Congress would allow the use of a cheaper but still efficient voting system in the 2010 general elections. Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Jose Armando R. Melo said in an interview that the looming supplemental budget of between P11 billion and P12 billion would cover the use of optical mark reader (OMR). "[The experts] like [OMR] since there is a paper trail rather than the direct recording electronic (DRE) which is less transparent. The OMR machine is also cheaper," said Mr. Melo. OMRs scan marked ballots while the DRE uses the touch pad system. From an original proposal of P20 billion, Comelec has down scaled the request to P11 billion. A bill filed by Senator Edgardo J. Angara, finance committee chairman, has proposed P11.9 billion, while his House counterpart, Quirino Rep. Junie E. Cua, has proposed P11.3 billion. Meanwhile, citizens arm National Movement for Free Elections Chairman Henrietta T. de Villa said: "It is sad that we decide reforms [of the elections] through affordability rather than what can really limit election fraud." Ms. de Villa is a member of the Comelec advisory board for poll automation. The board consists of civil society groups, information technology experts and members of the Commission on Information and Communication Technology. Ms. de Villa said that the advisory board has submitted its recommendation to the Comelec on the voting technology to be used next year, but said Comelec was only authorized to disclose the decision. Mr. Melo said the Comelec has not yet decided on the recommendation. Due to budget constraints, Comelec has deferred the purchase of cross-matching machines for the biometrics data. The elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao last August successfully used both technologies. House proposal Meanwhile, the House committee on appropriations has filed an P11.3-billion poll automation supplemental budget. "It is important to ensure a better election for next year, so aside from the P1.415-trillion budget, we aim to pass this supplemental budget as soon as possible," Mr. Cua said in an interview. Speaker Prospero C. Nograles said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is expected to certify as urgent the supplemental budget bill. Mr. Nograles said of the P11.3-billion outlay, P1.3 billion would cover all legwork, while P9.959 billion will be for the acquisition of computers and other related voting machines. The additional budget is on top of the P5.3-billion proposed budget for Comelec this year under the P1.415-trillion General Appropriations Bill. — Emilia Narni J. David and Jhoanna Frances S. Valdez, BusinessWorld