House body OKs P11.3-B budget for poll automation

MANILA, Philippines - The House committee on appropriations has approved a bill granting the much-awaited supplemental budget for the automated 2010 elections. House Bill 5715, principally authored by appropriations chairman and Quirino Rep. Junie E. Cua, seeks to give P11.3 billion to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the acquisition of counting machines. The bill was amended to include "cleansing" of the voters’ list through a mandatory biometrics voter registration worth P2.2 billion. Comelec Chairman Jose Armando R. Melo said they plan to buy direct recording electronic, a touch pad technology; precinct count optical scan; and central count optical scan. Budget Secretary Rolando G. Andaya, Jr. said an initial automation budget has been given to Comelec, of which P1.4 million which would come from the national budget and P800 million from the 2008 savings for the same budgetary item. Finance committee chairman Senator Edgardo J. Angara said in a telephone interview that the Senate will pass its version of the supplemental budget by February. The Senate proposal has the same amount. Comelec said it needs the supplemental budget up and running no later than the first quarter if the country would want to automated the May 10, 2010 general elections. — Jhoanna Frances S. Valdez, BusinessWorld