Comelec: Automated poll budget must be out by April

MANILA, Philippines – If the country were to push through with automating the 2010 national elections, then the budget allotted for the system must be released by April this year, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Monday. In an interview on dzBB radio, Comelec chairman Jose Armando Melo urged Congress to pass the bill granting some P11.3 billion supplemental budget for the automated 2010 polls. Melo explained that unless they are certain of the availability of funds, they cannot start the bidding for voting machines and the subsequent publishing of its terms of reference, which Melo said is very detailed. "Dahil kailangan ang pondo lumabas para makapag[simula] ng bidding at ito ho ay ipa-publish pa yung terms of reference. Mahaba po yung terms of reference, masalimuot, very detailed…Ang ibig sabihin nito, kung mahuli ang release ng pondo, baka sabihin ng mga providers ay di ma[habol] ang deadline natin," Melo said. ["The funds have to be released so that we can start the bidding process, and then we will publish the terms of reference, which is very long and detailed. This means that if the release of the funds will be delayed, the providers may say that they could not meet the deadline."] Melo then said that the budget has to be released "April 2009 at the latest." Last January, the House committee on appropriations approved a bill granting the 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 Comelec for the acquisition of counting machines. The poll body had earlier chosen to use the optical mark reader (OMR) system that would still use ballots with candidates’ names to be shaded by voters and the ballots read by a scanner. In the interview, Melo also said that the printing of the ballots would take "anywhere from five to six months." Melo said that some 300 names would be printed on the ballots because the May 2010 polls would elect all officials from the President down to the city or municipal councilor. "Eh ang balota ay aabutin ng mga 300 names. Yung pagprint ng ating balota andiyan ang mga presidential nominees at candidates, mga senators, mga party-list," Melo said. ["The ballots will include some 300 names, which include the presidential, senatorial, and party-list candidates."] - GMANews.TV