Automated polls finally signed, but...

Call this a minor footnote in Philippine political history that finally, 23 years after the EDSA Revolt, one political reform that doesn’t need any constitutional change was signed into law. This was Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s signing of the supplemental budget of P11.3 billion for the full automation of next year’s 2010 Presidential elections. If this money is spent properly and does not fall into the wrong hands or the pockets of the corrupt Commission on Election (Comelec) officials, then we can truly see some kind of honesty in counting our votes.

This automation system merely prevents cheating or “dagdag-bawas” in our counting where the longer the counting of the votes, the better for those who cheat in the counting. We have seen the miracle of the instant results in automated counting during the last US elections when the other states were still closing the polling precincts, Obama was already winning in the East coast states. So if this money is not wasted through corruption, then history would have been made.

Meanwhile, Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio said that with the enactment of Republic Act no. 9525 a.k.a. supplemental budget, “We see no more obstacles to the implementation of a fully automated election system that will ensure honest, efficient and credible polls next year. With full automation, we look forward to the holding of the 2010 elections as a landmark democratic exercise that will bring about greater political stability and harmony.”

A clean and honest election begins at the start of the election campaign and merely ends with Election Day. The automated system will only be used when the counting begins. But the cheating machinery will certainly be underway long before Election Day comes. I’m talking about barangay captains who sell their souls to the highest bidder. During the last elections, we heard that mayors of certain northern towns took money from congressional candidates, but didn’t deliver the votes, which only proves that the buying and selling of votes have become part and parcel of our national elections. Now isn’t this cheating?

Pres. Arroyo shouldn’t sit on her laurels now that she has signed the automated law. We all know about the Hello Garci affair that has tainted her administration. If she wants history to be kind to her, she must go further in finding out ways to stop politicians from cheating in the coming elections. How should she do this? I really don’t know, but she should be in the best position to know; after all, she’s been through many elections in the past. This is the only way she can redeem herself from the ghost of her Hello Garci past.

* * *

Talking about laws that are about to be enacted, there’s a pending bill in both house of Congress that would ban the use of cell phones while driving. While I fully agree that such a law should be passed, the National Legislature must learn from the ordinance that the City of Cebu enacted banning the use of cellphones while driving. It is a law that no one has yet been apprehended or arrested for the simple reason that the majority of our private vehicles are heavily tinted. In the United States, tinting is allowed on cars except the driver’s side, hence their laws against using a cellphone while driving can be enforced.

Here lies the problem with our Senate and Congress that enacts laws that are virtually unimplementable because traffic enforcers would never be able to see the driver using his or her cellphone while driving. Perhaps the quick fix to this problem is for Congress to enact a law that would disallow tinting on the driver’s side of the vehicle. When that happens, then the law against using cellphones while driving can be implemented as traffic enforcers can now see the offending driver. Incidentally, I see many motorcycle and moped or scooter drivers texting will riding their bikes. This problem should also be addressed.

* * *

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was in Manila for a day and dropped by the Malacañang Palace to visit Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the subject of discussion was our never-ending problems with Muslim separatists in Mindanao. Of course Mr. Blair isn’t going to be another adviser on our peace process, but gave an advice to the President to “never to give up” in our search for peace in Mindanao.

While I agree that we should sit down and talk peace, I also believe that peace can never happen for as long as the people across the table are armed to the teeth and face a weak military establishment. One quick road to peace is to ensure that Philippine laws about persons carrying high-powered firearms are arrested and thrown to jail. Then peace will come.

* * *

Email: [email protected]