The precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines captured the lime light again following last Saturday’s mock elections. During the test run held in 20 voting centers nationwide, so-called “glitches†in the hardware, software and peopleware were encountered.
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Hardware. The PCOS machines used in the 2010 elections will be redeployed for the upcoming election. It was as if the machines came straight from the warehouse as problems already arose during the starting and initialization stages. Some machines had missing clips or defective rollers. Worse, ballots made of thermal paper got jammed or were rejected which is likely due to its incompatibility with the machines. PPCRV suggests hiring an expert to determine the suitable paper to be used as ballots.
Indeed, the reported ballot-rejection rate of 25% is disturbing. If this issue is not addressed, a potential 13 million voters may be disenfranchised. COMELEC officials have assured the public that with over 81,000 PCOS machines and only 76,000 polling precincts, replacement machines will be on stand-by. But this “solution†raises logistical problems of its own such as speed and efficiency of delivery.
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Software: Another area of concern is the termination of the licensing agreement between Smartmatic, the hardware supplier, and Dominion Voting Systems, the PCOS software provider. So what software shall Smartmatic employ? The Automated Elections System (AES) Watch fears that “pirated†technology may be used, raising both operational and legal concerns.
PPCRV also observed a lag time of 30 minutes to more than an hour before transmission to the servers was completed. Weak signal and delayed transmission, especially in far-flung barangays, were the common complaints during the 2010 elections.
COMELEC assures that a special bandwidth dedicated to the transmission of results shall be used in the 2013 elections. Moreover, a contingency gadget will be provided to boost a weak signal. A memory card may also be delivered to another counting machine or in the extreme, to the nearest COMELEC office. However, protocols should be developed to protect the integrity of the chain of custody and the memory card itself.
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Peopleware. During the mock elections, technical staff were either absent or late so that some teachers were forced to assemble the kits themselves. PPCRV observed that they lacked the sufficient technical know-how so that COMELEC must either strengthen their technical training or ensure the presence of an IT technician in each voting center.
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Although certain quarters including former President Joseph Estrada who once dubbed the machines as “Hocus PCOSâ€â€” would prefer a return to the old days of manual voting, I think that such a decision is premature. If you will recall, manual voting had its own fair share of problems. Indeed, any new system comes with “glitches†but unless these flaws are fatal, we should persevere and just work to improve on it. The mock elections deserve a take two. And the sooner we do it, the better. I am a firm believer that the quest for CHAMP (Credible, Honest, Accurate, Meaningful and Peaceful) Elections is not a quixotic quest but a reachable star.
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Legal titans: Philippine legal academia lost two titans this week with the passing of UP Professors Araceli Baviera and Domingo Disini. I had heard of but had not met Professor Baviera. On the other hand, Professor Domeng Disini not only taught Labor Law for several trimesters at the JD-MBA program of FEU and DLSU but also gifted me with his wise counsel and friendship. He was a teacher’s teacher who was genuinely committed to his craft and the welfare of his students. One of the latter, Rhett Shaw, shared the following reflection:
I dreaded attending Prof. Domeng’s Labor Relations class. I knew that I would be insulted with the way I recited or for the inaccuracy of my answer. One such insult was that a sign should be placed on my head in order to warn people that there was a “slow man at workâ€, referring to the speed in which my answer reached its point. A classmate was told that he probably enjoyed “gardening†since he would cut certain provisions from the law when reciting.
But he was truly a great professor. He would talk about perfume, Rustan’s and other concepts seemingly foreign to the subject matter at hand and then weave it all into the lesson. He not only had an extensive knowledge of the law but he also knew how to motivate his students. In the end, I do not think I studied yet enjoyed any class as much as Labor Relations.
After I passed his subject, I was privileged to continue having regular conversations with Prof. Domeng. He talked to me about everything under the sun when he would hitch a ride to his next class in another school.
I thought that I had a unique friendship with him, but it seems there were so many students who have their own tales to tell. Indeed, I am one of many lives he toched. Thank you Prof. Domeng, we will always be grateful.
With these two beloved professors joining other legal titans in heaven, it may not be a bad idea to open up a law school there.   
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KHFC: Tomorrow, February 10, 2013 marks the beginning of the Year of the Black Snake.
13... Black… Snake… - sounds ominous. But far from being foreboding, ancient Chinese believe that a snake is a good omen for abundance. Known as the feminine side of the powerful dragon, people born with this sign are cerebral, intuitive, and enigmatic. Snake personalities include Abraham Lincoln, JFK, Martin Luther King, Oprah, Audrey Hepburn, and Brad Pitt.
Astrologers say that the Snake will be a year of transformation. They suggest “shedding off†some negativity by trimming our hair, settling our debts, and scrubbing our home spotless. A fresh start as we hiss away our cares goodbye!
I wish everyone a prosperous Kung Hei Fat Choi!
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Greetings: Birth anniversary greetings to former PSE president Francis Lim.
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“Try and fail, but don’t fail to try.†— Stephen Kaggwa
E-mail: deanbautista@yahoo.com