Bloggers on Poll Automation
The race to the 2010 elections is on, and while the presidential hopefuls are busy as ever with their respective campaigns (and campaign gimmicks), the Comelec likewise have their hands full with preparations for what is deemed as a highly historic event—our first ever nationwide automated elections.
As the clock ticks to May 2010, there is perhaps one essential thing that Comelec must do: that is, to educate voters on the new automated system.
But while several press conferences and media appearances have already been made to address voters on the new voting technology, widespread dissemination of information remains difficult, considering the Comelec’ small budget allocated for voter education.
The Comelec needs all the help it can get, and with that, they turned to the Internet—particularly the Blogosphere.
Bloggers, whether they are for or against automated elections, have given immense contribution to people’s awareness about election issues, resulting in a great wealth of information regarding what the voting public should know and learn about May 2010.
Here are some viewpoints made by some of the country’s prominent bloggers. You will see that some are for automation, while some are against it—nevertheless, all insights prove to be thought-provoking, engaging, and highly informative.
Vera Files (www.verafiles.org)
From their site: “VERA Files is published by veteran Filipino journalists taking a deeper look into current Philippine issues. Vera is Latin for “true.”
Here is an excerpt from a post (http://www.verafiles.org/index.php/focus/364-no-failure-of-elections-even-if-automated-system-fails) by Luz Rimban:
[Comelec spokesperson] Jimenez said it is unlikely that hackers could manipulate the system and do widespread electronic dagdag-bawas or padding and shaving of votes since each Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machine is a stand-alone unit detached from the rest of the system.
In another article (http://www.verafiles.org/index.php/focus/308-automated-cheating-garci-computerized) from the same site, writer Yvonne Chua quoted an Ateneo professor who expressed his skepticism on the voting machines’ “un-hack-ability”, thus presenting an opposing view on the above quote:
Just because voting will be computerized does not mean it will be error- or problem-free, said Prof. Pablo Manalastas, a faculty member of the Ateneo de Manila University’s Computer Science Department and lecturer at the University of the Philippines.
The whole system could be rigged, and all computers—from those at the precincts all the way to those at the Commission on Elections and Congress that will canvass the results for the senatorial and presidential elections—could be pre-programmed to make certain candidates win.
Victorina (www.donavictorina.blogspot.com)
The Victorina blog is one of the most popular Pinoy political blogs on the net. Paul Farol, one of Victorina’s writers, got wind of Manalastas’ “conspiracy theory”. Here’s what Farol has to say (http://donavictorina.blogspot.com/2009/08/testing-credibility-of-manalastas.html):
Anyone who has played a computer game, whether using a console or PC, is aware that embedded within the program of the game is a cheat-code that will allow them to have infinite lives, resources, and other powers that will allow them to win the game.
Prof. Pablo Manalastas, a faculty member of the Ateneo de Manila University’s Computer Science Department and lecturer at the University of the Philippines, is saying that the automated election system that will be fielded out in 2010 may have such a cheat code which will enable “someone” to manipulate the elections from within the system.
…
But I don’t know how much his testimony will be worth when you read what is written about his automated elections cheat code theory. What he says in one part completely contradicts with the other parts. First he says fielding and supervising 82,000 machines is enormously difficult, but at the same time says that it is easy to install a cheat code program and activate that program.
WHAT?!! Are you INSANE? It would be even more difficult to install the cheat code program in all 82,000 machines.
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