NAMFREL NEWS & Simbahang Lingkod Election Updates May - December 2000
From: "Telibert C. Laoc"
To: namfrel@edsamail.com.ph
Subject: Reports on registration deadline; press statement on Namfrel
petition for accreditation
Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 12:23:08 +0800
Please find below the following:
1. Namfrel chairman Jose Concepcion, Jr.'s letter to the Comelec requesting
for extension of the registration deadline to January 12, 2001
2. memos reporting on the registration deadline in Manila, Quezon City,
Parañaque City, and Negros Oriental
3. Namfrel's Press Statement on the petition for accreditation as Comelec
citizens' arm for the May 14, 2001
elections
Thank you.
* * * * *
December 28, 2000
Hon. Harriet O. Demetriou
Chairperson, Commission on Elections
Dear Chairman Demetriou,
As a follow-up to our letter to you yesterday, December 27, we are
furnishing you a copy of a report from one of our staff assigned for NCR,
with regard yesterday's registration deadline in Manila, Quezon City, and
Parañaque City.
May we reiterate our request of extending the deadline for registration
until January 12, 2001. As per RA 8189 or the continuing registration law,
the Election Registration Board (ERB) will be meeting on the third Monday of
January 2001, which will fall on the 15th, to hear and process all
applications for registration. In Makati and in many parts of the country,
the respective ERBs over the last few months have been meeting weekly to
process the applications, instead of allowing them to accumulate. Sec. 17
of RA 8189 also stipulates "should one day be insufficient for the
processing of all accepted applications, the Board shall adjourn from day to
day until all applications shall have been processed."
I trust that you will grant our request and allow our new voters, the hope
of the fatherland, to exercise their right and privilege to vote in this
most crucial election in the history of our country.
With the fullest confidence in the wisdom of our commissioners, I remain
Humbly yours,
JOSE S. CONCEPCION, JR.
National Chairman
* * * * *
December 27, 2000
Memo for : JoeConcepcion/DGMagbual/TCLaoc
From : Nikki Pascual
Re : feedback on registration in Manila, Quezon City and Parañaque
1. Manila
I spoke with Mr. Rolly Ingaran (Manila Chair) and he said that he was quite
surprised to hear that today is the deadline for registration especially
since “walang abiso” from Comelec; there were no announcements made on TV or
radio regarding this. He learned about this only yesterday when he read the
newspapers. He said had Comelec informed them, San Beda could have helped
in the information dissemination.
Some of his students at San Beda College called him up to complain that
Comelec is asking too many documents from them. His students are being
asked to present police clearance and NBI clearance as requirements for
registration. He didn’t know whether they were able to register or not.
His students are planning to write to Comelec requesting for an extension on
the registration; he will endorse said letter to Comelec.
2. Quezon City
According to one student of Elsa Manansala (QC Co-chair) “bulok ang QC
Comelec”
We got this text message from Cris Tanseco of Ateneo de Manila “grabe ang
lousy ng Comelec sa QC. Nag-aaway na ang mga tao dito.”
Mike Mundo (QC Dist 2 Chair) was monitoring the news on television regarding
the registration at Comelec QC
Long queue of registrants at the Comelec office; some complained that they
were waiting since 9 am and were still waiting till 3 pm; according to Mike,
the same thing happened during the last day of registration before the 98
elections many are not aware that today is the deadline for registration
Many of the registrants came from the youth and the urban poor areas in
Batasan Hills, Commonwealth and North Triangle
Last week, he spoke with Brgy. Capt. Flora Gasser of Brgy. Fairview
regarding the registration
- voters in their barangay requested some money for transportation
allowance so that they can register
- Mike shelled out P500 for gasoline money so that Gasser can conduct
information drive on the registration using vehicles equipped with
megaphones
3. Parañaque
Ed Tirona (Parañaque co-chair) heard on the radio that there were long lines
of registrants at the Comelec offices and that some voters who brought IDs
without which does not show the cardholder’s address were not allowed to
register and were asked to present some other form of identification that
shows the voter’s address.
* * * * *
December 28, 2000
MEMORANDUM:
TO : TCL
FROM : Russel
RE : Reports on the last day of registration on 27 Dec 00
A. Received calls
1. AM call – from a man from ‘Frisco, Quezon City
· Asked for the requirements in registering and where he will register
· Was confused because he went to the barangay hall thinking he will
register there. He was also informed by the barangay that he needs to have
an NBI or police clearance and/or a cedula with him to register
· ACTIONS TAKEN:
- advised him that the only requirement he needs with him is a valid ID
showing his address and for first time voters, a copy of his birth
certificate.
- Also gave him the telephone number of the Election Officer in Quezon
City district IV
2. PM call – from Rowena Ridad of Novaliches, Quezon City
Was not able to register since around 200 potential voters were in the
Comelec office
Arrived at 12:30 pm and left after 30 minutes; did not try to register
anymore
Magulo ang pila
Magulo ang requirements
- Comelec staff asked the voter-applicants to photocopy the requirements
they are submitting only after the voters arrived at the front of the line
(applicants should have been informed beforehand that they need to make a
photocopies of the documents they are submitting)
- Requirements being asked were NBI clearance, police clearance, student
ID (for students), ID picture, birth certificate with home address, ID with
home address
Aside from her, many left without registering
* * * * *
December 28, 2000
MEMORANDUM
TO : TCL
FROM : Paolo
RE : Report of Namfrel-Batangas Coordinator Wilfredo Bleza on the last day
of registration in Batangas
I called up Atty. Aguila of Lipa-COMELEC regarding the status of the
Registration which ended Dec.27,2000. These are the comments which i
gathered which can also be true observations from the other local COMELEC:
1. Timing of the deadline- hindi maganda, sapagkat lahat na mga kabataan ay
nasa mall, busy sa pagbili o paggala. I think this is true considering the
time of the season where everybody not only youth are busy preparing for the
holidays.
2. Lack of information from the COMELEC. Though me made our own
contribution, the COMELEC is proper body to make such announcements.
3. Low turn out of registrants.
4. Lack of transfer forms. To be provided by the COMELEC hindi on time ang
forms.
5. Over all suggestion: Continue Registration till January, but massive
campaign for registration complete with ads.
* * * * *
28 December 2000
To: Nikki / TCL
From: Edward
Re: Phone conversation with Praxy and Msgr. Logronio of Negros Oriental and
Siquijor chapter re registration of voters in their place.
I called the office of Msgr. Logronio and I was able to speak with Praxy
first, she told me that she heard the voters in their place are planning to
hold protest if the Comelec won't extend the registration. Many of them
were not able to register because they do not know that the deadline was
yesterday, 27 December 2000.
Msgr. Logronio advised me to call again around 1700H today. He will monitor
first what has happened yesterday during the registration, and what's been
going on after the deadline of the registration that many voters were not
able to register.
* * * * *
Press Statement
December 28, 2000
NAMFREL WANTS TO RECEIVE Comelec ACCREDITATION BEFORE THE NEW YEAR
National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) National Chairman
Jose Concepcion, Jr., in a letter to Commission on Elections (Comelec)
Chairman Harriet Demetriou, expressed Namfrel’s concerns over the delay in
the approval by the Comelec of Namfrel as its citizens’ arm in the May 2001
elections, which is being held by Commissioner Luzviminda Tancangco, and
requested that the accreditation be given soon, preferably before the new
year.
Namfrel filed last October 25, 2000 its petition for accreditation as
Comelec’s citizens’ arm to do the operation quick count and to watch the
application of the indelible ink to avoid double voting. The same was heard
on November 14, 2000. Chairman Demetriou and the majority of the
commissioners signed the en banc resolution but until now it is being held
by Commissioner Luz Tancangco.
In Concepcion’s telephone conversation with Chairman Demetriou yesterday
morning, Chairman Demetriou said that her staff was asked to retrieve the
resolution and if Commissioner Tancangco is opposed to Namfrel’s
accreditation to put in writing. Demetriou told Concepcion that the
accreditation will be given to Namfrel before the new year.
“This is a sad day for democracy in the Philippines”, Concepcion said.
“Namfrel has been the country’s election watchdog and duly accredited during
the crucial Philippine elections in 1984 and in the snap elections called by
President Marcos that eventually led to EDSA. It is regrettable that
Commissioner Tancangco is holding the accreditation of Namfrel.”
Namfrel has been asked to observe the elections for the House of
Representatives that will take place in Thailand on January 6 where the
international observers will be deployed in sensitive areas with an
established record of irregularities during the previous polls. Namfrel has
served as resource speakers, trainers and observers, and has been part of
international election monitoring groups in 26 countries.
Namfrel wrote the letter to Chairman Demetriou in behalf of the Filipino
people who are counting on their citizens’ arm to help the Comelec ensure
clean and honest elections. We regret the fact that Commissioner Tancangco
released a statement to the media that there is no longer any need for
Namfrel in the 2001 elections since the Comelec will implement the
electronic transmission of precinct results from the polling place to the
national consolidation center so that results of the election will be known
in 24 hours.
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 11:55:53 +0800 (PHT)
From: Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan
Subject: Q & A : May 2001 Elections
Question and Answer: May 2001 Elections
1. How many voters are expected to vote on May 14 2001?
34 million voters
2. What positions are at stake?
12 senators,
congressmen,
party-list representatives,
governors, vice-governors,
provincial councilors,
mayors, vice-mayors,
municipal councilors
3. What is RA 8436?
RA 8436 is known as the Election Automation Law. It was ratified
on December 22, 1997 authorizing the Comelec to use an Automated Election
System fully for the May 14, 2001 National and Local elections and
subsequent elections. Under RA 8436, machines will be used to count
ballots by precint and to consolidate the municipal, provincial, and
national results.
4. How does an Automated Election System work?
The system will use ballots on which the names of candidates are
pre-printed. All the voter has to do in voting is shade the corresponding
space beside the names of the candidates of his or her choice, instead of
writing 24 to 36 names as in the manual system. The ballots will then be
fed to the machine, which is located in a designated counting center and
counted. The machine will immediately generate multiple copies of the
election returns for each of the precints counted. The machines are
electric and battery operated in anticipation for a possible power supply
failure.
5. What is the advantage of an Automated Election?
a. The use of counting machines will eliminate errors inherent to the
manual counting of ballots.
b. Automated system will decrease, if not eliminate, the opportunities for
wholesale fraud at the canvassing and consolidating stages.
(hopefully, it will eliminate dagdag-bawas scheme)
c. No More ...
i. Intentional or unintentional misreading of names of candidates
written on the ballot
ii. Deciphering of voter's handwriting
iii.Counting of votes at the precint by candlelight for 24 to 30
hours
iv. Manually filled-up elections returns, statement of votes
and certificates of canvass
v. Discrepancy in the election returns and certificates of
municipal and provincial canvass
d. Counting and overall canvassing time will be significantly reduces with
the use of counting machines.
With the automation:
Result of election - 14 to 20 hours after the election
Without Automation (Traditional)
- 17 days to proclaim the results of senatorial and presidential
races.
6. Do Comelec have all the resources and time to implement it?
The Good news is ...
- Comelec has the fund to implement the automation program
- Comelec has 2.3 billion unspent under its modernization fund
- Comelec has the time to implement it nationwide in 8 months
But full implementation can be achieved if Comelec acts NOW
7. What is the Comelec's latest proposal?
The COMELEC wants to amend RA 8436 and is proposing a 39% to 50%
automation.
Coverage:
- 39% - 50 % of total precints
- will benefit 13.3 - 17 million out of 34 million voters
- NCR, entire Mindanao, Iloilo and Cebu city
- 447 cities and towns out of 1,608
- 24 provinces out of 78
8. What is Namfrel and other groups' proposal?
NAMFREL & OTHER GROUPS proposed a 100% automation. But considering
the Comelec's slow implementation of RA 8436, they are now proposing at
least 80% coverage
Coverage:
- Automate NCR, Mindanao, Iloilo, Cebu and the top 17 vote-rich
provinces
- will benefit 27.4 million (80% of the total voters')
- covers 1,050 cities and towns out of 1,608
- covers 42 provinces out 78
9. What is the common recommendation of the civil society?
No changes/amendments be made to RA 8436. In RA 8436, the Comelec
is provided all the necessary external technical expertise from the
government and private sector so that it can implement the automation
program properly. Comelec has the funds to implement the automation
program and it has time to implement it nationwide. Eight months is still
sufficient. Together with Namfrel and other groups, Simbahang Lingkod ng
Bayan believes that a fully automated nationwide election is attainable
if Comelec will act NOW.
10. And so, what can we do for the moment?
Let us join the campaign in pressuring the Comelec to implement
100% automation, or if not, at least 80% automation. Namfrel and other
groups have already started pressuring the Comelec about it.
by: Willy M. Samson,S.J.
NAMFREL NEWS
VOL. 3, NO. 3
Senate and Congress file resolutions in support of automation
by Paolo Maligaya, Associate for Operations
With only several months to go before the May 14, 2001 elections and the
computing scenario for the coming polls still not definite, two resolutions
that are expected to fast-track the Comelec’s implementation of the
automated counting and canvassing system of elections were filed recently
at the Senate and the House of Representatives. Last March 14, the House
Sub-Committee on Modernization of Elections filed Resolution no. 1-00,
“…Strongly Urging the Commission on Elections to Convene the Advisory
Council Pursuant to Section 7 of republic Act No. 8436.” Over at the
Senate, Senator Blas Ople filed last March 27 P.S. Resolution No. 732,
“Urging the Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of codes
and Laws and Other Appropriate Committees to Conduct an Inquiry, in Aid of
Legislation, Into the Continuing Delay in the Comelec’s Computerization
Program Allegedly Due to Defective Vote Counting Machines.”
The Comelec’s creation of the advisory Council is mandated by Section 7 of
RA 8436 or the Election Modernization Law. This will be composed of
“technical experts from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST),
the Information Technology Foundation of the Philippines (ITFP), the
University of the Philippines (UP), and two representatives from the
private sector recommended by the Philippine Computer Society (PCS).”
The convening of the Advisory Council is the most important step that the
Comelec should take at this moment as the Council will be the one to assist
the Commission in the procurement of the appropriate technology for the
automation.
With regard the Senate resolution, it will be remembered that the first
batch of counting machines were bought by the Comelec in 1996 in accordance
with RA 8046, the law which provided for the pilot-testing of the automated
system in the 1996 ARMM elections. Section 4 of RA 8046 enumerated the
following specifications for the counting machines:
“a) stand-alone machine with built-in printer which can generate immediate
results,
b) use of ballots,
c) with provisions for audit trails,
d) minimum human intervention, and
e) adequate safeguards/security machines.”
After the election modernization law was passed in 1997, the Comelec bought
additional counting machines, the same type of machines from the same
supplier (US-based Election Systems & Software, formerly American
Information System), to be used, again only n the ARMM, in the 1998
elections.
During the 1998 elections in the ARMM, in the town of Pata in Sulu, the
oval beside the name of a candidate on the ballot (this is what the voter
shades in the automated system) was not properly aligned, preventing the
machine to “read” the votes for that particular candidate. As a result,
the political parties and candidates asked the Comelec to suspend the
counting. The ballots were brought to Manila, and were eventually counted
manually.
The counting machines used were blamed for the incident. However, the
Supreme Court has already issued a decision (Tupay T. Loong vs. Commission
on Elections and Abdusakur Tan, G.R. No. 133676, April 14, 1999) saying
that the cause of the alleged failure was the erroneous printing of ballot,
not the machines.
(“These flaws in the automated. counting of local ballots…were carefully
analyzed by the technical experts of Comelec and the supplier of the
automated machines. All of them found nothing wrong with the automated
machines. They traced the problem to the printing of local ballots by the
National Printing Office." -- Supreme Court, G.R. No. 133676, April 14,
1999)
The Comelec had two of these machines subject-ed to a test by the UP
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engine-ering, against 23 machine
specifications provided for in Sec. 7 of RA 8436. The machines tested did
not meet all the standards set by the modernization law; after then the
machines were deemed “defective.” However, it should be noted that the
election modernization law was passed long after the first batch of
machines (which are similar to the second batch of equipment) were bought.
Though counting machines should pass basic requirements like the ability
to reject fake ballots, these machines shouldn’t have been expected to
conform to all the specific requirements in RA 8436.
It is hoped that a Senate inquiry into the delay of the implementation of
the automation program will finally shed light on this matter, among others.
Comelec’s Accreditation Sought for the April 15 Pasay Recall Elections
Excerpts from the PETITION FOR
ACCREDITATION submitted to the COMELEC on
March 15, 2000
“Petitioner, NATIONAL CITIZENS’ MOVEMENT FOR FREE ELECTIONS (NAMFREL),
unto this Honorable Commission, hereby alleges that:
1. NAMFREL is seeking for accreditation as the citizens’ arm of the
Commission in connection with the Recall Elections for the City Mayor of
Pasay City on April 15, 2000 specifically for the following purposes:
a) Coordinate the activities of all NGOs and private organizations that
are interested in involving themselves in the recall elections for the
purpose of ensuring free, clean, honest and fair conduct of the recall
elections.
b) Monitor and evaluate the distribution of ballots and election
paraphernalia in the designated distribution centers.
c) Monitor the canvassing of the recall election results in the designated
canvassing centers specifically COMELEC’s electronic transmission of
election results from the canvassing centers to COMELEC main office.
d) Deploy NAMFREL Bantay ng Bayan volunteers who may assist in the
operations in the different polling places and who may also provide
assistance to voters on recall election day.
e) Assist the Commission by monitoring the conduct of the recall election
and by being made a member of the Task Force organized by the COMELEC for
this purpose.
f) Organize, manage, operate, and be accountable for the Operation Quick
Count (OQC), including the reporting of results obtained from the official
copy of the recall election return as prescribed by Sec. 6 of Republic Act
8173, duly authenticated by the Recall Elections Committee.”
(Editor’s note: A similar petition has also been filed for the recall
elections in Mercedes, Camarines Norte, to be held also on April 15.)
NAMFREL NEWS
VOL. 3 NO. 2
Preparations for the Nationwide Automation of the Counting and Canvassing
in the 2001 Polls Should Start Now!
by Paolo Maligaya, Associate for Operations
"It is now up to our people, beneficiaries of the automated election
system, to make sure that the law is implemented to the letter," NAMFREL
National Chairman Jose Concepcion, Jr. said in a meeting attended by
leaders from various sectors of society last February 22 at Club Filipino
in Greenhills, San Juan. One hundred twenty leaders from the business,
religious, and educational communities and civil society, including those
from government-responded to the call of NAMFREL to support the nationwide
implementation of the automation of the counting and canvassing of the
elections in 2001. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) was represented in
the meeting by Commissioner Luzviminda G. Tancangco, the commissioner-in-
charge for modernization.
NAMFREL, together with these leaders, enjoined the Comelec to implement
Republic Act 8436 or the Election Automation Law, passed two years ago,
and to carry out President Joseph Estrada's statement in his first
State-of-the-Nation Address in July 1998: "Kailangang matapos ang
computerization program bago sumapit ang susunod na eleksiyon." This law,
when implemented, will revolutionize the way elections are done in the
country as the voters will no longer write 24 to 30 names in the ballot,
and the counting and canvassing of votes will be done by machines. It
will be recalled that in the 1998 elections, the voters had to write 24 to
30 names on the ballot. The public school teachers had to read and tabulate
in 11 pages of election returns 227 names of candidates --- 40 names for
Senators, 123 for Party-list Representatives, and 64 names for local
positions, from Governor to municipal council positions.
During the open forum, the guests asked Comm. Tancangco for three basic
critical information:
a. schedule/timetable of the implementation of the automation of the
counting and canvassing of the 2001 elections as mandated by RA 8436;
b. the number of machines still needed to be purchased; and
c. budget for the purchase of the machines.
However, Comm. Tancangco could not commit on the critical dates and
specific plans of the Commission.
"…(The Comelec's) modernization program does not hinge on the purchase of
machines…," Comm. Tancangco said at one point. When asked whether we will
have to write all those names again in the ballot, Comm. Tancangco replied,
"I think we have to live with that in some areas".
Comm. Tancangco said that the Comelec might partially automate the
elections-in the whole of Mindanao, NCR, Cebu, and Iloilo. This stands to
benefit 12 million registered voters, as compared to 35 to 40 million if
the implementation is nationwide, as the law mandates. The Comelec has yet
to implement the law since it was passed in December 1997. The Commission
cited lack of material time for its non-implementation of the law in the
1998 elections.
In the meantime, as Comm. Tancangco presented during the meeting, the
Comelec is headlong in its modernization program, the components of which
include upgrading of voters' registration system and database, precinct
mapping, electronic transmission of precinct results to a Manila-based
national counting center, training of personnel, and renovation of Comelec
facilities.
Comelec did not request budget to purchase ballot-counting machines
for the 2001 elections
by Telibert Laoc, Executive Director
I'll cut through the chase and tell you right away that Comelec does not
have any intention at all to automate the counting and canvassing of the
elections in May 14, 2001.
In our meeting with Commissioner Tancangco on February 22, she claims that
there is a P300 million amount for the automation of the counting and
canvassing. But as you can all glean from the justification below, the
amount will be used to still study and determine the kind of machine that
will be used. Meantime, the next elections are only 15 months away.
Twenty-six months have passed since Republic Act 8436 or the Election
Automation Law was passed in December 1997, but Comelec has yet to show a
plan to implement this law.
The most important single step that the Comelec can do is to immediately
convene the Advisory Council to determine the "computing" scenario for the
nationwide automation. The council, as it has done in 1998, will define
the details of the implementation including the timetables. It will also
prepare other attendant tasks like the Request for Proposal, Instruction to
Bidders, Technical Requirements, Evaluation Methodology - essentially all
the important steps that will kick-off the implementation of the program.
The creation of the council is mandated by RA 8436 and is composed of
representatives from the Department of Science and Technology, Information
Technology Foundation of the Philippines, an aggrupation of information
technology associations, schools, etc. Also in the council are the UP
College of engineering and the Philippine Computer Society. In the same
law, the council is allowed to tap expert services and resource persons.
The automation program is the one big chance to better our election
process. This law will relieve the teachers from deciphering the voters'
handwriting and from manually tallying the results of the elections.
Election returns (results from each precinct) will be automatically
printed after the machines count the ballots. The preparation of the
certificates of canvass from the municipality or city, province and for the
entire country will also be automated. There will be no more discrepancy
between these certificates of canvass - no more dagdag-bawas. Automation
of the counting and canvassing will remove human judgment and intervention
from these processes, which are very vulnerable to manipulation.
In 1998, Comelec said it could not implement the law because there was no
time. Now there is still time.
NAMFREL NEWS
Vol.2, No. 12
House Subcommittee on Absentee Voting Deliberates on Bill
Enfranchising Overseas Filipino Workers
by Ma. Christina Pascual, Director for NCR
Since the ratification of the 1987 Constitution, our
lawmakers have yet to fulfill the constitutional mandate of
establishing an absentee voting system for our overseas
Filipinos. In the Ninth and Tenth Congresses, bills were
filed both in the Senate and in the House of Representatives
but these remained pending until both Congresses adjourned.
Seven bills on absentee voting were filed and subsequently
consolidated in the Eleventh Congress. Recently the House
Sub-Committee on Absentee Voting of the Committee on
Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, together with
representatives from COMELEC, migrant organizations and
other NGOs including NAMFREL deliberated on the consolidated
bill on “Absentee Voting by Qualified Filipinos Abroad.”
The most contentious issue during the deliberations was
whether undocumented overseas Filipinos should be allowed to
vote. Under the consolidated bill, only Filipinos who are
legally residing abroad and who are registered voters are
qualified to vote. This includes legal immigrants or
permanent residents of foreign countries and overseas
workers. Upon consultation with members of Filipino
communities abroad, our legislators deemed it prudent to
disqualify undocumented Filipinos from voting in the
interest of minimizing the risk of exposure of Filipino TNTs
from immigration authorities. At present, there is an
estimated two million undocumented Filipinos abroad
(estimate provided by Kaibigan ng OCWs, a non-government
organization that seeks to uphold the rights and welfare of
overseas Filipino workers).
The issue of whether to allow overseas registration was also
raised. Republic Act 8189 provided a system of continuing
registration for Filipino balikbayans who are out of the
country at the time of general registration so that they can
register anytime at the office of their respective election
officers. However, the members of the House Sub-committee
on Absentee Voting decided to provide a system of
registration by mail for Filipinos who cannot come to the
country to register.
At present, the consolidated bill has yet to be deliberated
upon by the members of the mother committee–the Committee on
Suffrage and Electoral Reforms--but as early as now, there
are already moves blocking its passage.
Rep. Gerardo Espina’s House Bill No. 977 proposes the
removal of the provision on absentee voting in the
Constitution. Rep. Espina states that “the provision in
absentee voting should be deleted to avoid possible massive
election frauds or cheating because of the absence of any
provision on how absentee voting is to be undertaken.” It
seems that Rep. Espina fails to see that it is precisely
Congress’ responsibility to provide an enabling law that
will provide the mechanisms by which absentee voting shall
be implemented. This enabling law is what the Committee on
Suffrage and Electoral Reforms is working on right now.
Rep. Espina’s concern that the system is vulnerable to
cheating and fraud is valid. Nevertheless, this can be
addressed by ensuring that the law shall contain the
requisite safeguards to ensure the sanctity of the ballot of
overseas Filipinos. One security measure that can be
employed is to place tamper-evident seals on the envelopes
containing the ballots. If the seal is broken or is
tampered with then the ballots shall not be counted.
One might also argue that overseas voting would be difficult
to implement given the extensive logistical preparations
that are required. Still, we can always learn from the
experiences of countries like Indonesia and Australia, which
administer some form of overseas voting during their
elections. In the case of Indonesia, overseas voting is
conducted in Indonesian embassies and consulates while
Australia allows voting by mail. In our case, we can employ
either of the two methods or we may even have a combination
of voting in the embassies and consulates and postal voting.
We have recognized our overseas Filipinos as the “Bagong
Bayani ng Bayan” for their significant contribution to the
Philippine economy and yet, until now they are unable to
exercise their fundamental right of suffrage. It is high
time that they are given the opportunity not only to choose
the kind of leaders that they want but also to be
represented in Congress through the party-list system.
In the first party-list elections in 1998, six
organizations/parties representing overseas Filipinos ran
under the party-list. None of these organizations reached
the 2% threshold. One factor is that their constituents are
disenfranchised because they were not in the country at the
time of the elections. Given their number, the OFW sector
can become a significant political bloc that can have a
considerable influence in government policy determination
but the first step should be taken – the passage of the law
that will enfranchise our OFWs.
December is National Volunteer Month
by Russel Ridad, Director for Luzon
December is a special month for Filipinos engaged in various
volunteer works in the country. This month will see the
country’s first observance of the National Volunteer Month,
to be held annually every December as declared by President
Joseph Estrada through Presidential Proclamation No. 55
signed in December 1998.
The observance of the National Volunteer Month aims to
publicly recognize the volunteers for their humanitarian
spirit and dedicated service to others and to promote
volunteerism as a tool for development in both government
and private sectors. The theme for this year is ”Itaguyod
ang boluntarismo sa bagong milenyo”. Major activities in
line with the commemoration include a nationwide search for
the most outstanding school project undertaken through
volunteerism in higher education institutions, and
information drive via the tri-media and the internet.
The celebration of the National Volunteer Month leads to the
observance of the International Year of the Volunteers in
2001. In 1997, the General Assembly of the United Nations
formally passed a resolution declaring 2001 as the
International Year of Volunteers and designated the United
Nations Volunteers as the focal point agency.
The National Volunteer Month was launched on December 1,
1999 during the Philippine Association for Volunteer
Effort’s (PAVE’s) 2nd Biennial General Assembly. PAVE is a
network of individuals and organizations engaged in diverse
volunteer programs. Participants to this event were
representatives of the different member-organizations of
PAVE as well as other volunteer organizations. The
organizations represented included the Philippine National
Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA), Civil
Service Commission, UP Ugnayang Pahinungod, Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Jesuit Volunteers
Philippines Foundation, Inc., Philippine Mental Health
Association, Foundation for the Elderly, and NAMFREL.
Fernando Zobel, Vice Chairperson of the Ayala Corporation
and guest speaker during the event, talked about the
rationale for corporate volunteerism, “becoming clear to the
business community that our future is inextricably linked to
the quality of our societies. It is therefore imperative
for us to consider ourselves as an integral part of that
society – a corporate citizen, if you will, in its fullest
sense.”
Not many people associate volunteerism with large
corporations. Oftentimes, the spirit of volunteerism is
connected with socio-civic activities initiated by
individuals or by non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Corporations are perceived more as fund donors of
socio-civic activities (whether in cash or in
kind) than institutions that directly conduct these
activities. However, Mr. Zobel believes that “corporate and
individual philanthropy need not be in terms of money
alone. Volunteerism is a more personal and intimate way of
showing that we care.”
Mr. Zobel further posed the following challenges to be faced
by companies that want to promote employee volunteer
programs in the country:
“…the challenge continues to be one of institutionalizing,
within the company’s systems, support and encouragement of
volunteer efforts. Ideally, the giving of self to others
should be recognized and rewarded by the system, so that the
corporate value is enhanced and deepened at all levels.
Another way is to find more creative ways to encourage the
exercise of employee volunteerism. Perhaps finding more
opportunities to provide technical expertise available
within the company for projects that civil society
organizations badly need but would otherwise not be able to
afford, is another way of deepening the spirit of
volunteerism.”
However, corporate volunteerism is just a part of the whole
spirit of volunteerism. In the words of Mr. Zobel, “we need
to be more proactive advocates for this wonderful way of
spreading the burden of social development so that not only
NGO workers are involved but the general public as well.”
The launching and general assembly was a whole-day event
capped by the election of the new set of PAVE officers where
NAMFREL Executive Director Telibert Laoc was elected as the
new treasurer. NAMFREL became one of PAVE’s newest
member-organization the same day that Mr. Laoc was elected.
Ms. Virginia Davide of the Philippine National Volunteers
Service Coordinating Agency was elected President of PAVE.
South Korean NGOs meet with NAMFREL
by Ma. Christina Pascual, Director for NCR
Representatives from 11 South Korean non-government
organizations (NGOs) met with NAMFREL officers on December 7
to discuss NAMFREL’s experiences on election monitoring
since 1984, as well as its experiences in international
election monitoring missions.
The 14-member delegation was composed of representatives
from the following NGOs: Korean NGO Union, Institute for
Education of the Korean Race Unification, Conference for
Projecting Sane Marriage, Making a Good World Practicing
Movement, Children’s Welfare Foundation, 21 Century Politics
Culture R & C Institute, Korea Cultural Institution for the
Handicapped, Admiration Volunteer Service Corporate, Inchon
NGO Union, Culture Justice Application Institute and
Watching Eyes for Clean Politics. Two of the delegates came
from the Office of the Prime Minister.
Representing NAMFREL were National Chairman Jose Concepcion,
Jr., National Vice-Chairman Vicente Jayme, National Council
members Atty. Ricardo Romulo, Teresa Nieva, Damaso Magbual
and Executive Director Telibert Laoc.
During the hour and a half meeting, NAMFREL officers
recounted NAMFREL’s history, the struggles and the
sacrifices of its volunteers, its experiences in local and
international election monitoring as well as its efforts in
electoral reform advocacy and in promoting good governance.
Mr. Kim Hyung Moon, Senior Representative of the Korean NGO
Union and head of the delegation observed that Filipinos and
Koreans both struggled to regain their freedom and fought
against their countries’ dictatorship.
Many Koreans sacrificed their lives for democracy, which Mr.
Kim likened to a “tree that feeds on the blood and
sacrifices of the people who fight for peace.” In the
ensuing discussion, the Koreans expressed their hope that
the meeting will be the start of future relations between
NAMFREL and the NGOs and they look forward to increased
coordination with NAMFREL.
The NGOs also extended an invitation to NAMFREL to observe
South Korea’s parliamentary elections, which will be held on
April 13, 2000.
Date: Sat, 27 May 2000 15:54:26 +0800
From: "Telibert C. Laoc"
Organization: NAMFREL
Subject: NAMFREL News Vol. 2, No. 10
NAMFREL NEWS
Vol. 2, No. 10
TouchVote Machine Demonstration
by Paolo Maligaya, Associate for Operations
Last October 21, 1999 at the COMELEC Session Hall, Mr. Greg Chumbley,
President of voting machines supplier Surveys International, demonstrated
before COMELEC Chairman Harriet Demetriou and other COMELEC officials how
the TouchVote Machine works. Present during the demonstration were NAMFREL
representatives headed by National Chairman Jose Concepcion, Jr. and
National Vice-Chairman Vicente Jayme. Also present were Mr. Ed Castañeda
from the Philippine Computer Society and Mr. Joffer Medillano from the
Department of Science and Technology.
I. What is the TouchVote machine? How will we vote using it?
TouchVote is a machine that directly records votes without using a paper
ballot. The names of the candidates, their photos and the title of the
elective position for which they are running are laminated on a board,
which is the machine itself. Votes are cast by pressing the button
embedded behind the name of the candidate on the board. A red light
corresponding to the chosen candidate illuminates once a voter makes his
choice. If the voter wants to change his mind, he or she may press the
same button again and the light goes out, canceling the previous vote for
that candidate.
A voter cannot overvote. If one is supposed to vote for a maximum of 12
candidates for senator, then a 13th button pressed will not light up.
However, the voter, if he or she so desires, may vote for less than 12
candidates. After completing his or her choices, the voter presses the
STOP button to “cast” or record his vote.
Since there are two sides of the board or machine where the “ballot” can be
laminated on, two voters, therefore, can vote simultaneously. While a
voter casts his or her vote using one side of the board, another may do so
on the other side, which is at the back of the board (see attached file
with the photo).
It is estimated that it will take a voter two to three minutes to cast a
vote for 32 to 40 positions. Therefore, it will take about four to five
hours for 200 voters, which is the maximum number of voters in each
precinct, to cast their votes.
II. How will the votes be counted and consolidated?
All votes are stored both in the machine’s memory and in the datacard
(or what is commonly known as a PCMCIA card) that is inserted in the
TouchVote machine on the morning of Election Day. According to Mr.
Chumbley, the results of the voting on the PCMCIA card cannot be reproduced
or its contents manipulated by any other machine. Digital encryption,
using modern technology, makes this possible.The consolidation of votes
from different precincts is done by loading the results from the PCMCIA
cards coming from different precincts to a designated TouchVote machine.
A “Consolidate” button is pressed every time a PCMCIA card is inserted and
the machine will reject previously consolidated cards. After the
consolidation is complete, the Consolidated Precinct Report may be printed
using a printer attached to the designated consolidating machine.
After the Consolidated Precinct Report has been printed, the report from
that TouchVote consolidation machine may be electronically transmitted to
a secure server at the COMELEC main office. The main office will accept
all the reports from all the TouchVote consolidation machines nationwide.
After all the reports have been received, the Official Nationwide Election
Results will now be printed.
III. Specifications and Manufacturer
TouchVote Machine Specifications:
Height: 39 inches; Width: 44 inches.; Thickness: 4 inches.; Weight: 45 lbs.
The machine can operate up to 16 hours on battery power.
Manufacturer – Surveys International, 1101 S. Andrews Avenue, Fort
Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.A.
IV. Price - quoted by Mr. Greg Chumbley
$1,500.00 per machine, without their fingerprint identifier
$1,500.00 per machine, with their fingerprint identifier, but the TouchVote
machine will only have one side (only one voter can vote at a time),
instead of the original two sides.
V. Others
Two keys will activate the machine. These keys may be given to two members
of the Board of Election Inspectors. They will simultaneously turn their
respective keys to activate the machine. After the voter casts his vote,
the machine becomes inoperative. The two representatives, therefore, have
to insert the keys again and turn it again simultaneously to enable the one
next in line to vote.
Comelec officials will be trained to operate the machine.
The TouchVote machine can accommodate a fingerprint verification device
that will screen all the voters first before they are allowed to vote.
The same supplier also sells the portable fingerprint identification
machine.
COMELEC Orders Recount in Makati; Approves Recall Elections in Pasay
by Maria Christina Pascual, Director for NCR
Only several months are left before the 2001 elections and yet we still
hear of cases where results of the elections in 1998 are being contested
and elected local officials being removed from office halfway through their
term. Acting on the petition for revision of ballots filed by former Makati
Councilor Ernesto Mercado, COMELEC has ordered the recounting of the
ballots cast for the vice-mayoralty position for Makati in the 1998
election. Mercado, who lost to Eduardo Manzano, identified 150 precincts
that will be subjected to the recount.
The Revision Process
Revision of ballots is one avenue whereby candidates who dispute the
election results may request the COMELEC to review and recount the ballots
in certain precincts that are being contested. The first step in the
revision process is the convening of a Committee on the Revision of Ballots
whose members shall include representatives from each party involved.
The duty of the committee is limited to classifying the ballots, recording
the objections of the parties, marking the contested ballots and submitting
a report of the proceedings to the Commission.
Under the procedures of revision, the ballots cast in favor of Mercado and
Manzano are to be segregated and counted, after which the representatives
of each party (called revisors) shall examine the ballots cast for
the opponent and classify these into contested and uncontested ballots.
The revisors shall provide a brief and specific explanation why the
contested ballots are being questioned.
The Committee is given three months to complete the revision proceedings.
Within 10 days from its completion, a report, together with the revised
ballots and documents marked as exhibits by the parties during the
revision shall be submitted to the Electoral Contest Adjudication
Department. The same shall be forwarded to the COMELEC’s Second Division
for ruling.
The Recall Process
Meanwhile, the petition for recall against Pasay City Mayor Jovito Claudio
was finally approved by COMELEC last October 18. Recall is a method
whereby the people themselves can directly remove from office elected
public officials. It is intended to make public officials more responsive
to the popular will through constant awareness of the power of the
electorate to replace them even before their terms expire.
The move to recall Mayor Claudio from office was initiated last May 19
when ten barangay officials discussed the possibility of filing a petition
for recall against the Pasay City Mayor. That meeting led to the convening
of a Preparatory Recall Assembly whereby 1,073 barangay chairpersons,
kagawads and Sangguniang Kabataan chairpersons adopted a resolution to
initiate the recall of Mayor Claudio, citing loss of confidence.
COMELEC declared that it does not have the budget required for the holding
of this exercise and consequently it has not yet set the date for the
recall election. Under the Local Government Code, no recall shall take
place one year immediately preceding a regular election. This means that
COMELEC only has until May 2000 to schedule the recall election in Pasay.
House Sub-Committee Pushes for Anti-Political Dynasty Bill
by Telibert C. Laoc, Executive Director
The House of Representatives of the 11th Congress, the fourth Congress
since the passage of the Constitution in 1987, attempts to pass the most
sought after reform in contemporary politics. The anti–political dynasty
law, believed to be the nemesis of political families, scions and kingpins,
might probably see the light of day, considering that committee discussions
are taking place 16 months into the 36-month term of congressmen.
House Bill numbers 385 and 2839 banning political dynasty will be submitted
to the main committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms for approval and
second reading. In a hearing last September 6 at the Batasan Pambansa
attended by COMELEC and NAMFREL officials, Rep. Alfredo Abueg, Jr.
(2nd District, Palawan-LAMMP), Deputy speaker for Luzon and author of the
bill with Reps. Erico Aumentado (2nd District, Bohol-LAMP-NP), Dante Liban
(2nd District, Quezon City-LAMMP); and Ignacio Bunye (Muntinlupa City-
Lakas-NUCD) define political dynasty as “the concentration, consolidation
or penetration of public office and political power by persons related to
one another.
A political dynasty relationship exists when a person who is
the spouse of an incumbent elective official or a relative within the first
civil degree of consanguinity or affinity of an incumbent elective official
runs for the same office which the incumbent elective official is holding
within the same province or occupies the same office immediately after the
term limit of the incumbent official.”
House Bill 2839 by Reps. Salvio Fortuno (4th District, Camarines Sur-LAMMP)
and Romualdo T. Vicencio (2nd District, Northern Samar-LAMP), gives the
same definition of political dynasty, but limits coverage to those related
to the incumbent official within the first degree of consanguinity or
affinity.
Both bills ban any elective official (except punong barangay or village
heads and Sangguniang barangay or members of the village council) to be
“immediately succeeded by any person having a political
dynasty relationship.”
Furthermore, both bills state that “No person having a political dynasty
relationship to an incumbent elective public official seeking re-election
shall be allowed to run simultaneously with and for the same office the
incumbent public official is holding”. All candidates for any
elective position in the province (except elective barangay
officials) are required to “file a sworn statement with the COMELEC that
he/she does not have a political dynasty relations with the incumbent
elective public official, which he/she aspires to immediately succeed.”
Are the Congressmen shooting themselves in the foot? Maybe, but the
Constitution states that Congress must pass a law defining and prohibiting
political dynasties in the spirit of providing equal opportunity for
public service. Until that Constitutional provision is changed or removed,
Congress will have to fulfil this provision eventually. Rep. Constantino
Jaraula (Cagayan de Oro City-LAMMP), Chair of the House Sub-Committee on
Legal and Post-Electoral Reforms which pushes for the bills, thinks that
this one is tough to pass but is optimistic and ascribes to this present
Congress as “bolder” (than its predecessors).
A compromise bill was crafted in the last Congress. This was essen- tially
the same as the current bills now filed in the House, but it proposed to
ban any political dynasty relations or succession to the position of
president, senator, congressman, provincial governor and mayor. And if a
candidate runs for national elective positions, none of his relatives
within the first degree of consanguinity or affinity could run as governor
or mayor in the province where the candidate is registered as a voter.
Are we expecting a similar compromise bill soon? Well, you may want to
wait and see. We’d rather you give the Congress your thoughts. In the
elections, your vote was probably the most valuable to your Congressman.
It still is. Why not give your opinion to your Congressman and let him or
her feel that your vote will be his or hers depending on his or her
position on the anti-dynasty bill and on his or her performance.
(You may want to furnish us a copy of your letter, and if you wish, you
can course your letter to us and we can forward your letter to the House.)
To request for a complete copy and matrix of the bills, contact us at
(02) 631-0078 or (02) 631-0141, or e-mail us at namfrel@portalinc.com.
* * *
National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL)
Editorial Board
Edgardo Tirona
NAMFREL Parañaque Co-Chairperson
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Damaso Magbual
NAMFREL NCR Chairperson
Rev. Archimedes Lachica, SJ
NAMFREL Quezon City Chairperson
Corazon Ignacio
NAMFREL Training and Communications Officer
Salvacion Ruby Adonay
Paolo Maligaya
Associate for Operations, NAMFREL National Secretariat
Telibert Laoc
NAMFREL Executive Director
We are accepting contributions.
For your articles, questions, comments and suggestions, you may write to:
The Editorial Board, NAMFREL News,
G/F RFM Corporate Center, Pioneer corner Sheridan Streets, Mandaluyong
City 1554 or PO Box 1274, Makati C.P.O. 1252
Telephone: 631-0141/631-0078
Fax: 638-8558/634-5136
E-mail: namfrel@portalinc.com
Website: http://www.namfrel.org
We encourage the reproduction and distribution of these news articles.
Thank you to Portal, Inc. and Mail Station for their support
to the objectives of NAMFREL. Portal, Inc. provides NAMFREL
free e-mail account, international roaming e-mail access,
and access to the internet. Mail Station maintains, for free,
the NAMFREL website www.namfrel.org.
