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Tuesday, November 04, 2003
Davao deleted from list of areas for automation
By Christie Enriquez-Uayan
* Joquiño says they are for automation 120 percent, but they were never asked whether they wanted it or not
* Biazon says Davao was among those short-listed for the pilot computerized counting
* City de-listed after bicameral committee convened
COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) 11 chief Lirio Joquiño clarified Monday it was not their decision to exclude Davao from the areas where the automated counting machines (ACMs) will be deployed to facilitate the computerized election process.
"We did not refuse to be automated. Rather, we were not asked whether we want automation or not," Joquiño told reporters Monday.
The Comelec official said they would have wanted the automation "120 percent" to ease the burden that goes along with their responsibilities come election period.
She said the computerization of the counting process could have permitted a shorter time for tallying the votes of the public and would have provided a level of assurance for the Comelec staff against being sued by losing candidates.
"The ACM is capable of counting from 40 to 45 ballots a minute. Thus, if implemented in the city for example, we might declare the winners in a matter of three to four days compared to the present three weeks," Joquiño said, citing the lack of manpower and mobility as among the reasons for the delay.
Senator Rodolfo Biazon, for his part, said that the Senate, in its proposal to recommend pilot areas for computerization, including Davao, "but after the bicameral committee convened, Davao was deleted from the list".
"There must have been some debate about it after which they decided not to include Davao," he added.
Comelec chair Benjamin Abalos earlier announced the National Capital Region (NCR) and the provinces of Cebu, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Rizal, Pampanga, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm), Isabela, Cotabato, Baguio, and Cagayan de Oro city as the areas where ACMs will be deployed.
Abalos said the Comelec, en banc, decided to select the said areas following the request of the Congress oversight committee on automation of elections to implement the computerization only in selected areas of the country.
(November 4, 2003 issue)
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