What are your observations of election day 2010?

Rodolfo Talledo, Angeles City: My gosh! It was the most ritual-laden election process that I have ever participated in. A lot of voters just went away, frustrated and angry.  

Cris Rivera, Rizal: Though there were sporadic reports of vote-buying, I feel that it was generally peaceful and orderly. It’s a great feeling, again, to be in a polling place without any anxiety.  

Voting was orderly

Joe Nacilla, Las Piñas City: In our area, voting was very orderly and the crowd was properly controlled. It took me only a little over five minutes to vote. It could have been less, if not for the need to be extra careful that the ballot would stay clean. As usual, the only disruption was the media, particularly photographers with giant cameras, fighting for a better position.  

Leandro Tolentino, Batangas City: Voter enthusiasm on the first automated elections was evident in the long lines seen in voting centers, but it was quite orderly in my own precinct.  

Edwin Castillo, Tanauan City: It was generally peaceful, despite a delay of about 20 minutes in the start of voting at my precinct.  

William Gonzaga, Marikina City: My wife and I were lucky enough to be given the privilege to bypass the long queue of voters by virtue of our being senior citizens. After some minutes of waiting for the opportunity to face the Board of Election Inspectors, we signed the voters registry with our thumb marks and received the extra long ballots enclosed in secrecy folders.  We participated in the historical automated May 10, 2010 elections. We accomplished the task in a jiffy. Nevertheless, we believed the ovals to be shaded were too small for comfort.  Still, it was a wonderful portrayal of our tiny role in Philippine history.  

Col. Ben Paguirigan Jr., Ret., Zamboanga City: It seemed peaceful, save for some vagrants who think they own the world.  

Louella Brown, Baguio City: In my barangay, the voters were calm, peaceful and orderly on Election Day 2010.  

It was a mess!

J.R. Mondonedo Jr., Parañaque City: It was the same as the last election. People waited in line for hours. It was hot. There were some incidents involving guns, some vote-buying, people not getting along with each other because of party affiliations, and many more. I think it will always be like this every election. Filipinos, in general, can never discipline themselves in their own country.   

Rey Ibalan, Antipolo City: Locating voters’ names and precincts was a mess. The actual voting was easy, though. As for the tabulation of votes, let’s see.  

Ernesto Oliquiano, Las Piñas City: Confusion, long lines, thousands of voters cramped in a small area are the observations I got while voting in our area, especially during the early hours of the day. Looking for one’s precinct was already an ordeal but lining up to cast our votes was another thing. We were so lucky that senior citizens were given priority in the line, much to the chagrin of non-senior citizens who had been in the vicinity much earlier than us. Some voters had to wait for four to five hours before they could finally vote. Casting our votes in secret was impossible inside the precincts since it was overflowing with voters waiting for their turn.  

The human traffic was unbearable

Rico Fabello, Parañaque City: Vendors, streetchildren and even beggars were everywhere. Automation was fast, but the human traffic was unbearable. I hope that in the next elections, only voters would be allowed within a certain perimeter.  

Arlene Go, Manila: Kawawang mga botante. Sinayang lang araw nila. Pinag-antay sa wala nang pagkatagal- tagal. It pays to be a celebrity  una kaagad at naka-televise pa!  

Cesar Mogol, Marinduque: It took me three hours to cast my vote. This was attributed to slow voters, mostly the elderly.  

Voter turnout was high

Ruben Viray, Antipolo City: Voter turnout was high. It was generally peaceful all over the country. First-time voters had different reactions, from excitement to fulfillment. Elders were given first priority without any sweat. Voting time was extended due to the turnout of voters. Lastly, this election of 2010 is a milestone in Philippine history.  

PPCRV parallel count causes confusion

C.B. Manalastas, Manila: The PPCRV unofficial parallel count should not have been allowed since it gives the wrong impression and causes confusion against the Comelec’s official tally.  

Kudos to PPCRV, teachers

C.B. Manalastas, Manila: Kudos to the teachers of Precinct 2320-A Abada High School, Sampaloc. Voting was systematic and orderly, with priority given to senior citizens.  

Ronito Rabino, Metro Manila: The 2010 automated polls are the best! It was quick to vote. Assistance from the PPCRV was readily available. It is great that we have a modern election system.  

Ed Gulmatico, Bacolod City: Except for the delay in some areas in the startup (opening) of the polls due to initial glitches  the delayed delivery/arrival of PCOS machines and replacement CFCs; defective compact flash cards (CFC); malfunctioning PCOS machines and the long interval/time gap for their repair/replacement, along with the disorganized system of voting and the long exposure of voters under the heat of the sun while waiting for their turn to vote  the patience and enthusiasm shown by 70 per cent of Filipino voters to exercise their right to suffrage using the automated election was remarkable. Credit must also be given to Comelec Commissioners, regional and provincial directors, supervisors and to all Comelec staff/personnel for ensuring voter fulfillment in the country’s first-ever automated election.  

Ishmael Q. Calata, Parañaque City: Election Day 2010 was very much unlike past elections, as I observed at the polling place where I have been casting my vote since the 1990s. Before writing my observations, I waited until the polls finally closed at 7 o’clock in the evening, when my son came home and told to me what he, too, experienced. When I arrived in the morning at the polling place, I was amazed at the sight of a huge enthusiastic crowd that had already gathered and queued up. It was a sight I had never seen before. That made me immediately conclude that the turnout of voters must have been due to the desire of our people to participate in a historic event where, for the first time, elections were automated. Mesmerized and a little confused, I was saved when I saw friends with PPCRV tags, one of whom gave me a little orientation and then led me to a lane for senior citizens. The whole process, which was made more pleasant by the spirited help from the teachers who gave out the ballots and manned the machines, was finished in 40 minutes. And I never heard any complaint from my fellow voters the whole time, as the men and women from PPCRV were doing their best to tend the lines with enthusiasm and smiling faces! My son experienced the same but, of course, at a longer waiting time and more suffering with the rest from the unbearable afternoon heat! But overall, it was a new election experience in an atmosphere of peace and orderliness! Kudos to the teachers and the PPCRV volunteers.  

Still leaves much to be desired

Desuel Pardo, Mandaluyong City: There is still much to be desired in terms of improving the elections. Automated machines should be 100-per cent functional to serve the purpose of smooth voting and fast and accurate counting. We need to employ more election staff to man the process effectively and efficiently, and provide enough seats and shelter to voters waiting for their turn. There should also be first aid crew in every voting place for emergencies. I hope these improvements will be in place in the next elections.  

Manuel Abejero, Pangasinan: Except for the fact that this is our first automated elections, everything was as usual. We had the 3Gs, the killings, the suspected cheating, etc.  

Germi Sison, Cabanatuan City: Though the 2010 automated election may succeed, I wish it would be likened to the election in the US, where it is treated as an ordinary day yet there is always a substantial turnout of voters. Voters present only their state ID to vote. There are no expensive, nonsensical campaign gimmicks, but public debates on relevant issues. The winners are decided by district votes instead of individual votes. To vote, people punch in the names of their candidates. At 5 pm, voting is closed and the counting of votes is done immediately. The results are known in a few minutes.  

Dr. Jose Balcanao, Benguet: Lines of voters were long. The names of some old voters were not found in their respective precincts. There was no ventilation in the voting precincts because the room was too small. Despite these problems, automated counting is definitely better than manual counting.  

Gerii Calupitan, Muntinlupa City: Candidates who wanted to win over undecided voters resorted to last-minute tactics. In our barangay, even the suplado at suplada barangay officials transformed into hand-shaking, food-chain-like staff, greeting us with smiles and a robotic “Good morning, Sir, Ma’am, welcome! Nakaboto na po ba kayo? Gusto ninyo bang i-upgrade ang balota ninyo? Baka gusto ninyo na rin isama si Buyboy sa Konseho? Take home ba? Ila-laptop po natin?” But wait until Elections 2010 is over!  

Jim Veneracion, Naga City: Only the system is new, but the same problems remain. With God’s guidance and the Filipinos’ innate resiliency, we had a successful election.  

A giant step towards progress

Robert Young Jr., San Juan: Despite testing errors on the PCOS machines before the election, the machines were generally able to function with minimal problems. All the apprehensions that there would be wholesale electronic cheating seemed to have been unfounded. The May 10 automated elections were historic. It has minimized election cheating, which had marred all previous elections. Hats off to Chairman Melo and his Comelec team for a job well done. Congratulations!  

Deo Durante, Camarines Sur: Despite the unsettled pros and cons, I see an inch of progress in our nation. The first automated elections showed our willingness to improve the voting process. We have departed from the bondage of questionable elections. Bye-bye to “Hello, Garci?” Bye-bye to dagdag-bawas. We are moving to a more modern world.  

Pedro Alagano Sr., Vigan City: Finally, we have moved forward from the low-tech to the high-tech mode of electing our leaders. I hope and pray that it will continue to be orderly and peaceful and that the losers would accept defeat graciously while the winners are magnanimous in their victory. Amen.  

Lucas Banzon Madamba II, USA: It was a “moment of truth” in Philippine history that would enable us to choose the next leaders who will carry our nation towards prosperity. More than 50 million people trooped to the polls in order to vote. It was the first time that our country used poll automation, which was embellished with hopes for a brighter future; for a new era and chapter of Philippine democracy.  

Expensive, time-consuming

Elmo Cruz, Manila: The 2010 elections was an expensive exercise. The Comelec spent so much on automated machines that fell short in serving their purpose. Candidates wantonly threw away so much money on cheap campaign ads and vote-buying. I wonder if the winning candidates can move our country toward moral development and if they can be the key to peace and order and open the gateway to prosperity.  

Jimmy Donton, Puerto Princesa City: The shading of ballots is time-consuming. It should be revised for convenience’s sake. The clustering of voters should be reconsidered because of the long lines. Generally, it was peaceful and exciting.  

People were thankfully patient

C.K. Yeo, Iloilo City: The elections could have been smoother if only the Comelec website were functioning properly. For weeks, I tried accessing the website to check my voting precinct without any success. The website, like many things about Comelec, was defective. Queues were long. It took voters longer to vote compared to the previous elections. Malfunctioning PCOS machines were aplenty. But people were surprisingly patient. They were willing to queue for hours to ensure better officials would be elected for the next six years. They are now wiser.  

People are more vigilant than before

Leonard Villa, Batac City: My observations are mostly positive, though there were isolated cases of negative incidents. People are now more vigilant than before.  

Views expressed in this section do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The STAR. The STAR does not knowingly publish false information and may not be held liable for the views of readers exercising their right to free expression. The publication also reserves the right to edit contributions to this section as it sees fit.

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