No automated polls imperils our democracy

Whenever the unexpected strikes, it strikes right at the heart of a problem. That’s exactly what many people think of the problems that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is facing these days just a few days prior to the official signing of its agreement with Smartmatic, the consortium that won the bidding for the poll automation. All of the sudden Total Information Management (TIM) backed out from their consortium with Smartmatic. Why? We still don’t know. It will remain a mystery until TIM Pres. Jose Mari Antunez gives a public statement. I know Mr. Antunez way back from our schooldays. I haven’t seen the fella for many years and I hope he’ll come clean on this very vital issue.

I really don’t know how to describe what’s happening with the Comelec these days, whether it is just plain and simple “Murphy’s Law” in action, that, “Whatever can go wrong will go wrong; at the worst possible time, in the worst possible way” or it’s just a SNAFU (Situation Normal, All F*%^d Up) or this could very well be a deliberate attempt to scuttle the proposed automation for the 2010 polls? It couldn’t have come at a worse time, just when the Comelec was running out of time to do anything. That’s the problem with us Pinoys, always doing everything at the very last minute. Now its payback time!

Of course, Comelec Chief Jose Melo has already considered their worst case scenario and that is to return to the old tried and very well cheated manual or “mano-mano” type of counting. If this will happen, you can say that those old politicos who wanted to scuttle the automated polls have already won a great victory! I’m sure these people are already popping out the champagne, partying and singing that old tune, “Happy days are here again!” Sure, we can all shrug our shoulders and sigh that this is the Philippines where nothing really works!

But should we give up and raise our hands in surrender? Or can we still do something about this very serious situation? I hope that well-meaning people move heaven and earth to ensure that the Comelec can still implement an automated system because the stability of our democracy sorely depends on it. How sad it is for us Filipinos who are very proud to say that we are Asia’s First Democracy, yet, when it comes to the counting of our ballots, we are in reality at the level of those emerging African nations that are still learning their first steps towards democracy! How shameful!

Already we have seen how the young people in Iran reacted to cheating in their last elections, by marching to the streets of Tehran or will all this end up with a coup like what’s happening in Honduras today? We ought to avoid this at all cost; otherwise, all the gains we’ve made for many years would vanish because of ugly politics that refuses to change for the better.

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With school in full speed, regardless of the threat of the A(H1N1) virus, we can now focus on other issues pertaining to our schoolchildren. Here’s an email by Ms. Monette Aliño. I fully concur with her observations.

“Dear Bobit: Have you noticed how heavy the school bags our little boys and girls bring to school? Even a Grade I pupil has to drag (and I mean that literally) a big, big bag full of books! Even with wheels on, these bags are so heavy, fathers are hardly able to carry them. Why so many books? 

And yet, when the children get home, they have tons of homework to do! I have nothing against homework as this can inculcate good study habits and discipline a child. But when they are given 20 or more pages – for one subject, for one day, then that can turn off even the most diligent of pupils. Remember they have 6 or more subjects a day. It’s a nightmare for both parents and children. I really cannot understand why children have to bring so many books, why they have volumes of homework, and why they need tutors, which incidentally is costly! Why not seat work? 

Actually, seat work is better than homework because teachers can guide the pupils. That’s their calling! Moreover, they can see for themselves that it is the child doing the work, not the parent, nor the yaya, nor the tutor. I hope the school administrators can look into this. A heavy bag can be hazardous to the child’s health. I once read an article by a famous doctor which advised against this as it can injure the child’s back. Our schools do not have lockers where the children can leave their books but there must be some way the school remedy the situation, can help the children and lessen the burden of parents. Studying should be a joy. Let our children enjoy school! Let them look upon every school year with anticipation and not with fear! Thank you, Monette A.”