SOON TO BE PART OF HISTORY - AUTOMATED ELECTION

What am I reading today?

Source: Hubpages

The Malacañang's Department of Budget and Management produce the P11.9 billion supplemental budget for this coming election which will be automated. Christian Monsod has been explaining how the Open Election System method of automation works.

“Monsod stressed that the proposed OES-based automated election system, combined with an optical mark recognition (OMR) technology, could cost government about P8 billion for the equipment and operations. If Comelec prefers getting the OES automated election system alone, it will cost around P4 billion."

And he added that "The choice of automation technology and its successful implementation is key to the credibility of the elections."

What was really the "Automated Election"?

Based on the Senate Bill No. 2231: (13th Congress) which entitled:

AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8436, ENTITLED AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS TO USE AN AUTOMATED ELECTION SYSTEM IN THE MAY 11, 1998 NATIONAL OR LOCAL ELECTIONS AND IN SUBSEQUENT NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTORAL EXERCISES, TO ENCOURAGE TRANSPARENCY, CREDIBILITY, FAIRNESS AND ACCURACY OF ELECTIONS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 881, AS AMENDED, REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7166 AND OTHER RELATED ELECTIONS LAWS, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

On section 2 on the said article defines the automated election systemas:
A system using appropriate technology for voting, counting, consolidating, canvassing, transmission of election results and other processes in the conduct of electoral exercises.

Equipments or components that are being used for Automated Election:

1. Counting machine - a machine that uses an optical scanning mark-sense reading
2. Data storage device - a device used to electronically store counting and device of any similar advanced technology to count ballots; canvassing results, such as, memory pack or diskette;
3. Computer set - a set of equipment containing regular components, i.e., monitor, central processing unit or CPU, keyboard and printer;
4. National Ballot - refers to the ballot to be used in the automated election system for the purpose of the May 1998 elections. This shall contain the names of the candidates for president, vice-president, senators and parties, organizations or coalitions participating under the party-list system;
   
   This ballot shall be counted by the counting machine:
5. Local Ballot - refers to the ballot on which the voter will manually write the names of the candidates of his/her choice for member of the House of Representatives, governor,vice-governor, members of the provincial board, mayor, vice-mayor, and members of the city municipal council.
6. Board of Election inspector - there shall be a Board of Election Inspectors in every precinct composed of three (3) regular members who shall conduct the voting, counting and recording of votes in the polling place.

Many questions and complains arise from this issue such as:

• How reliable can be the automated election system be?Some people said that anything that is being done through computerized would be easier to falsify.
• In the side of indigenous people it would be hard for them to vote if the election will be done automatically because some of them are illiterate.

• There will be no ballot box snatching as the ERs are transmitted electronically for canvassing
• There is less work for the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI)
• If all precincts are connected, national results can be produced within one hour after the close of voting
• There is automated tally of votes at the city/municipal level
• The DRE can include an automated voter validation system
• Canvassing at the city/municipal and provincial levels is almost instantaneous
• There is an instantaneous tally of votes at the precinct level
• Ballots are pre-printed and voters simply mark choices

Actually, we will be soon part of the automated elections this May 10. I still can't understand why other people think negatives about what Philippine Government try to do regarding this automation. For me, this is something new; something fair. I agree that the country is suffering of a lot of corruption that many people do not even trust the government. But let us just wait until the election is over. Yes, there will be cheating but that will be another issue. The government  found a way - the automation.

I have been in a training last three weeks. The Smartmatic trained supervisors and technicians who will serve this coming May 10 election. I am one of them. As supervisors and technicians, we are neutral during the election. We can't even vote if we will be assigned far away from our permanent residents.

MARCH 21, 2010

It was Sunday and classes are over. I promised myself to get some sleep, so, I woke at 10:00 am. Last November 2009, during our semestral break, I started to go to gym, doing some exercises and I started loving it. But it didn't last for so long because I went back to school.

This afternoon I went back to gym. I am expecting pains in different parts of my body tomorrow but that's normal. It was fun. We have two months break from school therefore, I could come back there again for two months.

Just now, I am trying to make some tweaks of a photo.

Having fun with Adobe Photoshop to come up with this edited photo.

I started learning Photoshop last year and most of my knowledge came from self study or self experimentation. I wish I could be in a professional training about photography and editing.

RECENT EXPERIENCES

Yesterday...
Last week I posted my resume over the internet and was applying for a call center agent or technical support representative. Two days after, the company texted me to be at their office for an interview. So, I was their yesterday. The interview schedule was 10:00 AM and I arrived their 9:50, that was perfect. First, we took four parts exams and I passed. It was followed by the interview proper where you and the HR talk. He asked to tell more about myself. I was nervous that I wasn't able to talk instantly. I started describing myself in calm voice. I don't have any background about applying for such position and I haven't ask someone who underwent the same process. He said, "No go" for now. I have thought about asking what does it mean but I did not maybe he might think that I am stupid that I couldn't understand. Well, that was frustrating. I have exerted effort, money and time for nothing. But I have thought that life is sometimes like that. Do I  have to try again? I think so, but another company. Some people said that we could learn from our experiences and that is always true. Learning always comes from nothing.

Today...
Just this morning, our school is celebrating the "65th Foundation of the School" and different activities, competitions are being implemented. One of the competitions was "Computer Hardware Assembly". I was confident to attend the competition. In fact, I am doing that for almost 3 years and therefore it's not hard for me. It was fun, they're giving Php300 for the first placer, Php200 for second placer and 100 for third placer. I only got the second place. I was having fun with it. That's the one of the ways to build your competent in front of the people. Why not try while you have the skill?

Huh.... experiences.. :)

SCHOOL UPDATES

Schooling is going on. It is always a good thing to learn new things. The months I've spent of not doing anything on my blog made me think of missing it again. There many things I've learned from school not just academically but socially also. I've learned to go with other other people, friends and classmates. I used to quote "social interactions is very important to an individual" from our Psychology instructor last two years. The more I get involved with others the more chances that social relationships will be built. It's totally different last three years where I lived alone. Although I could talk my friends online but hanging out with friends has a different impact than being online.

So, go back about school...

I hate the Math subject still, but I started to overcome the pessimist character. I believe that I can do it, it just a matter of time. I used to blame that I don't have enough time for studying, which is true because, still, I have work during the day and school at night. There were some lessons in Math on high school that is still related to our present lessons today and I haven't learn if from high school. This is one of the reason that I can't absorb the lessons easily. In fact, I got low grades last mid term exam but I passed. Sometimes I have thought about quitting school and get a job somewhere but I need to finish at least 2 years in college. So, if I want to get a good job, I may get that next year. These are the options in my mind:

1. quit school and get a job

2. continue school and just wait another year

3. go to Manila and stay at my uncle, probably continue my studies

I really don't know yet but as of now I am doing the 2nd option. The contract of lease of the company where I am working will end this March 2010. Sell everything or transfer to other place are the options. This could affect my schooling because my financial support is dependent on the company. I hope I'll be at the company still until I finish my 2nd year in college. Well, time will change, ideas and thoughts of the people change. I could just used the living for today and minimize the long list for the future.

Just for today.