What should the Comelec do to improve its operations?

Interviews by Martin Dante L. del Rosario, Katrina B. Paredes, and Margaret Michelle C. Tan

“Trust talaga yung problema ngayon ng Comelec, malaki yung naging impact nung Hello Garci na issue, so feeling ko kung maayos ‘yun, kung maayos ‘yung system ng Comelec, pati maging transparent sila sa mga [tao], feeling ko magiging maayos ‘yung mga susunod na elections.” – Marlon Jose Ibabao (III BS Ch:MSE)

“Dapat ‘yung mga Comelec official maging transparent. Kung gusto nila ng change, dapat sa kanila magsimula.” – Erik Lawrence Dy (II BS Mgt)

“Electronic yung pagvo-vote. Para electronic na lahat tapos para mas mabilis ang pagka-count, tapos baka maiwasan din ‘yung pandaraya.” – Paul William Mayuyu (III BS ME)

“Kung may hint of cheating lang man, dapat i-disqualify na agad. Stricter punishments.” – Jan Joseph Abolino (II BS ECE)

“Younger people ang dapat mag-man ng booth. Twenty-plus kami na Chua na sunud-sunod nagboto, tapos mali-mali ang name na sinulat. Dapat magkaroon rin ng mga signboards sa school para mas madali hanapin ang mga voting stations.” – Sherleen Rose Chua (II BS MCT)

“Siguro dapat aprubahan na lang ‘yung computerized na vote-counting para malinis, walang dayaan.” – Arvin Pajarillo, Loyola Schools (LS) Maintenance

“I think the Comelec should embrace technology, like computerized counting or voting, to ensure accuracy, and they should also assign credible people to manage the operations. Finally, dapat may transparency.” – Ysabella Kristina Poblete (III BS Mgt)

“Computerized [operations], kasi we can’t get stuck forever in the stone age. If improved operations means faster operations, computerization is what is needed about the honesty issue. About the honest operations... ‘di ko sure kung paano pa maaayos ‘yun. We need new people in there to regain the trust of the people.” – Kristoffer Ryan Velarde (IV BS ME)

“Wala[ng] naging problema sa voting center namin sa Marikina eh. Even ‘yung counting, walang problema. Tahimik siya. More or less okay na ‘yung system. Okay rin siguro kung computerized na, pero pag-aralan muna dapat nila. Dapat din mag-consider sila ng paraan na mas maging madali ang pagboto sa mga matatanda, tulad ng paglagay ng mga voting booths sa ground floor lang lahat.” – Dhea Santos, Rizal Library Staff

“Fix ‘yung designations of precincts where people should vote.” – Ma. Kristina Dumo (III BS ME)

WHAT SHOULD THE COMELEC DO TO IMPROVE ITS OPERATIONS? Comment and share your views with the rest of the Ateneo community!

Blue Balloting

Blue Balloting. Namfrel QC Vice Chair for Tabulation Boyet Dy (AB DS '06) surfs this website while on the job at Bantay Bilang.

Photo by Henson Tyler T. Wongaiham

A salute to Bantay Bilang volunteers

The GUIDON dedicates this special update to all those who volunteered to be part of Bantay Bilang. Helping out in projects such as this proves that not all Ateneans are indifferent after all.

Photos by Jake R. Nallas

What do you think of political dynasties?

Interviews by Cyril Fermin

“Political dynasties are here to stay. Despite the constitutional provision requiring the creation of a legislation, there is no way it could be done considering that most of the Congress people are members of political dynasties themselves.” – Nestonel Estrada (IV AB PoS)

“Okay lang naman siguro ang pagkakaroon ng political dynasties, as long as magaling ‘yung dynasty nila at hindi corrupt and stuff. I don’t think it depends on what your last name is eh. Basta if magaling ka na politician okay lang.” – Mark Daryll Tan (II BS Mgt-H)

“Political dynasties are greatly responsible for the triangle system in the Philippines, in which two percent of the population monopolizes everything. Still, it is their right to run for office—given the damn rule that anyone who is of Filipino citizenship can run which disregards political dynasties or education—and it is the people who vote for them still. I myself do not conform with political dynasties, but find nothing, under law or religion, that contradicts it. As long as the leader is a just and honest one, political dynasties would not matter to me. But since many are not, I believe a law must be issued regarding this to minimize or stop political dynasties.” – Randolph Keane Cobankiat (II BS LM)

“I think it depends if ‘yung talagang purpose lang nila is to serve the country and not to keep the power to themselves. Or that they are just doing that to prevent others from taking their positions.” – Monika Lara Guballa (II BS LM)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF POLITICAL DYNASTIES? Comment and share your views with the rest of the Ateneo community!

Namfrel QC to finish operations today

1PM - Namfrel Quezon City (QC) has again extended its operations from 12PM of today to midnight. It first extended the quick count from May 20 to 12PM of today.

Vice Chair for Tabulation Boyet Dy (AB DS '06) said that Namfrel QC will finish checking and encoding all its election returns (ERs) by today. The core group will also arrange all the rooms used for the quick count by today.

The Manuel V. Pangilinan Center for Student Leadership (MVP-CSL) is the headquarters of the Namfrel QC operation quick count.

Dy said that Namfrel QC's results are not just accurate but also representative. "Everything is really accurate kasi mabusisi talaga sa pag-check (because the checking is really done meticulously)."

There are two layers for checking. The first involves checking whether the data in the ERs are complete and readable. The second entails trying to decipher the data labeled as unreadable in the first checking.

"We really save [the ERs] that we can," said Dy.

Dy added that the percentage of ERs tabulated this year was higher than that for 2004. The Loyola Schools (LS) also headed the Namfrel QC quick count in 2004.

Responding to complaints that Namfrel QC has taken too long to tabulate its ERs, Dy said that QC has a big voting population. He also cited the errors encountered with Namfrel National's computer program as a reason for the delay.

Dy also said that they have enough volunteers to finish the tabulation since many parish youth groups have arrived to help in the quick count. Other volunteers also arrived.

As of press time, the volunteers have been divided into two groups, one for checking and one for encoding. Later, all volunteers will be asked to encode.

Ayee D. Macaraig

reporting from the Bantay Bilang Headquarters, Ateneo

Looking over. Namfrel QC Vice Chair for Tabulation Boyet Dy (AB DS '06) tries to clarify details in the ERs to parish youth volunteers who encoded at Faura Hall.

Photo by Henson Tyler T. Wongaiham

Namfrel QC finishes 61% of ERs, needs more volunteers

1204PM – As of press time, Namfrel Quezon City (QC) has finished tabulating 3,328 or 61% of its election returns (ERs), said Miriam delos Santos, Namfrel QC finance officer.

“We are really hoping that we could reach our target of tabulating 70% of the ERs by tomorrow noon,” said delos Santos who is also the outgoing Office of Student Activities (OSA) director.

Delos Santos said that there were no ERs to encode this morning so they had to ask the volunteers to check the ERs.

“We really need more volunteers,” she added. Namfrel QC has been circulating text messages to dormers, faculty members, administrators, and students to ask them to volunteer for the quick count.

"Walk-in volunteers are very much welcome to sign-up. There will be officers who will train them,” delos Santos said.

In the next four hours, Namfrel QC hopes to finish tabulating 65% of the ERs. Delos Santos said that they are planning to encode the ERs that were checked this morning.

Nikko Carlo A. Tolentino
reporting from the Bantay Bilang Headquarters, Ateneo

Namfrel QC Quick Count Partial and Unofficial Results

National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections - Quezon City Chapter
Results as of 8PM, May 21

MAYOR

Acebedo, Romeo S. - 2323
Alvarez, Florian Yani L. - 3101
Belmonte, Feliciano R. - 367280
Rosales, Andy Q. - 6034

VICE MAYOR

Bautista, Herbert Constantine N. - 362454
Bautista, Roberto B. - 5169
Jota, Rolando M. - 5036
Obsum, Rogelio P. - 1289