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Proposals for partial automation
of 2007 polls pushed
SENATOR Richard Gordon and House Representative Teodoro Locsin
have filed separate bills that propose to have partial
automation of the 2007 elections, outgoing chairman Virgilio
Peña of the Commission on Information and Communications
Technology (CICT) told INQ7.net this week.
The proposed measures aim to modernize elections in 20 percent
of precincts in the Philippines, Peña added.
"The proposed measures hope to pilot the automated elections in
key cities, provinces and municipalities," he said.
In its website (www.comelec.gov.ph), the Commission on Elections
(Comelec) indicated that it is "eagerly awaiting" the outcome of
the plenary discussion on Senate Bill No. 2231 filed by Gordon,
chair of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments.
Commissioner Resurreccion Borra said that the Senate proposal
will amend Republic Act 8436 or the election modernization law.
Borra said that the Gordon's proposalis a "product of extensive
cooperation between the Comelec and the technical working group
created by Gordon, with the input of local information
technology experts and headed by the CICT.
The Comelec hopes to amend RA 8436 to enable the poll body to
use the most appropriate technology in the coming elections.
Under the existing law, the Comelec is required to use only
devices that utilize optical mark reader technology.
"The amended version is more technology-neutral," Borra said.
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