Our First Automated Elections in the Philippines

Today marks a very important event in the Philippine history as we undergo the first ever national automated elections.   And this year we are voting for all government positions from our localities up to our presidential level.

This year we are voting for our new President and Vice President which both will be serving the next 6 years, 12 Senators who are also going to serve for 6 years, a Congressman to represent our district, a Mayor and Vice Mayor which will serve for the next 3 years, and 6 Councilors for the city council.   In the provinces, Governor, Vice Governor, and Board Member positions are also going to be elected.

Today, I made my way to my electoral precinct in Camarin, Caloocan City around 645am just a few minutes before the polls open up at 7am.  I'm glad that my aunt had come in earlier than me and I was informed earlier where my precinct is specifically located.   A queue of voters are already there when I arrived.  Many of which are excited to vote the first time by using the new Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machine.  

Within our polling area, a number of volunteers wearing black shirts with yellow ribbons are around the area.  These are people who are volunteering to watch votes for the Lakas party.  

The queue was long and it took us about 2.5 hours to actually be able to cast my votes.  When I get my chance, first I had myself registered to the Board of Electoral Inspectors to be handed my long ballot which contains my option of 10 presidents, 8 vice presidents, 67 senators, and 189 partylists, plus the local candidates.  The ballot is more than 2 feet long.

Casting our votes are done by filling in round circles beside each candidate in the long ballot and afterward feeding the ballot to the PCOS machine provided by Smartmatic.

It was a new way and it was great to have this opportunity to experience it.  But due to some issues encountered by other precincts around the country in the PCOS machines deployed to them, the next thing we need to watch out for are the actual canvassing of the votes as the counts will be consolidated into one machine located in Manila through the use of mobile signals.   In about 2 hours, polls will close and we'll see the results getting out in the next hours after it for the local levels and within 48 hours for the national levels.

Keeping posted.

List of Candidates for Philippines' First Automated Election for 2010

On Monday, May 10, 2010, the Philippines will embark a momentous event in its recent history.   The first ever automated election will be held to count all votes nationally.  Filipinos will be voting for the most elective positions from President to the local positions in each towns in every province in the country.

The Automated machines called Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines that will be used in this election was provided by the Venezuelan company Smartmatic with its local partner TIM.   This is through the contract under the Commission on Election (COMELEC)

Below, I'm listing all the officially registered candidates for this coming national elections.

President

1. ACOSTA, VETELLANO SEINEZ     (KBL)

2. AQUINO, BENIGNO SIMEON III COJUANGCO   (LP)

3. DE LOS REYES, JOHN CARLOS GORDON     (AKP)

4. ESTRADA EJERCITO, JOSEPH MARCELOV     (PMP)

5. GORDON, RICHARD JUICO     (B.BAYAN-VNP)

6. MADRIGAL, JAMBY AS     (Independent)

7. PERLAS, JESUS NICANOR PINEDA     (Independent)

8. TEODORO, GILBERTO JR. COJUANGCO     (Lakas-Kampi)

9. VILLANUEVA, EDUARDO CRUZ     (BP)

10. VILLAR, MANUEL JR BAMBA     (NP)

 Vice President

1. BINAY, JEJOMAR CABAUATAN     (PDP Laban)

2. CHIPECO, DOMINADOR JR FUENTECILLA     (AKP)

3. FERNANDO, BAYANI FLORES     (B.Bayan-VNP)

4. LEGARDA, LOREN BAUTISTA     (NPC)

5. MANZANO, EDUARDO BARRIOS     (Lakas-Kampi)

6. ROXAS, MANUEL ARANETA     (LP)

7. SONZA, JOSE YUMANG     (KBL)

8. YASAY, PERFECTO RIVAS     (BP)

Senators

1. ACOSTA, JR. NEREUS OLAIVAR     (LP)

2. ALBANI, SHARIFF IBRAHIM HUSSIEN     (KBL)

3. ALONTO,ZAFRULLAH MAROHOMBSAR NOLDY     (BP)

4. BAUTISTA, J.V. LARION     (PMP)

5. BAUTISTA, MARTIN DONATO    (Independent)

6. BELLO, SILVESTRE III HERNANDO     (Lakas-Kampi)

7. BIAZON, ROZZANO RUFINO BUNOAN     (LP)

8. BONG REVILLA, RAMON, JR. BAUTISTA     (Lakas-Kampi)

9. CAUNAN, HENRY BUENAVENTURA     (PDP LABAN)

10. CAYETANO, PILAR JULIANA SCHRAMM     (NP)

11. DAVID, RIZALITO YAP     (AKP)

12. DE VENECIA, JOSE III PEREZ     (PMP)

13. DEFENSOR SANTIAGO, MIRIAM PALMA     (PRP)

14. DRILON, FRANKLIN MAGTUNAO     (LP)

15. ENRILE, JUAN PONCE    (PMP)

16. ESPINOSA, NANETTE MELITON     (KBL)

17. ESTRADA, JINGGOY EJERCITO     (PMP)

18. GUICO, RAMON, JR. NAVAL     (Lakas-Kampi)

19. GUINGONA, TEOFISTO III DE LARA     (LP)

20. HONTIVEROS-BARAQUEL, ANA THERESIA HONTIVEROS     (LP)

21. IMBONG, JO AUREA MARCOS     (AKP)

22. INOCENCIO, MA. KATHERINE L. REYES     (BP)

23. LACSON, ALEXANDER LEDESMA     (LP)

24. LAMBINO, RAUL LOYOLA     (Lakas-Kampi)

25. LANGIT, REY MAGAT     (Lakas-Kampi)

26. LAO, YASMIN BUSRAN     (LP)

27. LAPID, MANUEL MERCADO     (Lakas-Kampi)

28. LIM, DANILO DELA PUZ     (Independent)

29. LOOD, ALMA ABELLA     (KBL)

30. LOZADA, JOSE APOLINARIO JR LECONIA     (PMP)

31. MAAMBONG, REGALADO ESTRELLA     (KBL)

32. MARCOS, FERDINAND, JR. ROMUALDEZ     (NP)

33. MAZA, LIZA LARGOZA     (Independent)

34. MITRA, RAMON BLANCO     (NP)

35. NIKABULIN, ADZ GANIH     (BP)

36. OCAMPO, RAMONCITO POBLETE     (BP)

37. OCAMPO, SATURNINO CUNANAN     (Bayan Muna)

38. OPLE, SUSAN VASQUEZ     (NP)

39. OSMENA, EMILIO MARIO RENNER     (Promdi)

40. OSMEÑA, SERGIO III DE LA RAMA     (Independent)

41. PALPARAN, JOVITO JR SALVAÑA     (Independent)

42. PAPIN, IMELDA ARCILLA     (KBL)

43. PAREDES, ZOSIMO JESUS II MENDOZA     (AKP)

44. PIMENTEL, GWENDOLYN DE LA LLANA     (PDP LABAN)

45. PLAZA, RODOLFO GALIDO     (NPC)

46. PRINCESA, REYNALDO RELUCIO     (Independent)

47. QUERUBIN, ARIEL OLIVA     (NP)

48. RECTO, RALPH GONZALEZ     (LP)

49. REMULLA, GILBERT CESAR CATIBAYAN     (NP)

50. RIÑOZA-PLAZO, MARIA GRACIA DE VEAS    (AKP)

51. ROCO, SONIA MALASARTE     (LP)

52. SISON, ADRIAN ORDONEZ     (AKP)

53. SOTTO, VICENTE III CASTELO     (NPC)

54. TAMANO, ADEL ABBAS     (NP)

55. TAMAYO, REGINALD BALISI     (AKP)

56. TARRAZONA, HECTOR MIRASOL    (AKP)

57. TATAD, FRANCISCO SARMIENTO     (GAD)

58. TINSAY, ALEXANDER BRITANICO     (BP)

59. VALDEHUESA, MANUEL JR ECHEM     (AKP)

60. VILLANUEVA, HECTOR LABAO     (KBL)

61. VIRGINES, ISRAEL NICOLAS     (BP)

Source: Comelec Official List of Candidates

Willie vs. Jobert

Just heard from the news last night about the issue between Willie Revillame and Jobert Sucaldito.   Below are the videos of their comments.   And I'd say Willie has really had a big head already.  He really think that he is that powerful in ABS CBN.