Press Release
October 7, 2008

Gordon asks gov't to fund full automation of 2010 elections

The Arroyo administration has to fund the P21-billion budgetary requirement the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has proposed for the full automation of the May 2010 national and local elections, Independent Senator Richard J. Gordon today said.

Gordon, chairman of the Senate constitutional amendments, revisions of codes and laws, issued the statement in the wake of reports that a supplemental budget for full automation may be "too expensive" and therefore, no longer feasible.

"The Arroyo administration has to produce the budget (for full automation). This is President Arroyo's commitment to the Filipino electorate," he said, mindful that the no less than President Arroyo has repeatedly expressed strong support for the full election automation in her State of the Nation Address as well as in her 10-point agenda.

Gordon, co-chairman of the joint congressional oversight committee on the automated election system, authored Republic Act 9369, also known as the Amended Automated Elections Law, which paved the way for a generally peaceful and successful computerized elections in ARMM last August 11.

According to him, it would be President Arroyo's lasting legacy if the next election is automated, stressing that her predecessors have repeatedly promised the computerization of elections, but their promises were left unfulfilled.

"This has been the promise of every president, that we will have clean, honest and speedy elections. They all promised to clean the electoral process through its automation. If automation is carried out in next election, it is her (Arroyo's) legacy," Gordon said.

Gordon also explained that it is for the best interest of the poll body to ensure the full automation of the 2010 elections because it will help them redeem themselves from waning public trust and confidence on them and the electoral exercises.

"The full automation of the 2010 elections is a game-changer because it will not only elevate the country's electoral exercise from third to first world class but also erase public suspicion that the Filipino people's sacrosanct votes would be stolen from them," he added.

"The automation sends a strong signal that massive cheating that often marred the country's electoral exercises would no longer be easily carried out. It would also discourage malfeasance within the Comelec," he said.

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