May 10 Philippines Election aftermath

May 10 election came and went and here I am in front and writing. If someone would ask me, how did it go? I'd say it was a good change, though not entirely viable as one could possible hope for. The top national position, I'd say there is a certain hope for a good start with the new administration at the helm, yet on the other hand only history can tell when everything has come an gone. On the local front, despite overwhelming possibilities of defeat a certain politician and cronies who in many years been tainted with neglect and corruption, manage an overwhelmingly win against publicly favored candidate.  All and all despite allegations of massive vote buying in my own home town which the accusation seems credible enough and some unfortunate incidents elsewhere. My country's first automated election was a success, though admittedly there are still plenty of things to ironed out.

The road to election automation in the Philippines was largely brought about by the nation's awe to its ally the United State. Back then the nation electoral contest was wage through manual counting, which sadly make it untrustworthy and prone to loopholes and lot of it. As a result corrupt politician scrupulously create ways and means to win. In the past decades since the Marcos era, politician carry out what we often declare as the Three G's to gain power. To gain victory in every elections a politician needs to have these 3 G's which stand for Guns, Goons and Gold. Even up to the last election hot spots in far flung provinces between rival political families try  either pay, kill or change results in subtle yet pronounced way. It was in 2008 when the Philippines once again wetness a grand event in the United State the presidential elections in which Barak Obama came into office and became president. What strike the Filipino nation with great fascination was not Mr. Obama's election to the presidency, but the speed in which he was proclaim. I myself was at awe an I'm sure I was not the only one. Ever since the countries first election, manual counting was always the rule of the day, It is not that there is something wrong with it. Its just that by going manual opportunities of rigging the election result is more probable to the point of being upfront and actual. Many politician even stand against automation of the election process. But after the U.S. election and the eagerness at home for automation of the election became an anxiety. To make the my story short, the Philippine congress pass a republic act ordering Commission on Election  to begin Automation of the Philippine election hence forth, which ultimately became a reality last 10th of May 2010. At first groups and even politician went as far as the supreme court to stop the automation, when glitches was reported one week before the date of suffrage there were even call to postpone it for favorable terms but it push through nonetheless. Of course the country being new to this sort of automated activities there were some miss up of instruction. Obviously some changes were made, some of these were the clustering of precincts which resulted to overcrowding. Some of the automated machine failed to deliver as advertised, also disenfranchisement of voters. 

Despite of this, majority of the voting population were eager to try out the new voting process, though admittedly it was somewhat in peril as overcrowding often take its toll. Still lessons learn which I think should be taken into account seriously and plenty of room for improvement. The automation lessen poll cheats, in which election result are always subjected for many pass decades though not entirely wipe out. Probabilities of cheating can be done if one is cunning enough to venture it, yet decreasing its probability is better than nothing at all. As to the  aftermath of the past days affair there is  no doubt that its a good start, as for the new administration that is reserve for a new page.