Technology today indeed plays a big role in our life. A survey conducted by Micrsoft/Intelquest last January 1995 stated that 89% of parents or 84% of general population believes that computer skills are important to educational success; 86% of computer-using children believe that computers skills are important to getting good grades in school; 92% of children think computer skills will help them earn higher salaries in future jobs; 77% of teachers (67% of general public) think computers help each child learn at his/her own pace; 61% of American (56% of teachers) believe that computers help develop kids’ creativity. Surveys were just a written facts that provide us on how important technology these days.
There are countless significant events in our society that relates to innovations in technology. Locally, I found this more interestingly, the automation of the voting system in our country. At the present the voting machines were implemented in the Autonomous region for Muslim Mindanao or ARMM. This is the first ever automated election in our country. In this case some have still doubt about the implementation of the automated voting system in ARMM because of extensive illiteracy in that region. Kristine L. Alave, on her article about “ARMM voting machines easy to use, says Comelec” on the Philippine Daily Inquirer last June 28, 2008 illustrates how this new voting technology is used. By using this automated voting machine, voters don’t have to write the names of their candidates in the ballots. ARMM voters will use the optical mark reader (OMR) machines, for example, will only have to shade the oval space beside their candidate. The ballot will then be fed into a counting machine that will tally and transmit the votes electronically to regional and national counting centers. In addition, the Direct Recording Equipment (DRE), on the other hand, uses a touch-screen technology that will instantly record the voter’s choices. Around 3,300 DRE machines will be deployed in Maguindanao for the polls.
Uncertainly, some leaders in the region doubt that residents in ARMM would not yet ready to use the automated systems for elections but the Commission on Elections is still confident and they are positive that the voters in ARMM can adapt easily with this new technology for election. Vince Dizon, the spokesperson of the Smartmatic-Sahi Technology and the provider of the DRE and the company in charge of the transmission of the election results said that, “It is faster and easier to use the automated voting machines than it is to write the individual names of candidates on the ballots.” In addition, Jose Melo the Comelec chair has expressed his confidence that the voters would cope with the new technologies. “If the voters know how to operate a cell phone, they will have no problem with the machines” he said. The current technology in ARMM is a significant milestone in election reform in the country. James Jimenez, the Comelec spokesman said that this automated voting machines amid the security problems in the region. "We have seen the long queues of voters eagerly waiting for their turn to vote using the electronic voting machines," , "We are so heartened about the initial positive voting turn out. With the new technology, the people of Maguindanao are more motivated vote than ever before," he said.
The Press release last April 3, 2008 quoted what Senator Richard Gordon had stated, "Automating the ARMM elections is crucial to automating our national elections in 2010. Without it, we will face the consequences of fraud-ridden elections yet again. Kung hindi natin magagawa sa ARMM ang poll automation at hindi ito magagawa sa buong bansa sa 2010, magaganap na naman ang 'Hello Garci' at 'Hello Bedol'," He added that "We are fighting a war on election fraud. To fight a war, we have to act fast and act decisively, or else we will lose. Our people will lose. Automated elections should be working by now. We want to end cheating in elections. If we do not modernize our electoral system now, will we wait until 2013? How long will it take? If we don't fix this now, people will always question the elections." He wanted that the election in ARMM will be automated because he thinks this is the only way to have a clean election. He stressed out "we are not only giving ARMM clean elections but also allowing its children to take advantage of up-to-date teaching methods, helping them secure hope for a peaceful and prosperous future."
Personally, I assess this new technology positively. By this new way of voting I think the problems during the election will be lessened. And by this innovative technology we all hope that the calculation of votes will be easier and accurate. And I am looking forward for the implementation of this voting machine in the other regions in our country
There are countless significant events in our society that relates to innovations in technology. Locally, I found this more interestingly, the automation of the voting system in our country. At the present the voting machines were implemented in the Autonomous region for Muslim Mindanao or ARMM. This is the first ever automated election in our country. In this case some have still doubt about the implementation of the automated voting system in ARMM because of extensive illiteracy in that region. Kristine L. Alave, on her article about “ARMM voting machines easy to use, says Comelec” on the Philippine Daily Inquirer last June 28, 2008 illustrates how this new voting technology is used. By using this automated voting machine, voters don’t have to write the names of their candidates in the ballots. ARMM voters will use the optical mark reader (OMR) machines, for example, will only have to shade the oval space beside their candidate. The ballot will then be fed into a counting machine that will tally and transmit the votes electronically to regional and national counting centers. In addition, the Direct Recording Equipment (DRE), on the other hand, uses a touch-screen technology that will instantly record the voter’s choices. Around 3,300 DRE machines will be deployed in Maguindanao for the polls.
Uncertainly, some leaders in the region doubt that residents in ARMM would not yet ready to use the automated systems for elections but the Commission on Elections is still confident and they are positive that the voters in ARMM can adapt easily with this new technology for election. Vince Dizon, the spokesperson of the Smartmatic-Sahi Technology and the provider of the DRE and the company in charge of the transmission of the election results said that, “It is faster and easier to use the automated voting machines than it is to write the individual names of candidates on the ballots.” In addition, Jose Melo the Comelec chair has expressed his confidence that the voters would cope with the new technologies. “If the voters know how to operate a cell phone, they will have no problem with the machines” he said. The current technology in ARMM is a significant milestone in election reform in the country. James Jimenez, the Comelec spokesman said that this automated voting machines amid the security problems in the region. "We have seen the long queues of voters eagerly waiting for their turn to vote using the electronic voting machines," , "We are so heartened about the initial positive voting turn out. With the new technology, the people of Maguindanao are more motivated vote than ever before," he said.
The Press release last April 3, 2008 quoted what Senator Richard Gordon had stated, "Automating the ARMM elections is crucial to automating our national elections in 2010. Without it, we will face the consequences of fraud-ridden elections yet again. Kung hindi natin magagawa sa ARMM ang poll automation at hindi ito magagawa sa buong bansa sa 2010, magaganap na naman ang 'Hello Garci' at 'Hello Bedol'," He added that "We are fighting a war on election fraud. To fight a war, we have to act fast and act decisively, or else we will lose. Our people will lose. Automated elections should be working by now. We want to end cheating in elections. If we do not modernize our electoral system now, will we wait until 2013? How long will it take? If we don't fix this now, people will always question the elections." He wanted that the election in ARMM will be automated because he thinks this is the only way to have a clean election. He stressed out "we are not only giving ARMM clean elections but also allowing its children to take advantage of up-to-date teaching methods, helping them secure hope for a peaceful and prosperous future."
Personally, I assess this new technology positively. By this new way of voting I think the problems during the election will be lessened. And by this innovative technology we all hope that the calculation of votes will be easier and accurate. And I am looking forward for the implementation of this voting machine in the other regions in our country
3 comments:
well, it's also a good technology..a very good one..it's just that it wasn't really that useful, because nagkagubot ghpon ang mga tao.
yah.. hehehe.^^ nice thing bout this automation is the accuracy of data..^^ i ges 1 factor na d pa nting na apply to, is that we are not facility ready.^^ just a comment anyway
i go for ONLINE POLLING...kaayos ana duh!hehe
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