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Category: 2013 elections

Do’s and don’t’s on election period

From: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXzgYt46120&feature=youtube_gdata
Election period started Sunday night, Jan. 13 in connection with the May 13, 2013 synchronized national and local elections.

It’s a 120- day period that will end on June 12.

Election being an important exercise in a democracy, the government wants to make sure that the environment is conducive to the people being able to choose their leaders freely and peacefully. Thus, there are do’s and don’ts in the Omnibus Election Code (Batas Pambansa 881) that law enforcers are implementing.

Preparing media for the 2013 elections

In six months, we will have the midterm national elections.

The May 13, 2013 elections will be the first national, automated, and synchronized (including the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao) elections under the Aquino administration.

VERA Files, a group composed of veteran journalists that produces in-depth articles on current issues and conducts training for journalists, last week held a training-seminar for 18 journalists from different parts of the country.

The training seminar was supported by the Embassy of Canada through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives. Benoit Girouard, second secretary in the Foreign Policy and Diplomacy Section of the Canadian Embassy, stressed the importance of a free, honest, responsible and independent media in a democracy.

Bakit kaya hindi nababahala si Brillantes sa mga palpak ng NPO?

An NPO official gives intsructions to NPO employees how to shade sample ballots for testing prior to scheduled testing in violation of BAC rules and procedures that only the BAC chairman should initiate such action together with other members of the committee.
Nakakapagtaka, nakakaduda at nakakabahala ang hindi pagkabahala ng Commission on Elections sa mga palpak na nagyayari sa bidding ng pag-imprinta ng balota na gagamitin sa 2013 na eleksyun.

Inamin ni Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. na palpak ang mga balota na ginawa ng Holy Family Printing Corp, ang pinanalo ng National Printing Office sa pag-imprenta ng 55 milyon na balota para sa 2013 na eleksyun.

Dapat kasi sa testing , isang libo na sample ballots ang gamitin. Noong unang test, Septyembre 12, 2012, walo lang ang dala ng Holy Family. Di ba dapat noon pa lang disqualified na sila dahil ibig sabihin nun, nag-bid sila na hindi pala sila handa gumawa ng trabaho na gusto nila kunin.

Hindi ito basta-basta lang trabaho. Balota ito para sa national na eleksyun. Demokrasya ng bansa ang nakasalalay dito.

Ngunit okay lang sa NPO. Sinubukan nila ang walong sample ballot na dala ng Holy Family. Anim sa walo ay hindi nagkasya sa makita na nabili na ng Comelec- ang Precinct Count Optical Scan machines galing sa Smartmatic.

Paano ngayun yun?

Sobra talaga ang bait ng NPO sa Holy Family . Binigyan ng isang buwan para ayusin ang kanilang trabaho.

Nagkaroon ng pangalawang test noong Oktubre 11, 2012. “Isang libong balota ang ginamit at perfect ayun sa report sa amin,” sabi ni Brillantes.

Huwag lagyan ng malisya ang litrato ni Teddy Casiño at Imelda Marcos

No collaboration.Teddy Casiño and Imelda Marcos in the 2009 birthday party of Armida Siguion-Reyna and her son, Carlitos.
Tatlong kaibigan ang nagsabi sa akin na kumakalat daw ang litrato ni Rep. Teddy Casiño sa internet na kasama si Imelda Marcos at binibigyan ng masamang kahulugan.

Para bang nakipagsabwatan si Teddy sa mga Marcos na siyang nagpahirap sa mga sinasabi nating “maka-kaliwa” o nga nationalist na katulad ni teddy at ang mga nauna sa kanya na katulad nina dating Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo.

Ang litrato nay an ay galing sa isang post sa aking blog:
http://www.ellentordesillas.com/2009/11/05/armida-and-son-carlitos-birthday-party/

Malisyoso naman ang ganung anggulo.

Ang artikulo ay tungkol sa birthday party nina Armida Siguion-Reyna, kilala sa kanyang programa sa television na “Aawitan Kita” at ang kanyang anak, director ng pelikula na si Carlitos, noong 2009.

Kasakiman ang political dynasties

Thanks to Namfrel for the image.
Ang Pilipinas ay demokrasya.

Maraming dugo ang pinuhunan ng mga nauna sa atin para natin makamtan ang ating kalayaan at magkaroon ng demokrasya kung saan lahat tayo ay pantay-pantay ang karapatan, mayaman o mahirap, matalino man o bobo, maputi o maitim, bata o matanda, mataas man o punggok, mataba man o payat.

Ang ganung prinsipyo ay nakasaad sa ating Saligang Batas.

Sa demokrasya, dapat lahat na mamayan ay may pantay-pantay na oportunidad mamuno ng bayan: Sabi sa Article II Section 26 ng ating Constitution: “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”

Binanggit ng mga gumawa ng Constitution ang “political dynasties” dahil alam nila na hindi tama na ang iilang pamilya lamang ang may control ng kapangyarihan sa bansa.

Scary decisions by the National Printing Office re 2013 elections ballots

NPO employees shading sample ballots ahead of the 1 p.m schedule in violation of rules that it should be done in the presence of BAC members.
NPO employees shading sample ballots prior to scheduled testing 1 pm of Oct 11, 2012. A violation of the rules because it should be only done in the presence of BAC members.[/caption]Strange things are going on at the National Printing Office which has been given the job to bid out P780 million contract to supply and print 55 million ballots for the May 2013 elections.

This will be the Philippines’ second national automated elections.

The 2010 election was not perfect but for a first-time experience, it was a huge success. In less than 24 hours, the nation knew the results of the presidential and vice-presidential race with almost 70 percent of the votes counted. A Social Weather Stations survey showed overwhelming satisfaction (three out of four Filipinos) over the results of the first automated nationwide elections in the country.

It is disturbing that instead of learning from good practices of the 2010 election and leveling up the preparations for the 2013 elections, some of those involved in the 2013 elections preparations are sliding back which could erase whatever gains that the country has gained in holding credible elections.

In the 2010 elections, the Commission on Elections used precinct count optical scan machines supplied by Smartmatic. The same 82,000 PCOS machines will be used in the 2013 elections. The Supreme Court has upheld the validity of the P1.8 billion contract Comelec has entered with Smartmatic.

Padaca will not be tie-breaker in Akbayan case

Padaca
Newly-appointed Comelec Commissioner Grace Padaca wrote to correct what I said in my column in Abante last Sunday that she would be the tie-breaker in the case of Akbayan as partylist.

I wrote: “Hati raw ang Comelec sa isyu ng Akbayan at ang boto ni Grace Padaca, ang bagong Comelec commissioner, ang magdedesisyon kung lusot o tanggal ang Akbayan. Naloko na. (It has been reported that Comelec is deadlocked on the issue of Akbayan and the vote of Grace Padaca, the new commissioner, will decide whether Akbayan would be disqualified or not. Oh my God.)”

I made the comment based on at least three news reports quoting Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes Jr. : “Pinass on ko na lahat ng cases kay Padaca… We’re sending her the folders to break the tie.”

The enviable Akbayan

Gutierrez and Crisostomo on GMA News
In his verbal sparring with Anakbayan’s Vencer Crisostomo at ANC last week, Barry Gutierrez, undersecretary for political affairs in the Office of the President, exuded the smugness of people who are well-entrenched in the center of power. Nakasandal sa pader.

He said there are many Akbayan members who are holding high positions in the Aquino government because they supported Benigno Aquino III in the 2010 elections. Sorry na lang with Bayan Muna and its affiliate organizations like Anakbayan because they supported Manny Villar.

Yes, to the victors belong the spoils.

PNoy, Padaca don’t get it

Padaca, accompanied by Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, a Liberal Party stalwart, posts P70,000 bail given by President Aquino.
What is it in being in position of power that dulls the mind and blurs the comprehension of people we thought were sensible?

Former Isabela Governor and newly appointed commissioner of the Commission on Election posted the following reply to those who are criticizing her for accepting bail money from President Aquino. She cited this particular tweet: “ “Grace Padaca’s acceptance of bail money and refusing to subject herself to investigation speaks volumes of her character.”

Padaca’s reply:

“If i have done things the usual way, i would not have fought the dynasty in Isabela and win.

Tingting Cojuangco lobbying for some policemen in Maguindanao massacre?

Soft heart for policemen implicated in Maguindanao massacre?
Margarita “Tingting” Cojuangco, who is running for senator under the United Nationalist Alliance ticket, is lobbying for the dropping of a number of policemen from the list of the accused in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre where 58 persons were killed, a source closely working in the case, said.

Thirty-two of those killed were media workers.

Next month, Nov. 29, the media community and those who value the role of a free press in democracy, will mark the third anniversary of the tragedy that earned for the Philippines the notorious tag of being one of the three most dangerous places in the world for journalists. We share the ignominious label with war-torn countries Iraq and Somalia.

Three years have passed and the victims have not yet been rendered justice.

And here’s Cojuangco, aunt of the President Aquino, lobbying for those involved in the massacre.