SWS survey says People Power if elections fail
The failure of the Philippines 2010 elections could lead to another revolt, at least according to pollster Social Weather Station.
Here's an excerpt of the Inquirer report on the SWS survey:
This is what almost half of Filipinos believe, according to a survey by Social Weather Stations (SWS) released Thursday.
The nationwide survey, conducted on Oct. 24-27, posed the following scenario to respondents: “If the 2010 elections fail for any reason, e.g., malfunctioning of the counting machines, then people power will probably happen already.”
Forty-nine percent agreed with the statement, while 22 percent disagreed, resulting in a net agreement score (percentage of those who agree minus percentage of those who disagree) of plus 27 points.
The remaining 26 percent neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, SWS said in a media release.
Asked about the possibility of election failure, Comelec EID Spokesman James Jimenez had said in the past that this is virtually impossible due to the fact that the election system that will be used is actually one system built on top of the other.
In previous interviews on radio and television, Jimenez explained that in the 2010 elections, ballots will still be used but this will be counted using the Precinct Count Optical Scan machines that is being supplied by Smartmatic-TIM.
"So, even if the automated counting fails, the Comelec will still be able to count the actual ballots." said Jimenez.
The SWS survey published in the Inquirer also points out that a substantial number of respondents believe that the automated election system may be sabotaged in order to manipulate the election results.
SWS also asked respondents to react to the statement: “The machines that will be used to count the votes in the 2010 election can easily be sabotaged in order to fake the election results.”
Forty-seven percent of respondents agreed, 28 percent disagreed, while 23 percent neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement.
The automated election system is built with redundant security features and back up systems that is intended to counter any possibility of sabotage.
- The ballot that will be used is equipped with security features that will thwart attempts to manufacture fake ballots.
- The ballot contains codes that make it usable only with a particular PCOS machine. Each ballot is assigned to be used in a particular precinct and with a particular PCOS. Each precinct will be issued a precise number of ballots corresponding to the number of voters registered in that precinct.
- The ballots, when they are delivered to the Municipal and Precinct will remain sealed. It will be opened only on election day. Only the BEI and the voter will physically handle the ballot.
- The ballot will be read by the PCOS machine, a picture of the front and back of the ballot will be taken, the votes will be interpreted by the machine and upon closing of the precinct, the votes will be automatically counted. A hard copy of the precinct results will be printed. The count of the votes will be encrypted using a 128 bit encryption process and transmitted.
- The machines will work even in the event of a power failure. It has a back up battery that will keep the PCOS running for more than 12 hours.
- Any attempt to tamper with any of the PCOS or any part of the system will be detected and countermeasures will be deployed.
- Transmission will be done through several major internet networks as well as through the use of V-guns or micro-wave transmission systems.
- The results will be transmitted in encrypted form through two systems. One system is called the CCS, where the precinct results will be transmitted to the municipal level and the results at the municipal level will be transmitted further up the chain until it reaches the Comelec central server. The second system which will be in operation is transmission of results directly from the precincts to the servers of the Major and Minor parties, the KBP and a citizen's group.
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i hope their is a plan b kung nagkaproblema sa machine or transmission or brownout. i hope naisip na yan ng mga comelec na magkaroon ng alternative solution. im sick and tired for their excuse and invalid reasons. another thing is dinadahilan ang brownout na posibleng mangyari, nabasa ko sa dyaryo na kaya nagkabrownout dahil sa kakulangan ng coil. naisip ko if im the owner of that sual electric generator hindi ko na paaabutin ang panahon na maubusan. ilang buwan pa lang dapat mag angkat na. it is a sop, unless sinasadya talaga ang sabotahe. sa mga problema lahat may solusyon.
It is very advantageous to the Filipino people to have an automated election here in the Philippines. Even though this will be the first time to conduct this kind of election process, it will give an assurance to the citizen of this country that the one who will be sitting in the higher office is the true winner. Automated election will help also the volunteers as well as the electorate to do their job easily. But, as always, there is no perfect election. there will still possibility that there will be failure of election and the COMELEC must be aware for that. While there is still time, they must think of any possible solution to that problem. Failure of election will give Arroyo administration the chance to continue ruling the whole nation and Charter Change through Constitutional Assembly might take place. They will be given a big chance to continue the graft and corruption in the Philippines. Well, there is also the concept of "CHANGE," but as long as the person sitting in the higher office is not true to his promise to make this country a better place to live in, then most of the Filipinos will not be successful and poverty will continue to arise.