Ninoy Aquino has been proclaimed by the national canvassing board of the Philippines. This means that he is just waiting for the swearing-in and inauguration rites on June 30. His transition team has been working round-the-clock to pave the way for a smooth turn-over of power at noon of June 30. Also, it has been reported that the family of President Arroyo has moved out of the Palace much much earlier. This information was reportedly relayed by no less than the First Gentleman himself during a book launching of his two books. This should be met with a sigh of relief by the people. Indeed it can be said that there is really a smooth turn-over of power and responsibilities by an outgoing President to the incoming leader who won by a majority vote in the first automated polls in the country.
With regards to the issues of "midnight appointments", Aquino has shown a determination to review all appointments made at the last minute which appears to be in violation of the Constitution. Unsolicited advice has been piling up from all sources, including Malacanang, about what Aquino should do on urgent matters once he assumes power, but there is no telling whether Aquino will heed all of them or he has an agenda of his own. But it should be pointed out that the son of Cory Aquino is not daunted by the great tasks waiting for him once he takes over the helm of political power as the 15th President of the Philippines. During a press conference held after his proclamation by Congress, Noynoy Aquino revealed his plans once he is President. He did not mince words and never try to be fuzzy about hard questions thrown at him by the media. In effect, we are seeing a President-elect much prepared, very intelligent, and more than serious in solving the ills of the country.
The Filipino people should be assured day-to-day that the road to Aquino's inaguration and assumption to power will not be bumpy afterall. Even the issue of Delfin Bangit's term as chief of staff of the Armed Forces is coming to a quick conclusion, as the general has shown his desire to retire early knowing that he does not earn the nod of the incoming President to remain as AFP chief. Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales tried to criticize Aquino for allegedly conducting a "loyalty check" in the AFP, adding that soldiers and officers should not join in this exercise to divide the military. This is a shallow attempt of Gonzales to put a dent on the growing connection between the military and the incoming commander-in-chief. At any rate, the media did not pay much attention on this.
All in all, there seems to be nothing to worry about in the day-to-day happening regarding the fading out of the nine-year rule of President Arroyo and the birth of a new leadership born out of a solemn promise to eradicate corruption and poverty. The Filipino people remain hopeful that there will be a smooth transition of power and that worries and doubts about it should simply fade away.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Nothing Is Perfect
The recent automated polls in the Philipines still do not earn the trust and confidence of sour losers and harsh critics. The winners have been proclaimed by Comelec and and Congress but the discontentment about the results and how the national election was managed continue to linger. But if one can just take a hard look at the supposed complaints, it can been concluded that there has not been a convincing evidence of a massive and systematic cheating or fraud by an individual or group of individuals aimed at manipulating the results. The word "manipulation" entails the willful selection of winners irrespective of the mandate of the voters. Nothing has been found or unearthed by the critics.
What they are doing is keep on pounding on the issue of credibility of the election process and the eventual results. In effect, they are looking for a perfect electoral process, and if they found something or sense something that the election authorities and Smartmatic have difficulty explaining, an alarm bell would ring far and wide.
In effect, it is a "fishing expedition". And so far, nothing has been found.
Critics should understand that there is no perfect electoral process. There are always complaints. There will be lapses here and there. But the foray to an automated polls should be viewed with encouragement and full support by the Filipino people. Just to realize that results have been shown to the public hours after the close of voting to protect the people's mandate and quickly spurn any attempt to derail the tallying of the votes by such past dirty tactics like causing brownouts or forcible grabbing of ballot boxes is something. This is a feature that makes automated polls a plus in a third world country like the Philippines, where people in power can just deploy their cheating machinery and manipulate the results every election.
Right now, critics should rest and just help in fine tuning the automated election process. IT experts still doubting the system should begin a teamwork mission of producing a more strengthened and fool-proof poll automation and share their expertise with Comelec's IT experts.
This is by far a country's achievement worth crowing about, not fretting about.
In this Independence Day celebrations by Filipinos, a decision to automate the polls, while not fully perfect, can be compared to a decision by past heroes more than three centuries ago to declare freedom from Spanish colonizers.
What they are doing is keep on pounding on the issue of credibility of the election process and the eventual results. In effect, they are looking for a perfect electoral process, and if they found something or sense something that the election authorities and Smartmatic have difficulty explaining, an alarm bell would ring far and wide.
In effect, it is a "fishing expedition". And so far, nothing has been found.
Critics should understand that there is no perfect electoral process. There are always complaints. There will be lapses here and there. But the foray to an automated polls should be viewed with encouragement and full support by the Filipino people. Just to realize that results have been shown to the public hours after the close of voting to protect the people's mandate and quickly spurn any attempt to derail the tallying of the votes by such past dirty tactics like causing brownouts or forcible grabbing of ballot boxes is something. This is a feature that makes automated polls a plus in a third world country like the Philippines, where people in power can just deploy their cheating machinery and manipulate the results every election.
Right now, critics should rest and just help in fine tuning the automated election process. IT experts still doubting the system should begin a teamwork mission of producing a more strengthened and fool-proof poll automation and share their expertise with Comelec's IT experts.
This is by far a country's achievement worth crowing about, not fretting about.
In this Independence Day celebrations by Filipinos, a decision to automate the polls, while not fully perfect, can be compared to a decision by past heroes more than three centuries ago to declare freedom from Spanish colonizers.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Tuesday Next A Country is Reborn
According to the chairmen of the national board of canvassers, a new set of leaders shall have been proclaimed next week, Tuesday at the latest. This is a significant development, if not historical in nature. After all the travails and challenges of the first automated elections, the Philippines has lifted itself past the clutches of election cheating and other dirty election maneuvers and would have been able to produce a set of leaders that will rule the country from the local up to the national level of governance.
It is therefore fitting to inject a sense of nostalgia in all these developments now embracing the country. Where before any election leaves a bitter trace of tragic consequences and regretable, if not horrible decision-making on the part of the voters, the election of May 10 may not be perfect but for one split moment, it stunned the nation with the swiftness of the results, hours after the closing of the precints. This prevented any real and unimagined tampering of the people's will.
The losers can continue to complain even up to the the election tribunals months or years after May 10, but the fact remains the developing normalcy and easy acceptance by the majority of the Filipino people days after the winners have been proclaimed, have proven to be the harbinger of things to come. And this should be for the better.
The winning President was elected on the basis of his political partry's mission to eliminate corruption as it is the root cause of poverty in the country. If he governs according to this program of reform, the Philippines should be on the right track for progress in the next six years. Of course there will be detractors and stumbling blocks along the way of reform, but it is easy to rule and generate the kind of leadership that this country needs once you are in the helm of power.
So come Tuesday next, if things are expected to happen, then the Filipino people will see a kind of rebirth of their country. And this can be made to happen with their willing participation and support.
It is therefore fitting to inject a sense of nostalgia in all these developments now embracing the country. Where before any election leaves a bitter trace of tragic consequences and regretable, if not horrible decision-making on the part of the voters, the election of May 10 may not be perfect but for one split moment, it stunned the nation with the swiftness of the results, hours after the closing of the precints. This prevented any real and unimagined tampering of the people's will.
The losers can continue to complain even up to the the election tribunals months or years after May 10, but the fact remains the developing normalcy and easy acceptance by the majority of the Filipino people days after the winners have been proclaimed, have proven to be the harbinger of things to come. And this should be for the better.
The winning President was elected on the basis of his political partry's mission to eliminate corruption as it is the root cause of poverty in the country. If he governs according to this program of reform, the Philippines should be on the right track for progress in the next six years. Of course there will be detractors and stumbling blocks along the way of reform, but it is easy to rule and generate the kind of leadership that this country needs once you are in the helm of power.
So come Tuesday next, if things are expected to happen, then the Filipino people will see a kind of rebirth of their country. And this can be made to happen with their willing participation and support.
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