May 10 - 16, 2010: We Made History

For Filipinos, this is one important week as we elect our new President. In fact, it was to be the first order of the day for us and most Filipino voters as we will see later on the very first day of the week.  There is excitement in the air as we all want to see a change.  This is going to be our first ever automated election too.  We don't know what to expect but we are all hopeful that we will elect our new President peacefully.

I was closed to shock seeing ED up so early in the morning on a holiday. But there she was in the study room with her dad and MS, talking ordinary stuff.  I wasn't quite ready to start my day as I brought a laptop downstairs so I could do some stuff on the net and monitor things at home at the same time.  It seems that the helpers are having a heyday whenever I linger in my room tinkering on the laptop and go down late.  I have to do something about it.

I was just starting things ........ writing on my blog, posting songs on our music site, harvesting on my farm...... when ED and hubby went upstairs.  I was not involved in their discussion like I am non-existent.  I was looking out for them all the time sensing that they were getting ready to go to the polling center ......and the network won't cooperate.  It would quit on me or would be too slow.  I was able to write a prayer for a peaceful election on my blog and post a song but was not able to share the prayer I wrote in our music site.  I told a co-admin that I have to go out for a while to vote.  ED and hubby were ready after sometime.  I asked for them to wait for me .  I would be getting a dressing down for not getting ready soon enough.  But they waited for me.......

We were in our polling center in no time.  It was hot and hubby has no umbrella in his car.... just great.  As we neared the gate, there was a long queue already..... chaotic is the best way to describe what was instore for us.  We have to have a game plan.  We took turns standing on the line as we left hubby to get our polling booth details in the designated area.  As soon as he got it, we found out that we and ED have separate polling booths..... problem compounded.  I didn't want to leave ED because it's her first time to vote and with the thick crowd, something wrong could happen.  Hubby prevailed upon me.  So we went inside leaving ED in her line.  Inside, more chaos await us.  There were lines everywhere and people did not know where it led to.  We looked for our precinct number and easily found it.  But the route was teeming with warm, confused, and mad bodies.  We asked where the line led to and the people lined up only knew that it was going inside.  After that throngs who lined up, people converged by the room's entrance.  There was no crowd control.  I asked a PPCRV volunteer and she told me that there is no line.  I was getting dizzy. Hubby and  I stayed at the back.  Later, a guy joined me in suggesting that the volunteers should simply collect our precintct slips and call out names.  The lady volunteer proceeded to tell their leader.  He took some slips but left out some.  We insisted that he get all.  Still, the crowd remained at the door blocking the passageway to the room.  I told another PPCRV volunteer to exercise her power and get those people off the passage way.  Soon, the PPCRV leader were calling out names..   We clapped in agreement.  We were done ahead of the others who were still crowding the door.  It took a little more than an hour.

We rushed to where ED was and their line hardly moved.  She was inside the polling center but the line stopped moving.  I stayed with her as hubby roamed around.  It was taking so long and the snoop in me couldn't resist doing something about it.  First, I probed what could be the reasons after I heard one voter said that there were problemes with the pcos machines.   I verified with the volunteer controlling the entrance of people.  He said he doesn't know.  I told him he should know.  If he would allow me, I would find out.  He allowed me and I got in.  I went to ED's classroom.  The room was almost empty, maybe about 3 voters in there.  The queue wasn't too long.  I asked the volunteer assigned there why the line wasn't moving and if the pcos machine is working.  She said the machine is working fine.  I told her that there too few people voting inside the room adding that in our classroom, there were about 15 voters voting at the same time.  So it was fast.  With this information, I went back to ED.  I told the volunteer controlling the entrance that there was nothing wrong with the machine.

While waiting, another volunteer would try to explain the delay telling us that the line to where ED would be voting is circuitous.  I contested the statement as an untruth.  I told him I was there and there was a line but not long.  I told him they were allowing only 3 persons to vote which is the reason for the delay.  He wanted to insist but I told him we could go together and he could see for himself.  He vanished in thin air.  Soon, they would be calling voters for ED's room to get inside.  My snooping and bitching worked once again.  ED got in and queued in her room.  I waited at an area where I could see her.  Hubby would join us in a while.

The other voters still lined up in the queue ED left hasn't moved a bit.  I think the pcos machine was malfunctioning in their room.  The voters were restless.  I wanted to meddle because I know that voters should be allowed to vote even if the pcos machines are not working because there is an allowance for manual counting.  But I meddled far too much and I am tired. I was just happy that ED was in and is assured of exercising her right to vote.   We waited for probably less than an hour.  While waiting, we would be hearing complaints from voters who just casted their votes after four hours of waiting.  So we must be luckier.  ED was in her polling booth and we were about two hours there since we arrived.  Soon, ED would emerged.  We were done in exactly 2 hours and  45 minutes.  Thanks to my bitching.......

In the aftermath of the election, I would learn that the average waiting time was four hours.  There was an account I overheard of waiting for 7 hours.  Some were so distressed, they just went home and not voted..  A friend told me that she andd her dad, a senior citizen, had to get home as her dad couldn't bear the heat and the thick crowd.  There might be a number of voters disenfranchised due to all the confusion and chaos in the precincts.  With the automated election, Comelec decided to increase the number of voters per precinct to 1,000 from about 400 in previous elections.  We surely felt the difference.  Election used to be a breeze.

With all the attendant problems associated with the maiden implementation of the first automated election, it was a successful election nonetheless.  It was not perfect and there is still much room for improvement but we were gratified about converting from the antiquated manual voting to automated voting.  While we blabber about waiting, it was all worth it because the election results were delivered so fast.  By evening, result would come in trickles......

The results, though, is another matter.  By midweek, a trend would be established.   Noynoy Aquino looks headed for an expected win.  The surprise is Erap still commands a following as he tightly held on to the second spot.  I am just glad he is a far second.  The vice presidency is hotly contested between Binay and Roxas.  I am hoping that Roxas can still make it although he trails Binay in both counting by Comelec and PPCRV.  It looks like a goon is going to join a simpleton president.  Are we in trouble?

From the looks of it., we have not learned as we kept most of the NPA (non-performing assets) in there.  Bong Revilla, the leading senatorial candidate, has the gall to tell us that the electorate probably saw his performance (sic) in the senate..... huh.... what the heck is this bum talking about!!!  All he did was sit himself pretty all the time without saying or doing anything.  Well, if he counts his privilege speech protecting a fellow actor from public humiliation as a result of her tryst with another entertainer as his biggest accomplishment, we all know what we can expect in the current Senate.  Another thug from the same industry shares top spot with Mr. (Non) Performer. An aging clown from a familiar trio is also assured of being a lawmaker.  A brainless reelectionist actor is yet to be proclaimed but will complete the ensemble of the eerily silent headless and clueless bunch.

The House of Representatives will be a spectacle when it convenes in July with the stellar appearances of stars.  The Champ will be there to dazzle his fellow Representatives with his jabs and hooks.  The beautiful martyr wife of reelectionist Mr. (non) Performer will also be there.... maybe sitting pretty too......Another beautiful wife of a famous actor made up for her husband's lost when he attempted to try politics some years back.  A lesser known actor who made a successful bid as a local official in a southern Luzon province likewise made it.

Several celebrities also made it to various local positions.  The most prominent would probably be the Star for All Seasons who won her reelection bid in her second-time senator husband's hometown.

I am not judging these people because they are celebrities but on the basis of their capabilities.  How can some of them aspire for these positions when they have no inkling whatsoever what they are supposed to think, do, and accomplish.  A string of them already showed their true colors in their previous positions.  What more proof is needed to show us that these people can do absolutely nothing!  They want to serve the people.... Geesh, get real!!!!!

Until the end of the week, reactions on the election were still the burning issues of the day.  By weekend, we are clear about who made it to this election except for the vice presidency.    Like most Pinoys, I have accepted the fate of my country with the results of the election as clear as the blue summer skies but remain optimistic about restoring sanity in the government if my favored candidate steals the thunder from the leading candidate in the hotly contested vice presidential race.....

I managed to do my chores while manning our music site in the weekend and even sneaked a snack with MD and my friend V....... in one of my errands.  I also managed to squeeze in a long overdue saloon trip.  On Sunday evening, I dreaded the thought of another workweek coming shortly.