Making the good even better

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

I was fortunate to be invited by Comelec Chairman George Garcia to the 2023 National Election Summit held just last week. It was a three-day event attended by officials of the Commission on Elections, various government agencies and stakeholders from the private sector.  The summit was a culmination of over 50 meetings, conferences and FGDs conducted from November of 2022 until February 2023. Spearheaded by fellow techie, Commissioner Nelson Celis, it was a good opportunity for the stakeholders from both the public and private sector to share ideas, insights and feedback, with the goal of improving the conduct of the elections in the Philippines.  President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte both attended, and spoke during the summit, expressing their support for the programs of the Commission on Elections. Kudos to the Comelec for its continued effort to make elections relevant in the lives of the Filipino electorate even after the last vote is cast and the winning candidates are proclaimed.  Almost always, the fervor (not to mention furor) of elections is immediately extinguished by urgent issues that the newly elected must face – the task of running government. The National Election Summit is proof that the Comelec is listening to the Filipino voter’s never-ending lament for change, innovation and improvement. The nationwide roadshow, coupled with focus group discussions provided the basis for its timely response. I particularly appreciated the exhibition of new technology, especially the counting machines, that will provide this Commission with newer and better alternatives to what we started in 2010. It is to be expected that there will be divergent voices, but this effort by the Comelec articulates its intent quite clearly.  It is listening to the voter and no criticism will be spared from its attention. During the three-day summit, the following topics were discussed:

Day 1

“Comelec Online Registration System,” “Road towards the Digitalization of Administrative and Electoral Processes,” “Use of Blockchain Technology in the Automated Election System.”

Day 2

“Modernizing Election training for teachers as Electoral Board Members,” “Securing Comelec’s Enterprise Architecture,” “Pagtutulungan sa Makabagong Halalan: Kaalaman sa Halalan, Isama sa Edukasyon ng Kabataan,” “Building the Foundation of the General Rules Governing the Automated Election System.”

Day 3

“Digitalization of Campaign Finance and Fair Campaign Expenses,” “Ascertaining the Will of the People Through Modern Technology: Voting, Counting and Canvassing in the Digital Era.” A very good start, if I may say so.

Off beat

. A reader sent an email asking me about vinyls vs cd’s. This topic deserves its own space but for now, let me share an interesting statistic. In 2022, 41 million vinyls were sold compared to 33 million CDs according to the Record Industry Association of America. A first in 30 years! Amazing how the tables have turned.