03 February 2010, PLMCL-COMELEC-PPCRV's Automated Elections 2010 Forum, JA Auditorium: With the upcoming electronic voting serving as a milestone in the history of Philippine politics, the College of Law, in partnership with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), conduct a whole-day educational forum to adequately apprise the electorate of the new voting process. Leading election luminaries were brought together to enlighten the PLM community.
Addressing the forum attendees is Ambassador Henrietta T. De Villa, PPCRV chairperson. An ardent believer in the power of credible elections as a factor in transforming the society, she encourages all eligible citizens to exercise their right to suffrage as a collective responsibility to effect meaningful societal changes.
Atty. Howard M. Calleja, PPCRV legal counsel and PLM-CL elections professor (top, right), discusses the legal basis for the automated election system. A vast majority of the citizens do not, as of yet, fully understand the law behind the automation. With him is the forum convenor, Dean Ernesto P. Maceda Jr. of the College of Law.
A peaceful and honest election is a hallmark of a truly representative democracy. Protecting the votes at various levels and varied fronts in the era of automation is as significant as ever. Speaking on how to arrive at intelligent choices and shaping the character of our elections is Bro. Romulo M. Guillermo, PPCRV's voter's education coordinator.
COMELEC's law department director Atty. Ferdinand T. Rafanan speaks on how election frauds are committed and the steps on how to prevent those. As the COMELEC's point person for resolving election conflicts, he has a wide perspective on how the blueprint to automate the elections can solve the chronic challenges posed by the 3Gs (guns, goons and gold). It is believed that the policy direction to automate the elections can greatly minimize, if not totally eradicate, the entire gamut of election issues.
Ecstatic about the pioneering implementation of voting automation in the country, COMELEC's division chief for public relations Ms. Ma. Victoria S. Dulcero conducts a full demonstration of the PCOS machine that will be used nationwide.
PLM vice president for academic affairs Dr. Virginia N. Santos leads other university officials and the PLM community in attending the educational forum.
Dr. Santos is seen reading the output of her ballot after being fed into the PCOS machine.
Officials, faculty, staff and scholars were oriented on the operation of the PCOS machine thru the hands-on use of an actual unit.
Dean Maceda inspects the transaction receipt of the PCOS machine as the COMELEC public relations chief looks on (top photo). Dean Maceda personally demonstrates the use of the PCOS to PLM staff.
New/young members of the electorate join in the actual mock use of the PCOS machine.
OIC-Dean Marlon Miguel of OSDS posed an inquiry about the new electoral process before the election luminaries.
Dean Maceda and Assoc. Dean Marisol DL Anenias in a light moment with law students who served as members of the organizing committee for the educational forum.