GMA to push polls automation at her SoNA

By GENALYN D. KABILING















PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and President George W. Bush nod at each other.

MANILA -- President Arroyo will push for the automation of the country'selectoral system when she delivers her State-of-the- Nation Address(SoNA) at the opening of the 14th Congress on Monday, July 23.

The President has acknowledged that electoral reforms, particularlythe poll computerization, are essential to political stability afterpast elections have been plagued by fraud and violence.

"Our political system is not working well. So in myState-of-the- Nation Address, I will be talking about legislationtowards electoral reforms technology, again, using technology toimprove our electoral system," she said in an interview with Reutersnews agency last Saturday in the Palace.

In her annual speech before the two houses of Congress on July 23, thePresident said she will also promote the allocation of "more money forneutral observers" as well as strengthening political parties in the country.

"The problem with our electoral system is that while our economy isvery well into the new economy, our electoral system is still manual.So we really have to bring that to the 21st century," she said.Mrs. Arroyo said she intends to modernize the polls in time for the2010 elections, admitting that electoral reforms have been long overdue.

"I've wanted to have automated elections since it was one of my10-point programs, when I did my inauguration in 2004. I still want todo that, and we hope we'll be able to do that before the end of myterm," she said.

Early this year, Congress passed a law on automated elections, but theCommission on Elections claimed it was too late to implement it forthe May 14 mid-term polls.

The administration suffered a crushing defeat in the last senatorialrace, but won majority of the seats at the House of Representativesand local governments. The May polls were also marred with highincidence of violence, as well as cases of cheating, mostly in theprovinces.

The President is expected to outline the government's program for theyear in her annual speech at the Batasang Pambansa Complex on Monday.

Aside from poll reforms, Arroyo said she would also discuss hereconomic blueprint as well as additional investments in education andother social services.

She will also tackle the government's initiatives for peace anddevelopment in Mindanao, including the fight against terrorism.