by magnolia_eic | Feb 11, 2010 | Election 2010, Headlines, National News
Malacañang doused water on speculations that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has supported Sen. Manuel Villar and the Nacionalista Party’s presidential candidate instead of the administration’s own standard-bearer.
Gary Olivar, deputy presidential spokesperson, said Ms Arroyo remained a strong supporter of former Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, the presidential candidate of the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD.
Moreover, the Palace spokesperson advised presidential candidates to leave Ms Arroyo out of the picture, arguing that she has her own campaign to run in the second district of Pampanga.
Olivar said the president is not campaigning for that level and asked politicians not to run their campaign the President’s expense.
He urged candidates to focus on issues and not drag the President into their campaign. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Feb 8, 2010 | Election 2010, Headlines, National News
Tacloban City — The Commission on Elections has put a limit on the amount of campaign money the presidential and vice presidential can spend, setting it at P10 per voter and P5 per voter, respectively. A total of a little over P500 million.
In its Resolution 8758, the Comelec has set the campaign period for the national candidiates to start on February 9, while for local candidates on March 26. The last campaign day is set on May 8.
In the guidelines for national and local candidates under the Fair Elections Act, those seeking a senatorial seat down to city or municipal councilors with political parties are allowed to spend P3 per registered voter in the constituency where she or he is running. Their political parties, meanwhile, may spend another P5 for every registered voter for each of their official candidates.
With the start of the campaign period next week, the Comelec called on candidates that have existing “infomercials” or print advertisements to reorganize them in order for them to conform to the standards that the poll body has now set.
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by magnolia_eic | Feb 3, 2010 | Election 2010, Headlines, Major Events, National News
Manila, Philippines — Less than a hundred days before the May 10 general elections, Senators Aquino and Villar are now statistically tied, according to the January 2010 Pulse Asia survey.
The nationwide survey of 1,800 Filipinos of voting age, with a margin of error of plus or minus two percent, also showed vice-presidentiable Mar Roxas II pulling away from his nearest rival and fellow senator, Loren Legarda.
The survey conducted last January 22 to 26 showed that Aquino was the choice of 37 percent of the respondents while Villar got the 35 percent.
Apart from Aquino and Villar, the voters’ preference for the other presidential bets were: Estrada, 12 percent; former defense secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, 5 percent; evangelist Eduardo “Eddie” Villanueva, 2 percent; Senator Richard “Dick”Gordon, 1 percent; Senator Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal, 0.5 percent; Councilor John Carlos “JC” De Los Reyes, 0.3 percent; little known Vetaliano “Dodong” Acosta, 0.2 percent; and environmentalist Nicanor “Nick” Perlas, 0.05 percent.
Based on a predetermined set of reasons for their choice, the respondents said their bet was “not corrupt or has a clean record” (24 percent) and “cares for the poor” (also 24 percent).
Competence – as expressed in the survey as “can do something, is doing something, will do something” (16 percent), “used to governing” (6 percent), and “knowledgeable/intelligent” (4 percent) – did not rank high among the reasons for respondents’ choices.
On the race for the second highest post in the land, Roxas took 47 percent of the respondents’ votes, giving him a good lead over Legarda, with 28 percent. Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay was third with 13 percent.
The other vice-presidential bets’ voters’ preference were: former Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani “BF” Fernando, 2 percent; actor Eduardo “Edu” Manzano, also 2 percent; former Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Perfecto “Kidlat” Yasay, 1 percent; broadcaster Jose “Jay” Sonza, 0.2 percent; and Ang Kapatiran’s Dominador “Jun” Chipeco, 0.07 percent.
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by magnolia_eic | Feb 2, 2010 | Election 2010, National News
THE prospect of reverting to manual elections will be a huge disappointment for President Arroyo who has envisioned the country’s first automated elections before she steps down in office this year, Malacañang said yesterday.
However, Deputy Presidential Spokesman Gary Olivar said that the Palace would still rally behind the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to ensure peaceful, fair and credible elections regardless if the votes are counted manually or electronically.
Olivar said they have not lost hope over the automated elections and remained confident the poll body could iron out the technical glitches in the poll machines as seen in recent field test.
Olivar added that Malacañang will respect the wisdom of the Comelec if it pursues manual polls in case the automated process fails, adding the electorate should also support the poll body. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Feb 2, 2010 | Election 2010, Major Events, National News
THE Commission on Elections has set on Feb. 11, 2010 the organization of Special Boards of Canvassers (SBC) in each of the more than 100 countries where there are overseas Filipino workers qualified to vote under the Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003.
Under the law, overseas absentee voters are qualified to vote for President, Vice-President, Senators and groups accredited to participate in the party-list elections. They are, however, not qualified to vote for governor, congressman, mayor and other local elective officials.
The Comelec said that except in Singapore and Hong Kong, overseas absentee voting will be conducted manually by the Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEIs) while the SBC, subject to reasonable exceptions, is mandated to complete the canvass of election returns submitted by SBEIs within 36 hours.
The SBC is required, after canvassing, to prepare eight copies of the Certificates of Canvass for President, Vice-President, Senators, and Party-List Representatives, according to Commissioner Armando Velasco, chairman of the Comelec Committee on Overseas Absentee Voting. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Feb 2, 2010 | Election 2010, Headlines, National News
Manila, Philippines — Cell phone jammers may be out to disrupt the country’s first automated elections in May.
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) said on Monday that it had received reports three weeks ago that 5,000 jamming devices had entered the country.
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said that the devices arrived in one bulk, making it noticeable. Given the nearing date of the election, he said, “We cannot help but be suspicious. And its only prudent that we remain suspicious.” Jimenez did not give details, but said that there was reason to believe that the devices could be used to delay transmission of election results.
“Delay in the transmission of results makes it profitable for those who want to cheat. The delay gives them time to calculate on how many more votes they need to win or overturn the lead of their oponents. ” Jimenez said.
Comelec is currently confirming the reports of the arrival of the jamming devices and working on countermeasures to lessen if not prevent disruption of the automated elections.
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