Editorial

Sincerity

The automation of national and local elections has been a fond?and overdue?dream of Filipinos.

Last year?s exercise in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, its share of stumbling blocks notwithstanding, showed us that political will and people?s vigilance can ensure things can get done in this country. Commission on Elections Chairman Jose Melo says his team is desperate to give the nation the credible election that has eluded it for long.

The agency is now in the thick of its voter education program. This week, as well, the technical advisory committee meets to hammer out the details of the terms of reference for the technology that will be used for the polls. The commission has a timetable, and it is trying hard to stay on schedule.

But all that still hangs in the balance.

Melo says there is no word yet on the approval of the budget his agency has asked for automating next year?s elections. He claims he has submitted a request to the Budget department, and that Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya has assured him the funds will be there. Andaya, however, has thus far not acted to transmit this request to Congress.

But the chairman of the Senate committee on electoral reforms, Senator Richard Gordon, says his office has yet to receive any detailed proposal for a supplemental budget from the Comelec, which should be accompanied by a certification from the National Treasurer that funds indeed are available. How, then, can any release be approved?

Rather than blame each other for the progress of the supplemental budget, these officials can just as simply solve these coordination problems by meeting and fleshing out action plans among themselves. They may have to be reminded of what?s at stake. They cannot anymore afford to compromise the integrity of the electoral process this time.

Our officials have been talking about clean and credible elections. But if they fail to get their act together and end up losing this chance to improve the way we choose our leaders, it would be clear that all the talk has just been lip service, nothing more.