Hocus PCOS?
Last Sunday I had the opportunity to talk and consult an information technology expert about the workings of the Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS)machine. The person I was talking with practically knows the ins and outs of the machine.
He told what was crucial about the PCOS machine especially if we want to have an honest and orderly midterm election. He pointed to the software that instructs the computer what to read and what not to read in the machines.
Was a a nationwide mock election a practical and good idea ? The expert said it was good to test the PCOS and determine this early if there is a problem, and fix it.
The mock election would also show whether the software can follow instructions, meaning read correctly the names in the ballot.
After the mock election, the software should be deposited for safekeeping to be agreed and signed by all the party representatives. The expert also observed that the transmission of results sometimes fails he wondered why. He said he suspects the modems being used were of a poor quality.
With this observation, I believe that we should support the proposal of Catholic officials that the Comelec hold a nationwide mock election for the sake of transparency and honest and orderly midterm elections.
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It was a happy reunion of friends in media when we attended the 15th anniversary of Cebu Daily News last Friday.
I was so happy to meet once again Inday Malou Guanzon-Apalisok. We immediately talked about political developments in the city and her daughter Anikka, my former student, now working at the DFA and stationed in Paris.
I was also happy to see Miss Ginny Vamenta still up and about, not just writing but also travelling. There was Jaime Picornell, no longer with a cane, moving around and looking very good. CDN publisher Eileen Mangubat was stunning that evening and so was Thea Rinen.
It may be late but still the same congratulations to Cebu Daily News for its 15th anniversary and to Sandy Prieto Romualdez, president of the Inquirer Group for the success of the paper.
Sandy was also beautiful that evening but was serious in challenging the CDN staff not to rest on its laurels and to work harder to achieve more milestones.
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Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama has gotten the budget as promised for senior citizens, but the BO-PK dominated council passed the budget with a colatilla that assistance to senior citizens should be released in June instead of April as has been the practice in previous years. The rationale for the colatilla is for the mayor not to use the assistance for political purposes.
But budget making is the prerogative of the mayor. The city council has the power to review and approve the budget but does it include the power to command the mayor when the budget can be released? This isn’t the first time this issue cropped up.
The city council overstepped its powers in this budget matter. It is the chief executive who has the power to decide when to release the budget and not the city council.
With many senior citizens in poor health, it is important that they receive their assistance without delay. I think they should be spared from partisan politics.
