Namfrel pre-election assessment report

Access the full report at: http://bit.ly/1RYm2kl 

Assessment Summary

"At the time of this report there will be 35 days left to the May 9 presidential and general elections. If the current opinion polls hold, the elections for president and vice president may produce close results."

PEAM was pleased to hear that there is a good level of confidence in the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) among stakeholders. COMELEC has a particular challenge relating to the issuing of voters’ receipts. Voters want a sense of confidence that their votes will be counted as cast. Another issue relates to the timely and transparent reporting of vote totals. Swift and accurate reporting is essential, especially due to past experiences.

Free, fair, inclusive and credible elections depend also on a permissive environment, and we have heard concerns expressed about vote buying and private armed groups impeding access to polling centres.

In the event of close elections, it will be important for all stakeholders to respond in a measured way, and for COMELEC to be prepared to provide a clear narrative surrounding the conduct of the polls and the publication of results.

In addition to issues related to the present elections, this assessment also suggests a national dialogue concerning possible desynchronization of national and local elections, and the possibility of run-off elections to ensure future presidents and vice presidents have a strong mandate.

There is also work to be done to improve the access to their franchise of indigenous people, people with disabilities, and overseas Filipinos."

(Second) The true mandate of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC)

...is to hold competitive elections and create the environment for it.

A congressman's and a senator's ditty?

“I owe, I owe, so off to work I go.”

That is a bumper sticker, a parody of “Heigh Ho” made famous in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. What has this got to do with the (Philippine) pork barrel scam? Perhaps this is just the congressmen' and senators' ditty?

In a regional election in the mid-90s, we were told that lenders were ready for anyone who wanted funds. Back then the post for mayor in very rural Mindanao cost as much as 6 million pesos. This would be paid back through the internal revenue allotment (IRA). Monthly tranches, shares to the local government from the national coffers, would first go to the financier until the debt and interest are fully paid. The IRA formed part of the local pork barrel.

The cost of getting elected has gone up since.  It is higher when the rivalry is strong, and even higher in densely populated areas, and when size of the constituency is broader.

Perhaps the biggest expense is on patronage.  These are the monies used to secure support, among which are for buying individual votes or manipulating the results.  In a recent article in the Philippine Star, Rep Lani Mercado Revilla (Cavite 2) elaborated some of the other costs for us. [http://bit.ly/1aEKsc9]

The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism reports that in 2012 among the "33 candidates for senator and the 12 political parties that nominated them, a total of P2.28 billion was spent on the campaign, 90 percent of which went to political advertising on television, radio, newspapers, and online media during the official 90-day campaign period. [http://bit.ly/1aEKsc9]  I believe that patronage dwarfs these costs and are, unfortunately, not well tracked as the advertising expenses.

With the huge amounts advanced on getting elected, there must be a number of recovery mechanisms somewhere, don't you think?

Luneta here we come!