MANILA STANDARD EDITORIAL: UNFASHIONABLE (VOTERS REGISTRATION)
MANILA, NOVEMBER 4, 2009 (STANDARD) Deadlines exist so that tasks can be accomplished on or before a particular date. Unfortunately, Filipinos seem to think “on” is more fashionable than “before.”Take the case of the registration of new voters and the validation of existing ones conducted by the Commission on Elections. Deadline was set for Saturday, Oct. 31. Registrants trooped to the Comelec offices despite the latest typhoon. Some came as early as dawn, only to find that the registration forms were not sufficient and there were few personnel to register with. In many places, chaos ruled.
That the commission is not the poster agency for efficiency is a given. It also grapples with the introduction of new technology, training its staff and teachers on the use of voting machines. Still, the poll body made allowances to accommodate those who wanted to register in the remaining days of the period. Registration hours were extended. There were special arrangements for sto rm victims and for the disabled, as well as for those who did not finish the process last Saturday. That is all.
The commission was correct in refusing to grant any more extensions especially since registration has been going on since December of last year. Agency officials said the refusal was for practical considerations—they need to finish the book of voters at a specified date. But they delivered a good message as well: Do not wait until the last minute, especially if you have been given ample time.
Lack of urgency is an undesirable trait that may have been responsible for the many different problems this country is facing. Citizens and leaders alike do not do the things we are supposed to do until a problems gets out of hand—during which they panic, and cannot think well.
That more young voters are interested in participating in the nation’s affairs is a good thing. This means they are confident that their votes will be counted. Democracy, after all, is not so much as seeing your candidate win but knowing that whoever actually assumes office is the one whom people voted for. And now that there is clamor for a new brand of leadership, a new approach to governance, Filipinos should shed undesirable old habits that have caused us trouble for so long.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2009
by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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