Last Monday, most of us once again exercised our right to choose the best person to run the country. As a matter of fact, in just a span of a few hours, we already saw the trend of who the people have chosen best for the Presidency via the first-time automated voting system. Indeed, this was the first and hopefully, not the last since elections have always been plagued with controversies and unreliable counting when it was done manually. I for one, have been witness to such conflicts and there were times I wished things were a little different in the manner of voting then. But thanks to open-mindedness, COMELEC made history by pushing for the automated elections. Not only did it make counting easier and faster, but I also hope that it made the elections a lot credible and believable (but again, expect more protests from stubborn politicians who don’t want to concede yet).
Me against the crowd
As early as 6 in the morning, I prepared myself to come home to Manila, my former hometown, just to vote. The trip from Sta. Rosa Laguna was just a relatively short bus ride, since there was no traffic going home. I arrived at F. Guerrero School along Pedro Gil around 7:20am. Guerrero has been my voting precinct since the time I started voting for Barangay and Local elections way back 1992. Generally, the time I spent on voting was, hmmm well… short. The only thing I spent a little time on, was finding the precinct room I would vote. So to make things a lot easier, I celled (manner of calling someone thru cellfone; my own coining not Webster’s) Papa for the location. Good thing it was just in the first floor. What’s more relaxing about voting was that Papa already got a number for me and Mama. So there. I got my first shot at voting via Smartmatic PCOS machine hassle-free. Good for the numbers actually, since on my way to the room I got to pass by the other rooms with scary long lines. Imagine if I still lined up (Kaye and her family didn’t have the same luxury as I had since they waited for more than two hours to be able to vote. Kawawa talaga!).
Inside Guerrero during election day
Anyways, when I finished, I lined up a bit before placing my ballot through the PCOS machine. I was able to finish everything and get out of the hot voting room in 30 minutes. Just then, the people in-charge began letting in senior citizens. Hehehe lucky me indeed!
I went back to the area where the PPCRV (Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting) table was located. I stayed with Mama for a while before going home to my old Manila house to freshen up and have breakfast. When I got home, Papa was getting ready for bed since he hadn’t gotten any sleep as he was an assigned COMELEC officer at Guerrero. So I said “good night” to him as he went up the room to sleep. For me, I just had a few pandesals and spam for breakfast, with fresh hot kapeng barako from the coffeemaker, and then I freshened up a bit before going back to the precinct.
At the PPCRV Station where Mama stays
I stayed at the PPCRV station for a while. It was just weird being there since I used to be active in PPCRV when I was still in Manila. But those times were far different from today. Me, am just a mere voter. And no more concerns with what’s happening around, just a plain spectator to everything that’s going around the school. Kaya siguro am proud of my parents because they remain vigilant to situations during elections. Amidst the pricking heat and lack of wind in the area, their dedication to such taxing volunteer work is truly commendable. I really wish I could stay and be with Mama during that time, but I was already missing the kulets back home in Sta. Rosa and I promised Kaye to get home ASAP. So after saying my goodbyes to Mama and friends I knew back then, I left Guerrero with its huge crowd already overflowing at the gates.
At last, I boarded the jeep going to PRC Makati. But as I looked back from the moving jeep, I smiled and thought that maybe this would be the last time I’d vote in Manila. I don’t know much about the politicians in the Manila district, anyway. Probably next year, I’ll try to work on registering myself in Sta. Rosa so for the next elections (local and senatorial), it will be at a new place for a change. But I’ll truly miss voting in Manila, especially since my parents and I usually vote at the same time. Well that’s ok. At least my last election ended with something unique, that is, via automated voting. Now that’s something to remember as I close the chapter of election voting in Manila.
Thanks Guerrero… hello Central!
Ps. This is just my post-election observations that I just want to share here.
… that despite the good show of results, some politicians will still insist that they were cheated, the reason for them to lose the race.
… that despite the plunder cases and crimes against the country which proved him guilty (but was pardoned a few years later), Erap was still a crowd favorite.
… that the election has enticed rather more celebrities to run, and they surprisingly won in the campaign.
… that the election, for me, remains to be a popularity contest in general.
… that those good men who are much better off for the positions at stake, are the ones who usually found themselves close to the bottom of the list.
… that in all of these observations, I’d say the elections was a swift and orderly one compared to the past years.
I’d stop here. If you have your own observations, feel free to share here too!
hehe. talagang central talaga ano? sana nga yung susunod e magkapareho tayo ng voting precinct. which reminds me that i have to re-register and have my name changed…di na ko sanay pumirma using my maiden name eh. hahaha
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bongkito Reply:
May 18th, 2010 at 9:07 pm
sana nga pagmakapagregister tayong dalawa, magkapareho tayo precinct. olats naman kung magkalayo pa. tsaka weird kaya yun! besides gusto ko may ka-kopyahan ako sa listing ng mga iboboto. ukibayun? hehehe mwah mwah!
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hmmmm. good.
i am sad kasi it was supposed to be my first time to vote but i wasn’t able to vote. and I am also sad with the results. haha. but then again, katulad nga ng sabi ko, we have to move in the name of national unity and reconciliation.
sana sa susunod na election, makaboto na ako
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bongkito Reply:
May 18th, 2010 at 8:50 pm
makakaboto ka rin nyan. basta make sure sa susunod na elections (kahit yung local and senatorial lang).
yup nakakasad yung results diba lalo na kung yung manok mo ay malayo from the top pick. pero ganon talaga. the people have spoken kahit ayaw natin ang choice nila. so i guess let’s work na lang together and move on nga for the betterment of the country.
kumusta na? ngayon ka lang ulit nagparamdam a! hehehe
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Wow! Bagong theme! I like this.
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bongkito Reply:
May 18th, 2010 at 8:35 pm
heheh tenks salbehe. para lang maka-lighten naman ng mood at para masaya lang. hehehe tawamat sa dalaw!
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buti naman kuya kahit gaano ka crowded ang lugar walang mga nangulo o anu paman..
kuya pansin kolang, sa dating theme mo, living room ata yung header ( if im not mistaken) tapos sa bago, office room naman.. hehe what next?! hehehe
be safe kuya!
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bongkito Reply:
May 19th, 2010 at 8:21 pm
hahaha! actually office room sya pero it’s more of a home office setup sya (which i hope to have sana kung magbibiznes kami hehehe, dito man or abroad.
as for your comment, i was early din kasi kaya medyo mabilis pa ko nakaboto on my precinct/brgy alone. pero compared to where i voted, the other rooms are either jampacked or there’s already a long snake line outside the room.
teka nakaboto ka ba dyan? sino binoto mo? share naman hehehe
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Len Reply:
May 21st, 2010 at 10:05 am
haha, yup kuya naku, wala kaya mag react kung malaman kung sinu binoto?! hehehe..
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Natutuwa ako at very active ng parents mo sa mga activity ng PPCRV. Sana after the automated elections ay ‘by mail’ na ang voting para maiwasan na ang mga pagpila. Buti naman at na-prove na ang automated election ay kaya ng Pinoys.Iba talaga ang naka datkom…paiba-iba ng design ng bahay. Napansn ko lang yung reply mo ay mahirap basahin dahil sa kulay ng background(dapat siguro white).
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bongkito Reply:
May 19th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
hehehe sorry tay! i was still figuring out how to change the color nung font kaso am not familiar with the codes. don’t worry am still searching for a new design para mas conducive and easy basahin.
yup i was also surprised that kahit wala na kami, they’re still preoccupied with that. and sana nga pede yung ganung botohan in the future. kaso lang sa dami ng magagaling maghack at magmanipulate using technology like what we have now, di malayo ang malawakang dayaan. huwell, if that happens, what else is new?
nakaboto ka ba tay?
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superlolo Reply:
May 20th, 2010 at 9:12 am
Di ako nakapag register sa Consulate kaya di ako nakaboto Bong.
Palagay ko may pag-asa pa na ma-improve ang proseso, pero sana nga magbago ang pananaw ng Pinoy sa conduct ng election.
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eto observation ko….
yung lalaking nakapula sa unang picture ay nasa bulsa ang kamay nya. ano kaya ang hinihimas…?
yung huling picture, yung lalaking naka-stripe ay nagkakamot ng pwet, may bulate yata.
yung 2nd pic ay may nonoy aquino sighting. yung nakaputi. bago sya ma-assasinate….
lastly, kamukha mo pala si gibo!
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Vajarl Reply:
May 23rd, 2010 at 9:21 am
SHAKS DI KO NAPANSIN YANG KUYANG NAKAPULA! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
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bongkito Reply:
May 23rd, 2010 at 9:37 pm
hanggaling mo naman fafa jesse! matinik ka talaga sa tinginan. ultimo yung lalaking nakasuksok ang kamay sa bulsa na-sight mo at nagawan agad ng istorya! naaaayyysss!!! hahahahaha
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bongkito Reply:
May 23rd, 2010 at 9:39 pm
pero di nga? kamukha ko talaga si gibo?!? weh!!!
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kaye Reply:
May 24th, 2010 at 12:23 am
bwahahahaha! di ko man lang napansin yung lalaking nagkakamot ng pwet. napahagalpak talaga ako ng tawa dito. hahaha!
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bongkito Reply:
May 24th, 2010 at 12:30 am
honga e! sabi ko na nga ba e. parang may mali sa kuha ko. imagine, ako na nga lang kumuha nyan tapos may ganon pa. dapat ata sa FHM ko pinadala to e. Kumita pa sana ako! HEhehehe
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Mr. Nonsense Reply:
May 25th, 2010 at 3:41 pm
wait…hindi yata nagkakamot ng pwet. sinasalo yata yung utot nya. siguro either na gusto nyang ma-high or isang terrorist na may planong mag-biological welfare.
yes, kamukha si gibo….mukhang talunan!
I appreciate Comelec, or whoever was responsible, for having our elections automated. At least we get to see our country trying to keep up with what developing countries have. Hindi yung nagmamatigas para i keep ang luma pero sobrang tagal na proseso.
Anyways, I don’t get to fully appreciate what the government has done though. I didn’t vote. And I don’t think I will ever. Tamad ako, para madaling i explain.
Daddy ang vain mo. Haha.
I have a friend who fell in line to get herself registered, checked comelec’s website to find her name wasn’t there, and went to where she has to go vote– para lang malaman na wala sa listahan ang pangalan nya. Di sya nakaboto. Saklap.
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bongkito Reply:
May 23rd, 2010 at 9:43 pm
uy talaga? Vain ba yun? di naman, sobrang init kasi lang kaya kelangan mag freshen up. hehehe
anak sayang naman ang boto mo. sana next time try mo pa rin. as for the missing names, hay naku daming ganyan! kaya sobrang nakakahinayang talaga going there tapos di ka rin makaka-vote. how sad.
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kaye Reply:
May 24th, 2010 at 12:24 am
excuse me, but you are REALLY VAIN. as in. mas vain pa kaya saken yan…
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bongkito Reply:
May 24th, 2010 at 5:04 am
fine fine fine! wala naman akong laban basta nagsalita na si kaye e! hehehe
Vajarl Reply:
May 25th, 2010 at 2:20 am
Hahaha. Yari ka ke Mommy baka latiguhin ka nyan. Ryaaaar!
Kaye and her family didn’t have the same luxury as I had since they waited for more than two hours to be able to vote. Kawawa talaga
—natawa ako dito. hakhak. solidong kawawa talaga. sapul.
kasi pati ako natamaan. ang hirap maghintay pero okay lang maghintay lalo na kung it’s worth waiting for. hakhak.
feeling ko i’m a filipino na. kasi nakavote na eh. hakhak.
ang gadna ng theme. malinis.
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bongkito Reply:
May 28th, 2010 at 12:21 am
hi eloiski! salamat sa compliment at pagdalaw. actually, there’s always a first for everything and nagkataon ganito yung inabot ng karamihan ng botante this recent election lang. sana lang nga in the future, it wouldn’t be as difficult na to troop down the precinct and vote. Kaya nga ginawang automated para swift everything, from the voting to canvassing and identifying agad yung ating next leaders.
kumusta?
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sir bongks! ganda ng header pic naten ah!..
thankful ako at generally, naging peaceful ang election.. pero may issue nanaman daw ng dayaan.. haiz.
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bongkito Reply:
June 1st, 2010 at 10:16 pm
heheh engineer! salamat sa compliment. pero i still have to adjust it yung kulay nung names and fonts di masyado mabasa e. heheh
as for the dayaan, what else is new? marami talagang sour grapers d’yan kahit anong gawin natin. ngek!
kumusta? san ka na ngayon?
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Daddy! Kumusta ka na? Kitakits uli tayo!
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bongkito Reply:
June 1st, 2010 at 10:17 pm
hehehe! pano tayo magkikitakits? balita ko naggimik kayo nung weekend ha habang nasa EK kami hehehe!
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