Crossing the Line

"Smiling Back at the Experience of 2010 Automated Election"

by MEGS S. LUNN

When I hesitantly said YES to Smartmatic TIM, Inc. in September of 2009, little did I know that I will be dealing with "sky rocketed" tension, notwithstanding, the many deliverables and hundreds of people who will be under your monitoring and supervision.

In the contract as Provincial Coordinator – Aklan for SMTT-TIM, Inc – it stated: 1. to deal directly with the Provincial Election Supervisor; 2. to monitor the project based of the 1st Automated Election 2010 of SMTT-TIM, Inc.

To serve as a "long-arm" extension of the Regions Management Unit is to serve as the arms, feet, eyes and mouth of SMTT-TIM, Inc, therefore, it includes monitoring activities of manpower, security, warehouse, 3rd Party Logistics (3PL), machineries deployment, among others and other stakeholders involved in the deliverables, if directed and as directed, by the Regions Management Unit of SMTT-TIM, Inc.

Though the project is huge enough to think about, I did not deal with too much worries as to my services is concerned. I was thinking of more than what I can do for our country, to ensure an honest, orderly, peaceful election (HOPE 2010) thru Automation, first time in the history of the Philippines.

The designation brought to us during the 3 days training at Bayview Park Hotel in Manila in 2009 I thought was a simple matter to me, knowing that, we are not to handle the technical aspect of Automation. Speaking of technicality, I was ready to learn, however, it was not clarified at all, nor even we were trained about it…It was ALL BLIND to me.

After so many months of planning, meeting and preparation, it was only in November of 2009 that I felt the tension and excitements as to what extent would be our limitation being Provincial Coordinator. There was people behind the scene that objected to my being part of the team for Regions Management Unit and that wanted to dare me as not worthy to be Provincial Coordinator. The reasons given was obviously, because, I am part of the tri-media and that I was told, I am a threat to them, knowing my previous connections with one political party in the 2007 election. These are reasons that I could not accept as these people who wanted me out are behaving like childish ones, so to speak. These, in fact are the people whom I never heard of and first time I met in my lifetime. I was not aware they even have to investigate my profile at the same time.

To cut the story short, as my mentor told me, accept the challenge and show to them your worth. There were good friends who vouched for my character and integrity at work of which I was very grateful. It was quiet for many months. Never-theless, two months before the Election, these people succeeded to eventually make their way to transfer me to Capiz. I thought the decision was politically motivated, as even admitted to me by my Regions Management Unit.

I graciously took the challenge and went off to pay a courtesy call to PES-Capiz - Atty. Wil Arcenio. It was really a challenging event of my career, as being PC of Capiz, while my heart is for Aklan, even maintained my office in my residence hometown while rendering services for Capiz, back and forth at some points. I did spent time to like what I do as I need to do it. It was not that I had no choice, it was just me.

The challenge went on, more significantly at 4:00 AM when we are about to deploy the PCOS machines for Capiz on May 5, 2010, when at the same day, at 7:00 AM, my RMU called up to retrieve the same. It was all in the ANC News when Compaq Flash Cards hit the national television during an FTS in one area in Manila, of which accordingly, it did not read the local canvassing.

The experience of struggling how to get to Capiz at 4 AM dawn, off to ride with a trucking/10-wheelers truck via Iloilo, I have to brace myself and pray, I hope I would maintain my composure to be able to reach Capiz and do what we urgently need to do. To extract CF of 1,166 units of 10.6 kilos (weight) each of PCOS machines is of no joke. Given a timetable of such a rush by our two Provincial Election Supervisors (Capiz and Aklan), however, with our collective efforts in Roxas main hub, we patiently and cheerfully finished the extraction and finally reach our timetable before 2PM of May 6, 2010. The Final Testing and Sealing was supposedly scheduled May 7, however, was moved to May 8 and even May 9 for the far-flung areas.

It was more challenging actually, dealing with different personalities of stakeholders, not to mention, the Election officers of different towns of the two provinces – Capiz and Aklan. Dealing with both of this group in a back-to-back meeting with PNP, AFP and COMELEC, with my SMTT Security Consultant and Provincial Coordinator Manpower at many instances, I can only smile back at the experienced.

"Smartmatic TIM Corporation contracted the automation, COMELEC runs the Election". This guiding principle we are using in making decisions pertaining to the implementation of the Automated Election last May 10, 2010 that draws the line which separates COMELEC and Smartmatic TIM Corporation.

One SMTT member quoted to us just two weeks before the election when doubts and resistance started from both parties during the receipt of Comelec Resolution 8827, "we expected COMELEC to lead us, not to run away from their responsibility, to give us solutions and not to blame, to help us and not to give us problems, to guide us and not to make our way difficult and to encourage us and not to pull us down. It’s sad to know that they are in-charge in the process of choosing our leaders. I don’t know what will happen to our country if these people will still continue to lead the most crucial and critical turning point of this country, the election. It’s difficult to do things when some administrators you are expecting to lead are nowhere to be found or hard to find. We depend on them to give us directives and orders on what to do, how to do, when to do and where to do. They all knew that we are all new to this business and we don’t have the mandate to lead the election. CROSSING THE LINE is our last option to make things done, and WE DID."

In fairness, it was my happiest moment when three days before May 10, as directed by our RMU that I have to stay for Aklan and that my counterpart PC will stay for Capiz. It was a memorable and enjoyable ride with PES-Aklan, Atty. Ian Lee Ananoria and the rest of the provincial board of canvassers team, APPO-PD Jun Bragais and his team and the AFP, too. More importantly, thank you to our most hardworking PCM- Ms. Jindra Cipriano and her PCOST team.

I can’t also forget a funny situation when some EO’s of both provinces still seek for my advice on some certain point. Funny because, they should know better on how and what to do since they are empowered with Resolutions, etc. from their office. It was even ironic that flying voters and security need was brought to my attention. Thank you to those who are concerned and vigilant citizen of our towns.

The election fever to me was more of personalities. It wasn’t the PCOS or the CF. . It was more of INITIATIVE (diskarte) on the part of PCOST and manpower alike, who most of the time in the field, served as "punching bags" especially during the Election Day of May 10, 2010. In totality, it was more of a challenge of COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY and ACCOUNTABILITY on the part of the Comelec and SMTT-TIM, Inc.

One major lesson learned was that, "Too much protocol was killing us and NSC was not much of help."

One media friend asked me if I would do it again? Without blinking an eyelash, "YES, FOR THE LOVE OF SERVICE!"

Indeed, I enjoyed the ride and my team and I was proud to say, "WE ALL DID OUR BEST." /MP