Thesis Lirerature

This chapter is a presentation of related literature and studies which provided direction in the conduct of the study. Among the topics presented in this chapter are the international and municipal concepts of elections, elections in the Philippines, election automation, electronic governance, Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS) machine, Machine glitches,

International and Municipal Concept of Elections

According to Amangan, Hyun Jae E (The May 2010 National Elections: An Assessment on the First National Automated Elections in the Philippines, October 20, 2010) Living in a democratic country, the very subject of our government is its citizens.

Panganiban (2009) stressed that the citizens’ role is not to substitute for and do what our officials should be doing. The citizens’ job is to perform oversight functions, that is, to demand that only the most qualified are elected or appointed, and then to insist that these public officials perform their duties ethically, courageously and competently. Otherwise, if these officials cannot or would not do their jobs properly, the citizens should ask for their resignation, impeachment or dismissal and their replacement by the ethical, the courageous and the competent. That is why according to ARTICLE V of the Philippine Constitution, the right to suffrage may be exercised by all citizens of the Philippines who are not disqualified by law and who are at least eighteen years of age and have resided in the country for at least one year in the place where they plan to vote at least six months preceding the elections. No literacy, property, or other substantive requirement shall be imposed on the exercise of suffrage. Furthermore, the provision goes on that The Congress shall provide a system for securing the secrecy and sanctity of the ballot as well as a system for absentee voting by qualified Filipinos abroad. The Congress shall also design a procedure for the disabled and the illiterates to vote without the assistance...