Assumptions

"All assumptions are false!" This is an often invoked expression precisely because it is obvious. What is real, actual or factual needs no assumption at all on account of its given objective truth. Assumptions wherefore are merely forwarded -- as non-existent bridges - in order for a thinking process to move on. The following are no less than impressive assumptions which are somehow wild but worth making - in conjunction with the forthcoming fully automated local and national elections:

Assuming that all of the thousands of PCOS machines would function perfectly, without any mechanical problem or technical trouble of any kind, notwithstanding the lack of due knowledge on the part of many voters plus their mishandling of the ballots for one reason or another;

Assuming further that nothing at all would impede the proper and correct counting of all the ballots in all the thousands of clustered Precincts in the whole Country, and that there would be enough power for the exact and timely transmissions of the votes cast from the local to the national levels;

Assuming finally that not only the COMELEC but also all political parties as well as Party Lists plus duly accredited "Election Watchdogs" would be given their duly identified and certified copies of the election returns, as provided by law and thus rightfully demanded by the said entities;

Notwithstanding all the marvelous and impressive assumptions above made, there is still much left to realistically and ardently expect honest and orderly, peaceful and credible local and national elections - considering but the following reservations:

There are the Voters' Registrations in the thousands of Precincts in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, that are thus progressively padded according to a trusted former COMELEC Commissioner: In 1998-2001, the Registrations were padded by some 500,000 voters. In 2004, the Registrations were padded by some 3,000,000 voters. For 2010, the Registrations are padded by some 5,000,000 voters.

Furthermore, in the clustering of five to six Precincts, there will be some 1000 voters casting their votes in the same place, using but one PICOS machine. With all Precincts open from 6AM to 6PM (12 hours) on 10 May, each voter has but some 43.2 seconds to vote - from looking for his/her name, to registering his/her presence, to getting-filling-casting his/her ballot.

Finally, with but one of them dismissed lately by COMELEC itself, there are still "Operators" and "Hubs" either at the command of high public Officials or acting independently on their own with the "proper incentives" from interested parties, and whose "official" task has been the so called "Dagdag-Bawas" projects, long since.

What now, Philippines my Philippines?!