Comelec: Bidders for automated-polls system lining up

MANILA, Philippines - Expecting the smooth passage of a P11.3-billion supplemental budget at the Senate, prospective bidders have already started lining up for automated elections in 2010. Commission on Elections Chairman Jose Melo said this Wednesday as he said they are focusing their efforts on ensuring the bidding process will be as transparent as possible. “Oo, there are 10 of them as of now, baka dumami pa yan. They are all qualified in the sense na puro international yan, may experience sa election. Ang iba niyan pioneer in the field [Yes, there are 10 of them now, and the number may grow. They are all qualified in the sense that they are experienced, with some of them being pioneers in the field]," Melo said in an interview on dzXL radio. The Senate is due to pass the P11.3-billion supplemental budget for automated elections in 2010. Melo said they see no last-minute hitches at the Senate. He also said the Comelec expects no more bicameral conference committee meetings on the measure as there are no key differences in the Senate and House versions. But Melo said the next stage of the Comelec’s work is to make the bidding process transparent, to prevent possible claims of cheating by losing bidders. “Yan ang iniingatan natin. Ginagawa natin process of bidding bukas na bukas makikita ng lahat, walang kinikilingan kami [That is what we are wary of. We are making the bidding process as open as possible]," he said.- GMANews.TV