2010 POLL AUTOMATION

2010 POLL AUTOMATION

When the issue about poll automation have been brought up many news and articles have been written, discussing about this whole thing. A lot of questions have made up to people’s mind, Would this automated election could eliminate possible cheaters? Would it help us, the people votes to be worth it as a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines? These are just few issues and queries embodied by the preparation of the 2010 Poll automation.

As few of us know, it has been seventeen years since the first initiatives to automate Philippine elections. The effort has spanned three administrations (Presidents Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) and five national elections (not counting barangay elections and the ARMM gubernatorial elections). But still nothing have been implemented because of some uncertain circumstances. Now, there is another attempt of pursuing this Automated Election for 2010. It was on January 7, this year when the Commission on Elections (Comelec) submits a P13.9 billion-budget for the automation of the 2010 elections to the DBM.

From March 5 to June 9 of 2009, a lot of activities have been worked on to be able to perform this much awaited Poll Automation in 2010. These includes the passing of the Senate of P11.3 billion-supplemental budget for the automation of the 2010 elections, obtaining of bid documents from Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the automation of the 2010 elections of the eleven prospective bidders which in the scanning of the documents only seven bidders passed. Also when Pres. Arroyo signs RA 9295 which allocates funds for the automation of the elections, the public bidding organized by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and all other process they have to encounter in order for the election process to reach a higher level in terms of credibility and technology. After all those procedures they have undergone, only one bidder have the chance to lead all of us to a clean and honest election process as a lot of people believe. This is the Netherlands-based Smartmatic and its Filipino partner Total Information Management (TIM).

But, later this month numerous reports have been stated that the automation of the 2010 elections was placed in jeopardy after the Filipino partner of the technology consortium that won the bidding for the project backed out, which is the Total Information Management (TIM),announced by The Commission on Elections Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Jose Melo. Some officials of Total Information Management Corp. (TIM) informed him that they were withdrawing from their partnership with Dutch firm Smartmatic International. According to Commission on Elections (Comelec), Chairman Jose Melo, there are some irreconcilable differences between the two companies. Allegedly issues also came out that there are some people in the administration or politicians who were manipulating the Filipino partner in order to back-out. Also, the issue about the financial arises, whether which of the two would get the much higher profit with these future automated election. By then, loads of people have been frustrated upon hearing the news. The hope of having much cleaner procedures for the most mission critical election for our country have just gone. However, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) assures the people that they would settle this mess.

So, just this morning July 4, 2009 in the Philippine Star, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Jose Melo has announced that “Were able to iron out their differences over the control of funds for the P11.2-billion poll automation project. We were able to thresh out everything. Everything seems to be on track again after one week of suspense and apprehension that we will be reverting to the manual system. We are back with automation”.

On my own perspective, Poll automation in the 2010 elections is good because we have to keep abreast with trends in modernization. However, considering that it’s the first time we are attempting this technology, we can expect some problems to transpire and this will again compel the government to shell out several more millions. Its success can only be gauged by implementation and seeing its results. It’s a tremendous boost to our obsolete vote-counting system and would ultimately improve our unreliable election process. But still we can never be assured that it’s automated, so we are free from election fraud. Machines can cheat more efficiently than people, if so programmed.

As far as I know, it is still manual in terms of selecting the candidates, we just need to shade the circle of our choice and let the machines do the counting and tallying. Though poll automation will make counting votes quicker, I still have my doubts if the powers-that-be would not hack computer programs come year 2010. For the human virus will surely destroy the genuine purpose of automation. Cheaters will always find a way to hack the machine.

On the positive side, I could say that this is a welcome news for the Filipinos, the majority of voters expect the machines to deliver the goods. If not, we would be in a lot more trouble than before. The Commission on Elections should ensure that no sleight of hand will occur. The technical people of the Commission on Elections should work side by side with the supplier, from delivery period to actual operation during the elections. If these things are met, then we are in for a new age in election history. I believe that everybody has been eager for this moment to come because it will now bail us out of the globally laughable Jurassic electoral system that has been toyed with by politicians in the Philippine election playground for many years now, exploiting its weaknesses by using all sorts of immoral, unethical and even criminal methods.

Now that we have this poll automation for the next elections and thereafter, I only hope that the criminally-inclined will not tinker with it and render it ineffective to come out with true election results. If programmed and used honestly, this new system will push back to history the oft-repeated complaint by losing politicians, “Dinaya ako.” After so many decades of manual vote counting, we will at last have an honest-to-goodness automated poll count. Yes, let’s give the Commission on Elections and the winning bidder a chance to prove their worth in 2010. Otherwise, we would be staying true to our tag as “the nation of crabs”. Poll automation is a welcome change in the upcoming 2010 election. With this the Filipinos we’re hoping for a cleaner and transparent counting of votes. Let’s just pray that in the end this long journey for the poll automation will be successful.

References:
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=483573&publicationSubCategoryId=63
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/features/07/01/09/timeline-long-road-poll-automation
Philippine Daily Inquirer

What an Ambush Interview.

Columbia Computer Center Davao, Inc.

Yesterday there are four of us who seek for a company to be interview as a basis for our Assignment. Fortunately, we headed to Columbia Computer Center Davao, Inc,. with our interviewee (name withheld for confidentiality), Manager of the Marketing Development Mindanao Area.

Provided by their website, this is their Company Profile.

Columbia Computer Center Davao, Inc., one of the pioneers in the computer industry of Davao City, started its operation in 1982 as a video center. It is located at City Triangle Building, CM Recto St. corner Roxas Avenue, Davao City. Due to a promising opportunity in the computer business, investments in this industry was also tried and later concentrated in this field. Currently, they have four (4) branches in the Mindanao area. At present, they carry most of the IT leaders\' brand name in the market such as ACER,COMPAQ, HEWLETT PACKARD, CANON, EPSON, MICROSOFT, INTEL, A-OPEN, 3M, LOGITECH, APC, MGE PULSAR, 3COM, SEAGATE, ASUS, MICROSTAR, JETWAY, CALIDAD, KRONE,AMP, LIKOM, EXPRESS and other peripherals & accessories.

Columbia Computer Center Davao, Inc. offers sales, repairs, rentals, networking installation and other services to our customers. They cater wholesale distribution of complete range of computer products, which covers PC System, peripherals, accessories and components. They are also engaged in direct sales providing computing solutions to manage large corporate accounts, government agencies and educational institutions as well as small medium sized companies. The company also provides services to our clientele to support all the products purchased under Columbia Computer Center Davao, Inc.

The following are the best practices they have introduced to us:

Mind Your Own Business (MYOB)- this is the software or program used by the Columbia Computer Center for the control of their inventory and sales. With this software, they manually check all of the things needed for the inventory and could automatically report on sales and debtors. Also, the sales ledger are centralized with this. As our interviewee expanded, all their inventory are already generated in the software. Once, a product have been sold, it’s just inputted in the Mind Your Own Business software, it will already generate a report on the sales of their company. It would also show all the expenses and the accounts left throughout the day. The profit and loss statement to be exact.

Biometrics - refers to methods for uniquely recognizing humans based upon one or more intrinsic physical or behavioral traits. It is used for the log in and log out of the employee. On their case, the thumb mark or the finger prints of their employee are the basis in order to have their daily time record (DTR). In short, biometrics is used by the Columbia Computer Center to record their attendance automatically. It is automated so they will no longer utilize the traditional way of getting the Daily Time record by using the Bundy clock. With this, the moment the employee subject his thumb mark to the machine and enter his distinct code, it will mechanically reflect on their DTR. Throughout the day, it will record their number of hours and days they had.

Closed-circuit television or the (CCTV) – is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast television in that the signal is not openly transmitted, though it may employ point to point wireless links. Columbia Computer Center Davao, Inc,. being the main office in the Mindanao area, are monitoring their other branches with the help of the Closed-circuit television or the CCTV. They could monitor all of their employees in their other branches such as in Butuan City, Cagayan de Oro City and General Santos City. With this, they could always see on what are happening in these branches and can accessed them anytime. Also, this could help them supervise these branches without any hassle on going on that far places. In just one click, all their worries about their other branches could be answered with the aid of the Closed-circuit television or the CCTV. This is via the internet, so Columbia Computer Center Davao, Inc., admits that for now they are all Internet dependent.

Networking Installations – they are proud to say that this is one of their best practices because it is not only their technician who knows this job, but almost eighty percent of their employees are capable of doing networking jobs. Meaning, any of them could be tap in the center whenever there are client or costumers need a help about networking installations. As they say, almost of them are skilled and trained regarding on networking.

Top Provider of Hardware / Software - At present, they carry most of the IT leaders' brand name in the market such as ACER,COMPAQ, HEWLETT PACKARD, CANON, EPSON, MICROSOFT, INTEL, A-OPEN, 3M, LOGITECH, APC, MGE PULSAR, 3COM, SEAGATE, ASUS, MICROSTAR, JETWAY, CALIDAD, KRONE,AMP, LIKOM, EXPRESS and other peripherals & accessories. With this many institutions and agencies are having a partnership with them regarding of any matters. Such as networking installation, repairs, rentals and cater wholesale distribution of complete range of computer products, which covers PC System, peripherals, accessories and components in the City. As one of the top provide in the City with these materials, Columbia Computer Center Davao, Inc., provides computing solutions to manage large corporate accounts, government agencies and educational institutions as well as small medium sized companies. Included on their list in the institution sector is the Ateneo de Davao University. While on the government side is the City Hall and 911 Center. Proudly saying also that they are the no. 1 partner of the PLDT in Davao City in terms of all their services. The Lapanday Foods, Davao Light Power Company, Davao City Water District and also San Miguel Beer are also among of their clients.

Management Information System Department (MIS Department) – when we asked them if they have this department on their organization, they answered no. For them, having a Management Information System Department (MIS Department)becomes redundant. Why? it is because almost eighty percent of their employee knows all the job within the company. It means that what the manager knows, also the utility boy knows too and vice versa. It doesn’t matter on what position they have when it comes to work distribution. As long as you have admitted in their company, within 2 months, you are already skilled and could almost do everything related to the company. As they call themselves, “DALTANS = dala tanan”, all of them are all around. Still they have the hierarchy of the organizational chart.

Reference:
Wikipedia.com
columbia.com.ph

LMIS vs. MIS

The question now is, do we agree if Management Information System(MIS) is change to Leadership Management Information System(LMIS)?

As the webopedia.com defines, MIS refers broadly to a computer-based system that provides managers with the tools for organizing, evaluating and efficiently running their departments. In order to provide past, present and prediction information, an MIS can include software that helps in decision making, data resources such as databases, the hardware resources of a system, decision support systems, people management and project management applications, and any computerized processes that enable the department to run efficiently.

Try to think of this, if we talk about Management it simply means of managing of time,work or anything that could be managed or even people. The term Management could basically give a right to the Managers to have power over their subordinates. They might take advantage to this power to control their people. We don't like to play as puppets well in fact we could do better with our chosen field if we are just guided with proper supervision.

That's why we opt to choose Leadership Management Information System as a description for our subject if given the chance. Because as we review this definition given by the wikipedia.org, Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task”. So in an organization, people may be lead and guided properly in order to excel in their assigned tasked. They must not be manage nor control because all of us have our right to work independently on how we are lead and molded by our leaders.

But still, it depends to the people on how they understand the word Management. I'm just stating a fair opinion to this issue that I would latter analyze as we go on through the semester.

References:
webopedia.com

Mintzberg's Managerial Roles

As what I have read on some articles, Mintzberg's Managerial Roles are divided into three sections, namely, the interpersonal, informational, and decision roles.

Mintzberg then identified ten separate roles in managerial work, each role defined as an organized collection of behaviors belonging to an identifiable function or position out of these three sections.

1. FIGUREHEAD: the manager performs ceremonial and symbolic duties as head of the organization.

2. LEADER: fosters a proper work atmosphere and motivates and develops subordinates.

3. LIAISON: develops and maintains a network of external contacts to gather information.

4. MONITOR: gathers internal and external information relevant to the organization.

5. DISSEMINATOR: transmits factual and value based information to subordinates.

6. SPOKESPERSON: communicates to the outside world on performance and policies.

7. ENTREPRENEUR: designs and initiates change in the organization.

8. DISTURBANCE HANDLER: deals with unexpected events and operational breakdowns.

9. RESOURCE ALLOCATOR: controls and authorizes the use of organizational resources.

10. NEGOTIATOR: participates in negotiation activities with other organizations and individuals.

Although, individual capabilities of a person had a great effect on the implementation of each role, still it's the organization who determines the need of the particular roles for what the Manager assessed for an individual.

References:
http://www.provenmodels.com/88/ten-managerial-roles/mintzberg

The IT/IS Leadership Roles. CSC

Information systems (IS) and information technology (IT) leadership roles have undergone fundamental changes over the past decade.

And according to what I have researched, on 1996 Computer Science Corporation (CSC) has suggested six new IS leadership roles which are required to execute IS’s future agenda: chief architect, change leader, product developer, technology provocateur, coach and chief operating strategist. Below are the description of the Six IS Leadership roles.

1. Chief architect. The chief architect designs future possibilities for the business. The primary work of the chief architect is to design
and evolve the IT infrastructure so that it will expand the range of future possibilities for the business, not define specific business
outcomes.

2. Change leader.The essential role of the
change leader is to orchestrate all those resources that will be needed to execute the change program.

3. Product developer. The product developer helps define the company’s place in the emerging digital economy.

4. Technology provocateur. The technology provocateur embeds IT into the business strategy. The technology provocateur works with senior business executives to bring IT and realities of the IT marketplace to bear on the formation of strategy for the business.

5. Coach. The coach teaches people to acquire the skill sets they will need for the future. Coaches have to basic responsibilities: teaching people how to learn, so that they can become self-sufficient, and providing team leaders with staff able to do the IT-related work of the business.

6. Chief operating strategist. The chief operating strategist invents the future with senior management. The chief operating strategist is the top IS executive who is focused on the future agenda of the IS organization.The most important, and least understood, parts of the role have to do with the interpretation of new technologies and the IT marketplace, and the bringing of this understanding into the development of the digital business strategy for the organization.

Although these roles produced by the CSC without any scientific approach, many people noticed that they seem very well tailored for scientific investigation into IS leadership roles. People who fill these roles do not necessarily head up new departments or processes, but they exert influence and provide leadership across the organizational structure.

References:
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-28391466_ITM

S.Y. 2009-2010

First Day of Class!

At last, I've visited my blog..

To start, we just had our first meeting for our subject MIS1 this morning under Sir RSG. I really woke up very early in order not to be late in class. Knowing Sir RSG, being late in class is a minus points for him.

I could say that we had a great discussion this morning even if we are just few in the class. Still, a lot of ideas have been shared. The first thing he asked is all about the subject MIS.
What is Management? someone answered; "facilitating,supervising and managing." That's right, management is all about managing your time, work or anything that you should manage in order to do efficient work.

But let me give you a definition that we just learned this morning. Management implies that someone has to be managed which means that he can inherit functions and capabilities to work independently. However, we people don't want to be controlled right? So, if we speak about MIS; we will only manage the software and hardware but never the people ware. Thus, we should be guided or lead by our leaders in order to work independently.

Also, we have learned the 4 key activities in Management if I'm not mistaken, it is PDOC or the Planning, Directing, Organizing and Controlling.

With these discussions, I hope this would be a good start for our future activities ahead of us!

It's Been A while!

Well its been a while since I visit my blog.. A lot of things happened in the past, things that I love to remember. And things that I would like to forget at all.

Life is never too easy. You have to be strong always to survive. And in my case, I'm proud to say "that I survived".

I just want to say that let's all live life to the fullest. We'll never know what will happen to us the next day.
Don't be afraid to say Thank you and I love you to your loved ones. Especially, say Sorry to the one you got wronged for.

So Peace and Love!!.ü