Comelec goes paperless

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) goes paperless, literally.

Due to budgetary constraints, the Comelec is now suffering from paper shortage for the printing of guidelines and other information in connection with the May 14 polls.

Election lawyers and voters are complaining that they can’t secure copies of Comelec resolutions because the poll body’s Education and Information Division (EID) does not have sufficient supply of paper.

"Now we can feel the effect of lack of budget at the Comelec because they can’t even print copies of resolutions governing the 2007 polls," election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said.

According to Macalintal, he was advised by the EID to just visit the Comelec website to obtain information on the resolutions because they could not give them printed copies.

"This is the first time that Comelec does not have paper to print copies of resolutions and this is a big problem because not all voters have access to the Internet," he stressed.

Sources from the Comelec said the EID does not have paper supply for almost a year now allegedly because the bidding for the purchase of bond paper has yet to be completed.

"Many voters and prospective candidates, including those who came from the provinces, went home disappointed because we could not provide them printed copies of the resolutions," a Comelec employee who spoke on condition of anonymity told The STAR.

The employee, however, claimed that the paper shortage has nothing to do with budgetary constraints or delayed bidding.

"There were rumors that this paper shortage is part of the effort to defer the coming election by not properly informing the public about the scheduled polls," the employee said. — Mayen Jaymalin