NATIONAL and local officials of the Commission and Elections and the Philippine National Police came out with the verdict that the holding of the Barangay and SK elections in the country was “generally peaceful.”

Noteworthy is the fact that people voted for their new and reelected barangay officials in an orderly, peaceful fashion proving detractors of manual voting with doomsday predictions of violence in a barangay election – it being an emotional political activity among neighbors.

There were no scenes and reports of grabbing of ballot boxes, no threatening of teachers, no suspended counting of votes, reminiscent of disruptions and violence that marked manual elections in the past.

Could this be a sign that our politicians and communities have come of age during elections? Is our country indeed, ready for hybrid elections – manual and automated voting and counting.

Beyond the results of the manual elections, voters felt a high sense of trust in the voting process. Voters were confident that their votes were counted in full view of watchers and supporters.

Trust is a key element in elections and unfortunately for our country, this was not palpable among voters in the previous elections that adopted Smartmatic’s automated voting and counting.

With public trust, proclaimed winners in clean and orderly elections will never be doubted to have resorted to systematic cheating to win.

Hopefully, with the news last April 2023, that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is getting ready for the 2025 hybrid national and local elections, the country will soon say goodbye to the distrustful Smartmatic system of voting and counting.

Fortunately, there is also Senator Imee Marcos consistently advocating for hybrid voting and counting. Meanwhile, continued prayers for good governance will help.

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