SENATORS hailed the swift proclamation of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte and other winners in the May 9 national and local elections, seen as a major factor boosting robust trading at the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), as well as the impressive rally of the Philippine currency.
The Senate and the House of Representatives, which convened as the National Board of Canvassers, officially proclaimed Duterte and Liberal Party Rep. Maria Leonor G. Robredo of Camarines Sur after only three days of canvassing, and barely 21 days after the May 9 elections, compared with the 2010 presidential elections, which took 30 days to proclaim President Aquino.
Senate President Franklin M. Drilon, who presided over the presidential canvass proceedings, cited efforts of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Smartmatic, the voting machines provider, resulting in a speedy electronic count and canvassing, adding it was “a job well done.”
Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, who cochaired the Senate-House panels that facilitated the canvassing procedures held at the House of Representatives, also commended the Comelec and Smartmatic “for the record-breaking” speed of transmission and canvassing of votes cast in the presidential election, which was also seen to have eased electoral tensions that attended past elections.
It was also noted that the official proclamation of the 12 winners in the senatorial election was also completed in record time—barely 10 days after the May 9 elections.
With 84 percent of all results transmitted a few hours after the polls closed, most of the winners at the local levels were, likewise, declared in quick fashion, some on election night or the following day.
In a statement, Smartmatic Philippines General Manager Elie Moreno, however, noted that “the success of the May 9 elections doesn’t stop at the speedy electronic count and the high-voter turnout, among other positive outcomes.” “We also saw the fastest canvassing of votes for national positions, which were performed and finished within days,” Moreno added.
The May 9 elections saw the largest turnout since 1986, which had a turnout of 81 percent of the registered voters, or over 44 million, casting their votes.
