Author’s Note: This article uses virtual reality technology to provide an immersive experience. Click the image to view the 360-degree VR. Adobe Flash 10 or higher is required. Average VR size is 1.7Mb.

Less than 12 hours before the opening of the first Philippine automated election, I went around 2 nearby precincts in Manila to see their current scenarios.

At Antonio Regidor elementary school in Sta. Cruz, Manila, the new CF memory cards were just delivered this morning and they went through the process of testing and sealing the PCOS machine. The ballot boxes arrived at around 2:30PM, with the rest of the election paraphernalia at a much latter time.

In Rajah Soliman high school over in Binondo, Manila, the scenario was more or less the same, with the testing done in the morning, except that their ballot boxes were delivered a day earlier.

Both sites’s testing and sealing went smoothly without any reported issues.

All over the country, school teachers deputized as BEI (board of election inspectors) by the Commission of Elections will be task yet again to ensure an orderly and peaceful election. They are assisted by poll watchers belonging to every political party, as well as representations from religious organizations, the police and the military, plus vigilant citizens.

All VRs taken on May 9, 2010. The author can be reached at: fung@firefly.ph