RAFFY GARCIA - Friend, Inventor, Selfless Filipino

For many of us, whenever we hear the word "hero" the image that comes to mind is that of one courageous person sacrificing his life to save his comrades in battle. That is the stereotype that we grew up with. However, over the years we have been seeing real heroes. Ordinary Filipinos doing what they usually do day by day and achieving a measure of attention because of their deeds. To mention a few, we heard of the taxi driver who found a packet of cash by the thousands left by a passenger and readily turned the whole envelope to police authorities and who later found the real owner who was extremely thankful to the honest driver.

Another event focused on the bravery and selflessness of a young girl who despite serious burns on her back due to a fire was able to rescue five brothers and sisters out of the burning house to safety.

However, the person I am featuring today belongs to a different category for he has made great strides not in the area of sacrificing his personal safety but in using his technical know how to assist his country improve and develop important government systems thus revolutionizing very important functions affecting millions of Filipinos.

The person, I am happy to refer to is Raffy Garcia, whom I first met as a fellow Rotarian decades ago when I joined my first Rotary club – the Rotary Club of Pasig. Raffy, soft spoken [in fact too soft to hear him as he speaks] who eventually became a close friend and client during those times back in Manila when I managed my own small atelier. Over the years Raffy has serviced a lot of clients the world over and now he owns a conglomerate under the Mega Computer banner.

Some years back, knowing his expertise in the field of computer technology, Raffy was commissioned to examine and create improvements that would streamline the facilities and procedures of the National Bureau of Investigation particularly in the area of character "clearances" for individuals needing them. Having succeeded there, Raffy was also asked and was able to invent a new system that greatly accelerated and modernized the system of renewing and issuing drivers licenses in the Land Transportation Commission of the Philippines.

Today, both institutions are functioning not only quickly but more professionally and efficiently, thanks to Raffy Garcia.

If one would meet Raffy at any gathering it is possible that one could mistake him for a humble employee in the way he dresses and speaks. But once you get to know and learn about him as an entrepreneur and pioneer in the field of computers since the early sixties, one will just look at the person with complete awe.

Still unaffected by his two creations, for there have been others he seldom speaks of which inventions are being used in other countries, Raffy thought of the delicate function in a democratic government – that of the voting process.

Many thinking Filipinos have always lamented the dire situation of our voting system – and many crooked politicians have mastered the corruptive practices by now – represented by the phrase "dag dag bawas" which is self explanatory.

So, Raffy and his technicians once again put their thinking caps and created a new system using all the modern technical developments in computer technology that would produce a voting mechanism and system that was fast and tamper proof. This product, which Raffy patented, he offered to the Philippine government for its use …free of charge.

Raffy named it BOTONG PINOY. Raffy proudly presented the product and briefed officials of the Comelec and related government entities to his creation as a total voting system developed specifically for use in the coming Philippine elections. Before this invention, for it is a new invention strictly speaking, the voting system was so faulty that corrupt practices known to both parties were endemic. What many dub as "dagdag bawas" tongue in cheekly was actually rampant cheating during and after the ballots have been cast. In fact, many trapos [traditional politicians] enjoyed using the old system riddled with corruption, which they already knew how to manage.

Botong Pinoy is composed of three modules which can operate individually by themselves but which can easily be integrated to form one complete TOTAL election solution. Raffy made sure that the system he developed has built-in safeguards against fraud and manipulation, and has specific design features to help even the disabled and the illiterate members of the voting Filipinos. Some skeptical politician said that judging from the reaction of many to the phrase "free from fraud and manipulation" the system is in danger of not even being approved by higher authorities involved in the voting process.

After Raffy identified the problems that have plagued past Philippine elections such as dagdag-bawas, vote buying through kadena, lansadera and carbon-copy, ghost voting and substitute voting, multiple registration, illiterate voters, slow voting because of having to write the names of candidates, and came up with solutions until each and every one of the problems had been solved.

But, as luck would have it, Raffy's offer of a free graft free system of voting was turned down. Of course he was downhearted but sadder still was he for his countrymen especially because here was a system that can finally assure really honest elections in his country… and it was shot down.

When this decision of the government officials hit the newspapers, a Filipino nationalist and ex official in his 90's said, "There goes a precious opportunity for change that could have been the hope of our country for truly honest elections." And with the knowing wink, the man added, "You and I know why they turned it down."