The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will deploy new automated counting machines (ACMs) to all Negros Oriental local government units (LGUs) for its voters’ education in November, or six months ahead of the May 2025 polls.
This is the first time that all Negros Oriental LGUs, or six component cities and 19 municipalities, will have their own ACMs for demonstration purposes, lawyer Lionel Marco Castillano, Comelec-Negros Island Region director (NIR), said.
“The new automated vote counting machines are upgraded with some similar features to the previous ones used in the 2022 elections, and we need enough time to teach the voters how to use them,” Castillano said.
In the past, Comelec-Negros Oriental rotated ACMs in LGUs.
“With each LGU having its own unit, it would be easier for us to go to the barangays, schools, and other establishments to conduct voters’ education on the features of the new voting machines,” he added in a Philippine News Agency report.
Meanwhile, the Register Anywhere Program (RAP) that ended Aug. 31 yielded 371 registrants across the NIR, or 227 from Negros Oriental, 137 from Negros Occidental, and seven from Siquijor.
Since there is no extension of the RAP, would-be voters need to return to their hometowns or to where they are qualified to vote to sign up for next year’s polls.
The regular voters’ registration will continue until Sept. 30 with no extension.
The filing of the certificates of candidacy will proceed as scheduled on Oct. 1 to 8, Castillano added.
The Comelec said it received 8,640 units of ACMs and other peripherals at its warehouse in Bihan, Laguna, Aug. 31.
Chairman George Erwin Garcia and senior officials led the inspection of the partial delivery of ACMs, witnessed by members of the media and other election stakeholders, to ensure that all items to be received are in good condition and to order immediate replacement in case of any damages.
Each delivery of ACM unit includes the ACM case, power cords and adapters, privacy screens, thermal paper rolls, devices to aid voting by persons with disability, paper seals and other election peripherals.
Accredited citizens’ arms groups Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting and the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections, as well as civil society organization Legal Network for Truthful Elections were present to observe the second batch delivery.
More than 24,000 ACMs have been delivered to Comelec, to date, with the delivery set to be fully completed by end of this year for a total of 110,000 ACMs. The delivery of satellite internet communication devices by transmission services provider is likewise ongoing. ||
