INCLUSIVE POLLS. Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia speaks during the voters’ education seminar in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi on Friday (July 5, 2024). A mock election was also held in the area to test the new technologies to be used in next year's midterm polls. (Photo courtesy of Comelec)
MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday held mock elections in Tawi-Tawi province, the country's southernmost frontier, to test the new technologies to be used in the May 2025 midterm polls.
Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia, together with representatives of service providers Miru Systems and iONE, allowed residents in the capital Bongao to get a first-hand experience on the use the automated counting machines (ACMs) to be used in the forthcoming polls.
Miru Systems and iONE are the service providers tapped by the poll body for the ACMs and the automatic transmission of results, respectively, which would be used in next year's polls.
He said the activity was conducted in the area to test both technologies.
“Gusto po nating masubukan ang integrated na sistema ng Miru at iONE. In fact, susubukan po natin yung pagpapaboto ng mga kababayan natin sa mismong Bongao at pagkatapos meron din pupunta dyan sa area ng Simunul. Napakalayo po ng mga areas at therefore, malalaman natin, makikita kung talagang effective makapag-transmit ng results kahit napakahina ng signal (We want to test the integrity of the systems of Miru and iOne. In fact, we would test voting here in Bongao and afterward, we would proceed to the area in Simunul. These areas are far from each other and therefore, we would see if it is really effective to transmit results even when we have a weak signal),” Garcia said in an interview.
The island of Simunul, a fourth-class municipality, is located some 12 kilometers south of Bongao.
“Maliit na mock elections sa (Tawi-Tawi) na ita-try na natin para ma-observe ng lahat ng mga kababayan natin (We did mini mock elections in Tawi-Tawi so our fellow Filipinos can observe the process). Kahit paano (At least) we can criticize, we can observe at the same time, magkaroon ng adjustment kung kinakailangan may i-adjust lalo na sa transmission. Nakita natin yung kanilang equipment, yung kanilang kakayanan (we would make adjustments if needed, especially if there is a need in terms of transmission. We have seen their equipment and their capability)," the poll body chief said.
Garcia said they would also like possible candidates in the area to have an idea on the technologies they will be using in the forthcoming polls.
He said the machines they brought are the actual ACMs that will be used in next year’s polls.
“Hindi ito prototype, ito na po yung mismong makinang gagamitin natin (This is not a prototype. This is the actual machine that we would use). In fact, nakakatuwang sabihin na dito sa Tawi-Tawi, sinimulan na ipakita natin sa mga kababayan natin na malayo man, sila naman ang nauna sa paggamit nitong bagong sistema at proseso (I am pleased to say that we started its use here in Tawi-Tawi to show Filipinos that even if they in a far place, they were first ones to use this new system and process),” he added. (PNA)
