DEMONSTRATION. Commission on Elections Chairperson George Erwin Garcia (with mic) demonstrates the features of the automated counting machine during a voters’ education and registration fair at Lyceum Northwestern University in Dagupan City, Pangasinan on Tuesday (Aug. 20, 2024). Garcia said the elderly, persons with disabilities and pregnant voters may avail of the 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. voting hours. (Screenshot from Comelec livestream)
DAGUPAN CITY – The elderly, persons with disabilities (PWD) and pregnant voters will be allowed to cast their votes early, or from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., during the May 12, 2025 midterm national and local polls.
Members of the vulnerable sectors will be prioritized, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair George Erwin Garcia said in an interview on the sidelines of the Voters’ Education and Registration Fair in this Pangasinan component city Tuesday.
“Makakaboto sila na hindi masasagi (at) hindi maiinitan dahil malamig pa panahon sa mga oras na yon (They would be able to vote without the crowds and the heat since the weather is still cool at that time),” he said.
He said companions will also be allowed to cast their votes early.
“But if they do not want to avail of the early hours, they may also cast their votes during the regular hours,” he added.
Garcia said there will also be mall voting for precincts near shopping malls while overseas Filipinos may vote online without the need to go to embassies.
“Sisiguraduhin natin na secured at hindi matamper sa internet voting. ‘Yung na-procure na system, ma-guarantee na ma-verify ng lahat na nandyan ang kanilang boto. Ang makakaboto ay botante mismo (We will ensure that the votes are secured and will not be tampered during internet voting. The system we have procured would guarantee that the voters would be able to verify that their votes are there. Only the qualified voters themselves will be allowed to cast their votes),” he said, adding that a three-way authentication with password will be implemented in internet voting.
Garcia said the new automated counting machines (ACMs) are built to cater to all types of voters, including members of the vulnerable sectors.
He said 110,000 ACMs will be utilized in 104,000 precincts all over the country, with 6,000 machines on standby as contingency units.
“It means all the towns and cities will have their own contingency machines. They would have a replacement in case an ACM malfunctions or breaks down. There will also be repair hubs in each of the 82 provinces unlike before when there was only one,” he said.
The ACMs were rented from a South Korean company at PHP149,000 per machine which, Garcia said, is cheaper compared to buying the unit for PHP155,000 per unit, saving the government at least PHP800 million and the task of maintenance and upgrading.
The ACM has its own battery that could last around 14 hours even if unplugged.
It also reads the ballots in as fast as three seconds and could process the total results of the voting around 15 to 20 minutes; can print out nine copies of elections results for the government, media, and non-government organizations that will serve as poll watchers; and allow voters to check their votes through a touchscreen display.
Garcia added that votes are safe and secured from hacking as internet connection is not needed during casting of votes. (PNA)
