Comelec starts deploying vote-counting machines

PARTNERSHIP. Commission on Elections Chairperson George Erwin Garcia (left) and Department of Education Secretary Sonny Angara sign a memorandum of agreement with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, and random manual audit partners at the poll body’s head office in Intramuros, Manila on Friday (April 4, 2025). The agreement adopts the joint legal cooperation against lawless groups as part of efforts to ensure peaceful and orderly elections. (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)

By Ferdinand Patinio, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) deployed on Friday the first batch of automated counting machines (ACMs) to be used for the May 12 polls to three areas in Mindanao.

Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said 3,700 ACMs were deployed from their Biñan, Laguna warehouse to their regional hubs in Iligan City, Kidapawan City, and Zamboanga City.

“We are distributing them in our different hubs. From there, our local Comelec personnel will just get them,” he said in an interview.

The Iligan City hub will house ACMs for Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and Iligan City while the hub in Kidapawan City will store ACMs for Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, and Cotabato City.

On the other hand, the Zamboanga City hub will keep the ACMs allotted for Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and Zamboanga City.

“We are deploying first those for regions that are far. Those regions that are closer will come later,” Garcia added.

The Comelec will use 110,000 ACMs for the midterm elections, including the contingency machines.

Meanwhile, Garcia said they are looking to complete the deployment of ACMs before the Final Testing and Sealing of the vote-counting machines, which is required under the Poll Automation Law.