Comelec 90% ready for May 13 polls

FILE: Update from the #NLE2019 mock elections Transparency Server: All areas 100% transmission except NCR, which is at 75%. (Photo; @jabjimenez/Twitter)

MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Saturday said preparations for the May 13 mid-term elections are now 90-percent complete.

“We are still four months out. Ninety percent ready but as you very well know it’s the last 10 percent that takes forever,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said in a press briefing at the Pope Pius Center.

He said the remaining 10 percent is composed of the printing of the over 60 million ballots, election accountable forms, among others.

“We have not printed the ballots yet. But you know in terms of the logistics, in terms of the structures, partnerships all of those are falling into place,” he added.

Jimenez, meanwhile, said Saturday’s mock polls in 60 precincts all over the country are proceeding smoothly.

“We are seeing good mix of insights coming from our observers from the ground. Hindi siya nagiging (It’s not) perfect in all cases which is exactly what we want to be because that is what we expect to see on Election Day,” he said.

He added that said the mock polls seek to determine and fix possible problems that may arise on the day of the elections.

“Mababa ang turnout sa ibang lugar (Voter turnout in other areas is low). Merong ibang lugar, may mga tao hindi nahahanap ang kanilang pangalan sa (In some areas, voters cannot find their names in their) precinct. We are checking the procedures that we have to deal with those cases.

So as far as being an evaluation tool is concerned, maganda ang ating mock election (our mock election is running smoothly),” he added.

He also reported that the first area to transmit its election results was Digos City in Davao del Sur at 12:14 p.m., a few minutes after the polling precinct closed at noon.

The said area is among the 57 precincts that have closed at noon.

Three areas located in cities of Quezon, Manila and Taguig will close at 6 p.m. since they are simulating the actual 12-hour voting period in the May polls which is 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Meanwhile, Jimenez said the start of printing of the official ballots is likely to be delayed by a couple of days.

“Merong repairs na ginagawa sa (There are repairs being done at the) NPO (National Printing Office). So baka maapektuhan yung aming start ng (printing) (It might affect the start of our printing),” he said.

He noted that as per the assessment of the poll body’s printing committee, they can push through with the printing of ballots next weekend once the repairs are completed and the area becomes dust-free.

“We just want to make sure the process of verifying, hindi din maapektuhan (will not be affected). Kasi yung printing mabilis (The printing is fast). It is the verification of the ballots that is tedious and takes a long time. Kasi, bawat isang balota fini-feed mo sa isang makina (It’s because you feed one ballot at a time to the machine),” Jimenez added.