Comelec hopes VRVM pilot test to go smoothly

FILE: MARAWI VILLAGE AND YOUTH POLLS. Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez (left) answers questions from the media during a press conference at National Printing Office (NPO) in Quezon City on Wednesday (Sept. 5, 2018), regarding the printing of ballots to be used in the Barangay and Sangguniaang Kabataan elections in Marawi. (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)

MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is optimistic that the pilot testing of voter’s registration verification machine (VRVM) in eight areas of the country for the May mid-term polls will go smoothly.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez reported that the recent field testing of the machines in Manila and Quezon City went without a hitch.

“Maganda ang field test ng ating voters registration system (The field test of our voter’s registration system went well) and so we expect that we will be able to roll it out in pilot areas with no problem,” he said in an interview.

The VRVM will automate the system of verifying voter registration at the polling precinct, instead of using the printed copies of Election Day Computerized Voters List (EDCVL), before a voter is given the ballot on election day.

The pilot areas are Manila, Quezon City, Cavite, Pangasinan, Cebu, Negros Occidental, Davao del Sur and Zamboanga del Sur.

Jimenez noted that since it is a pilot testing, they would still have the EDCVL as reference in case the name of the voter did not show up on the machine.

“Ibig sabihin meron pa din EDCVL na maaring magamit bilang reference in case hindi mag-show up ang pangalan sa VRVM (We still have the EDCVL to be used as reference in case the names did not show in the VRVM),” he said.

With the implementation of VRVM in some areas, around five minutes will be added in the voting, Jimenez said.

The field testing was conducted last February 26 in Barangay 657 in the 5th District of Manila and Barangay Talipapa in the 6th District of Quezon City.