Comelec to hold poll automation demonstrations nationwide

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is mounting a nationwide poll automation demonstration to erase any doubts on the efficiency of the computerized election machines.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said they are taking the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) on a road show to enable a greater number of people to have a first-hand view of the machines.

Jimenez said the poll body is already setting up the necessary mechanisms for the public demonstration of the computerized machines nationwide.

“We will make sure that requests to witness a public demonstration will be properly addressed. It is really part of our mandate,” Jimenez explained.

But at this time, Jimenez admitted that there are only two PCOS machines for demonstration as the bulk of the machines are still being manufactured.

“As of now, we only have two machines available, that’s why scheduling the demonstration is very necessary, but when our partners begin their delivery of the machines, we will make up to 20 PCOS machines available for our road show demonstrations,” Jimenez explained.

The commission has already organized its Public Demonstration Coordination Unit (PDCU) that will receive and coordinate requests for public demonstrations, he added.

PDCU will be headed by Dir. Sonia Tiongson of the Comelec Education and Information Department (EID).

Under the PCOS system, voters are only required to shade the oval area beside the pre-printed names of all candidates.

The ballots will be run through the voting machines, which will then read and automatically count the votes.