Only 10 M official ballots still unprinted – Comelec

MANILA, Philippines - Less than two months before the May 13 polls, only around 10 million official ballots remain unprinted, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said the National Printing Office (NPO) had already printed more than 42 million of the 52.1 million official ballots needed in the polls.

“So now we are only 10 million away. We are well ahead of schedule,” Brillantes said.

The 42 million ballots represent 80 percent of the ballot requirement for the midterm elections.  As a policy, there should be no excess ballots.

The NPO is expecting to complete the printing by April 2, two weeks ahead of the April 25 deadline set by the Comelec.

Brillantes said so far, there has been no major problem reported concerning the ballot printing.

Each and every ballot is tested using the 156 units of precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines. Those that fail the test had to undergo re-test.

After passing the test, the ballots are turned over by the NPO to the Comelec’s packing committee, which seals the ballots according to its polling precincts.

Earlier, NPO deputy director Raul Nagrampa gave assurance that every step of the printing is being recorded through the closed-circuit television camera (CCTV).

Nagrampa said even the disposal of rejected ballots is also recorded and could be witnessed by the representatives of political parties.

Meanwhile, the Comelec has asked candidates running for local positions to take down their propaganda materials before the campaign period for local elections starts on March 30.

Brillantes said these materials might not yet be considered unlawful since the campaign period has not begun.

“But when the campaign period starts, these materials will already be unlawful,” he said.

Brillantes warned that unlawful campaign materials could lead to the disqualification of a candidate as stipulated under Republic Act 9006 or the Fair Election Act.

The law states that campaign posters shall be posted only in common poster areas identified by election officers. It also prohibits the posting of materials on electric posts, trees, plant boxes, schools, government structures and public utility vehicles. Posters can be displayed in private properties provided it is authorized the owner.