'Fewer' problems encountered in 2019 polls, Comelec says

MANILA, Philippines— Despite the glitches encountered during the 2019 midterm polls, Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez said the fourth automated elections in the country encountered “fewer problems.”

"We are dealing with same devices, same machines we are dealing with essentially the same system and we are experiencing fewer problems now than we did before and I think the stats will bear that out,” Jimenez told reporters on Monday.

He added that “proclamation is proceeding faster and transmission is more complete now.

He said that in 2010, only 90% election returns were transmitted, in 2013, 92% to 93%.

Jimenez said the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting reported 98% of election returns transmitted.

During the elections, at total of 961 of 85,000 vote counting machine reportedly malfunctioned, 1,665 SD cards were corrupted and 1.02 million ballot markers were reported to be bleeding.

Progressive groups and some candidates have also been demanding transparency in the seven-hour delay in updates from the trasnparency server on election night.

Jimenez said last week that these problems were already resolved. He added that there were contingency plans for the VCMs.

In 2016, reports said only 801 VCMs malfunctioned.

Jimenez said automated elections can still be improved.

“Again there is obviously room for improvement and there will be improvement if you do this enough times,” the poll body official said.

The Comelec last week said the 2019 midterms election may have encountered problem but these problems were "solvable." Jimenez described the elections "generally successful."

RELATED: Comelec: Midterm polls 'not problem-free but generally successful’ | Despite glitches, Comelec says midterm election 'successful’