CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro (PIA) — The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) MIMAROPA expressed strong optimism that the May 2025 national and local elections will be transparent and accurate.
During the Nationwide Automated Counting Machine (ACM) demonstration at Camp BGen Efigenio C. Navarro, Barangay Suqui, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro on December 2, 2024, Regional Elections Director Gloria G. Ramos-Petallo of COMELEC MIMAROPA said that the deployment of the Automated Counting Machines (ACMs) is part of the COMELEC’s initiative to further modernize the voting system and build trust in the electoral process.
“Walang isa mang Pilipino o isang botante na sa araw ng eleksyon ay hindi alam kung paano gagamitin ang ating automated counting machines. Wala naman pong gantong kick-off activity before na nagtuturo to the public na this is how to vote using the machine,” Petallo said.
Oriental Mindoro Provincial Election Officer John Mark Tambasacan said that the innovation marks a significant leap forward in ensuring transparency, accuracy, and efficiency in the electoral process, ultimately empowering Filipino voters.
On the other hand, Lt. Atanasio Lucky C. Barba, Acting Station Commander of Philippine Coast Guard Oriental Mindoro, expressed his full support to the COMELECbn for the upcoming national and local elections (NLE).
“We would like to express our full support for the upcoming 2025 elections. As to the role of the Philippine Coast Guard, we will fully implement our function in line with this election and ensure that everything are in order and peaceful. I hope that we will be having a successful election this 2025,” he said.
Meanwhile, Calapan City Elections Officer Suminigay P. Mirindato discussed the salient features of the new ACMs.
He said that the new ACM is a 14 inches adjustable touchscreen and has a privacy screen with more than 14-hours battery life. It also has a faster scanning speed and has an automatic receipt cutting and built-in receipt compartment.
Mirindato added that in the new ACM, the voter can see the face of the ballot on the screen. They, too, will have the chance to retrieve their ballots if they want to choose and add more candidates if they forgot to fill in the allowed number of candidates.
Likewise, the receipt that will be generated has a QR code that can be scanned by the ACM, which they can also check after the counting and transmission of results. (AS/PIA MIMAROPA-Oriental Mindoro)
