1 month ago
10
CEBU CITY — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Central Visayas has assured the public that tight security measures are in place following the arrival of two shipments of automated counting machines (ACMs) in Cebu for the 2025 midterm elections.
PARTIAL DELIVERY The Commission on Elections (Comelec) receives 24,000 automated counting machines (ACMS) from JV Miru Systems Co. Ltd., its South Korean-based service provider, on Aug. 31, 2024. The partial delivery was made at the Comelec's Biñan, Laguna warehouse. PHOTO COURTESY OF COMELEC
As of Friday, more than 1,000 ACMs have been unloaded from F2 Logistics container vans at a warehouse in Mandaue City.
The machines include those from an initial delivery earlier this week, along with two additional batches received on Friday. All units are now securely stored at the facility, which is under 24/7 surveillance.
Each ACM is carefully packed, sealed and labeled according to the municipalities where they will be deployed, ensuring efficient tracking and organized distribution across the region.
John Raymund Ceniza, election assistant II in Danao City, said the delivery schedule remains on track, with all remaining ACMs expected to arrive by the end of the month.
Get the latest news
delivered to your inbox
Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters
By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
"This is the third batch we've received this year. All deliveries are on schedule, and we've had no problems so far," Ceniza said on Friday.
He emphasized the importance of security in transporting and storing the election equipment.
Ceniza explained that each container van carrying the ACMs is secured with three single-use seals.
He said these cannot be resealed once tampered with an added measure to ensure transparency and integrity in the handling of election equipment.
He noted that the storage facility is under round-the-clock police monitoring and security protocols, and so far, there have been no reported issues or breaches.
While acknowledging the logistical difficulties in delivering machines to island municipalities such as those in Cebu province and Bohol, he assured that planning and coordination efforts are in place to address these.
He said the multiple stops and the need for sea transport have posed challenges, but deliveries remain on schedule.
