CEBU, Philippines — The 271 Automated Counting Machines (ACMs) for Mandaue City were delivered to 29 voting centers yesterday, May 6, 2025, just in time for testing and sealing scheduled today.
According to Jacqueline Reuyan, assistant election officer of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Mandaue, the delivery date was deliberately targeted to ensure everything would run smoothly.
Reuyan said the Comelec-Mandaue Office of the Election Officer divided the team into three groups to handle deliveries to the north, south, and central areas of the city.
“It was really our target to deliver them today so they’re ready for final testing and sealing,” Reuyan told reporters yesterday in an interview.
She said the final testing and sealing today will begin promptly at 8 a.m., with 10 sample voters participating to simulate the voting process ahead of the May 12 midterm elections.
The ACMs will be securely stored in a designated common room—such as the principal’s office, library, or any location that is safe.
She added that on the same day of the final testing and sealing, the ACMs will also be distributed to classroom precincts by the respective chairpersons.
Speaking of security, Reuyan said that at least four personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and four from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have been deployed to each of the 29 schools serving as voting centers in Mandaue City.
In case of any malfunction or technical issue with the ACMs during election day, 38 contingency units are available.
Reuyan said the contingency ACMs are currently stored in the VIP room of the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex.
If an ACM becomes defective, the Comelec-Mandaue Office of the Election Officer will retrieve it and deliver the corresponding backup unit.
She also mentioned that early delivery of some election paraphernalia—such as secrecy folders—will begin as early as May 10.
Mandaue City has over 233,000 registered voters expected to cast their votes in the upcoming midterm elections. — (FREEMAN)