No need for generators at polling places — Comelec

Despite the looming power crisis, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday stressed it has no plans of purchasing or leasing generator sets for the polling places come election day. In an interview with reporters, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said that there is no need for the generators because voting on May 10 will run from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. — which will presumably have ample light even without electricity. "We do not expect that there should be a need for generator sets at the precinct level because in general, the precincts will be well-lit because of the sunlight. Most of the election will be under natural light," Jimenez said. He said that the only possible problem that might occur is when voting closes and a power outage happens. After voting closes, the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines are expected to print eight copies of the election returns (ER), electronically transmit the results to different servers, and print another 22 copies of the ER. But he said that the PCOS units have their own batteries which can supposedly last for 16 hours. "Yung makina namin may baterya. Wala tayong (The voting machines have battery. We don't have) arrangements right now for gensets at the precinct level," he said. Jimenez added they will provide the watchers and Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) with emergency lighting, specifically flashlights. "As long as as everyone gets their flashlights out... there should be no problem," he said. However, Jimenez said the poll body leased about 1,700 generator sets for the 1,631 canvassing centers that will be put up all over the country for the automated polls. Canvassing centers are where the votes will be consolidated come election day. — Kimberly Tan/RSJ, GMANews.TV