Final batch of poll machines to be delivered to their hubs

The final batch of automated voting machines for the May elections will be deployed to their hubs on Saturday, Smartmatic-TIM, the equipment’s supplier, said on Friday. The last of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines will be shipped out of a warehouse in Cabuyao, Laguna, Smartmatic Asia President Cesar Flores told reporters, adding all poll preparations are on track. Ninety percent of the PCOS deliveries to the National Capital Region (NCR) and 85 percent of deliveries for the rest of Luzon have already been completed, Smartmatic spokesman Gene Gregorio said in a text message. Meanwhile, 35,279 PCOS — 17,077 in the Visayas and 18,202 in Mindanao — are now in respective hubs in the two regions, Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said. The PCOS machines must reach their designated precincts three days before the elections for testing and sealing. Flores also downplayed reports of delayed PCOS deliveries in the National Capital Region, saying these delays are "small." These have "no real conseequences in the process because that's NCR," he said. The Comelec hired three forwarders — Germalin Enterprises, Ace Logistics, and Argo Forwarders — to transport the poll machines. These forwarders will be held liable if the machines fail to reach their locations on time. Ballots are expected to be delivered next week, said Smartmatic, which also secured the contract to deliver the ballots with the help of forwarder Air 21. Flores said that 50 percent of the more than 50 million ballots needed in the May automated polls have already been dispatched. "Already at the municipal treasurer, we already have 32 percent of ballots. We expect complete deliveries by next week," he said, adding that concerned parties can check the status of the ballots. He said that 90 percent of the ballots for Mindanao have already been dispatched and 60 percent are already at the municipal treasurers. He added that the last to be shipped will be ballots to areas in the NCR because they are nearest. As of Thursday, Larrazabal said that 23 percent of the ballots for Luzon and 21 percent for Visayas have already been shipped out. Flores added that more than 50 percent of the ballot boxes are already in the respective hubs with some PCOS machines. - RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV