After dysfunctional compact flash (CF) cards, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will have to solve problems on defective iButtons—the 'key' that will open the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines before it can operate. The poll body reported on Sunday that iButtons in some precincts in Nueva Vizcaya province have malfunctioned, but assured that replacements would be flown in before the start of the first ever nationwide automated elections on Monday. “This is a new problem area that cropped up this afternoon only, but we are already addressing it. Replacement iButtons are now on flight to Nueva Vizcaya via helicopter as we speak, and we expect them to reach the area in 30 minutes," Comelec Commissioner Renato Sarmiento told reporters at a news briefing on Sunday. Even Smartmatic, the private firm that will automate the May 10 elections, assured that the malfunctioning iButtons are not a big problem. "This already falls into the expected issues that we've been talking about for weeks that could happen during testing and sealing, and on election day," said Cesar Flores, the Smartmatic president for Asia. Flores did not say why the iButtons malfunctioned. “We do not want to waste time to know what happened. The important this is that we sent new ones," he said. Without the iButton, the testing and sealing—or any other operation for that matter—would be impossible. "This just opens the machine; it doesn't affect its accuracy. By tomorrow morning, air assets will be there to distribute iButton.. Voting will still continue," Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said at the same briefing. The problems with the iButton came even as 99.942 percent of the PCOS machines have already been delivered to precincts nationwide as of 6:42 p.m.
98% recent by May 10 morning The Comelec assured that election preparations would be 98-percent ready by election morning, giving a score of nine in a 10-point scale for preparedness. “Based on our assessment, by tomorrow we will reach a 98-percent readiness. In case the remaining two percent could not be reached, we have our continuity plan ready," Sarmiento said. Comelec chair Jose Melo said that preparations in Luzon provinces are generally going well, with testing in Pangasinan ongoing without reported problems so far. Similar situations have also been reported in Maguindanao, he added. Bukidnon and Camiguin are also 100-percent and 98-percent ready, respectively. As of 12 noon, around 70 percent of testing and sealing of PCOS machines had been finished, the poll body added. Melo, however, said that problems in the delivery of PCOS machines were reported in Villalobos town in Northern Samar, but poll officials said "this town always had this problem." "Historically, these are difficult places to reach, as well as Tineg in Abra," Melo said. As of 6:42 p.m., 99.942 percent of the PCOS machines have already been delivered to the municipalities nationwide. Melo added that Marawi in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has also been experiencing problems in the clustering, but Sarmiento assured that this is being "subjected to conference and consultation."
Voting to push through Despite these, the poll body assured that voting would push through on Monday. Upon arrival of the CF cards, however, these would still be tested before the actual feeding of the ballots could be started. "We are confident that by tomorrow, there will be a few places which will not have tested the cards. Nonetheless, [people] will go on to vote and when the cards arrive there, the cards will be tested and the ballots will be counted," Melo said.
Voter turnout Despite being optimistic about poll equipment reaching their destinations on time and work properly, poll officials have different takes on how many of the 50-million registered voters would actually go out and vote on Monday. "We cannot really put a figure on it but the interest here is heightened because this is a presidential election, and people are curious about the machine. They would like to see how the machines work," Melo said. Sarmiento said that he expects an 80- to 85-percent voter turnout on Monday, but Melo said having 50 percent would do. During the overseas absentee voting that started a month ago, 20 percent or 118,053 of the 589,830 Filipino voters overseas have cast their votes as of 9 a.m. on May 7.
70% of results known by Monday night As for the election results, Flores estimated that more than half of election results would have been electronically transmitted on the night of May 10. "We are expecting 65 percent of precincts to transmit [their results] using regular public networks, while another group will be using satellite antennas. If you cannot transmit, that does not mean you did not produce results," Flores said, adding that those who cannot transmit electronically could bring the CF cards to the municipalities. Election results to be transmitted wirelessly would make up 90 percent of all election data, while the remainder would come from those transported to municipalities. “[We will receive] somewhere between 60 and 70 percent [of results] by election night and the rest in the next 36 hours," Flores said. Sarmiento said that results for the presidential and vice presidential candidates would be known in 36 to 48 hours, while local results would take a shorter time to consolidate.
Comelec scores doomsayers The poll body also scored people who have been spreading doomsday scenarios on election day. “What can you do? There are people [who say things] but their minds are closed," Melo said. Larrazabal, for his part, cited Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales' positive feedback upon his visit to the command center of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV). "Cardinal Rosales visited PPCRV and he said he was very happy because he saw [a television program] showing the operations and security features of the automated elections. Basically what will happen on Monday. That is a very good vote of confidence on the electoral system," Larrazabal said. As last-minute reminder to the voting public, Melo said: “Go to polling places early and prepared. Bring with you your list of candidates, and huwag kayo magpapatakot at magpapabili. Let us keep this election as clean as possible."
—KBK, GMANews.TV 
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