Comelec still eyes use of some PCOS machines to 'decongest' clustered precincts'

To ease congestion in some voting precincts during the May 2016 elections, the Commission on Elections might deploy some of the PCOS machines bought back in 2012, the poll body's chairman said on Monday.

 

“One of the Comelec's goals is to enhance the voting experience...We are also trying to find ways on how to decongest some clustered precincts with traditionally high voter population turnouts so that our people would not be inconvenienced when they go to their precincts. Let us eliminate those long lines. And the only way to do just that is to increase the number of PCOS machines per clustered precincts,” Comelec chairman Juan Andres Bautista said.

 

He said the goal is to have a voter-to-machine ratio of 1:600.

 

Bautista added that some information technology experts have volunteered to help the Comelec ascertain which of the old PCOS units can still be used in next year's elections. The PCOS units are in storage in a warehouse in Laguna province.

 

The Comelec had decided to lease 93,000 optical mark reader machines from Smartmatic-Total Information Management for the 2016 automated elections.

 

“To save more, we are looking at partnering with government agencies on producing some of the election components such as ballot printing and logistics, one example is having a partnership with National Printing Office and the Philippine Postal Corporation. If we can secure these tie-ups, then we may be able to lower the expenditure for the elections,” Bautista said.  — ELR, GMA News