ACMs should be tested in extreme conditions, says CICC exec

The automated counting machines (ACM) should be tested in an extreme environment to check its durability when deployed across the Philippines during elections, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) executive director Alexander Ramos said Wednesday.

Ramos floated the idea during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay press conference, following reports that at least 200 ACMs were replaced due to malfunction.

“Kung stress test 'yan e di dalhin natin sa extreme environment 'yan (Bring the ACMs in an extreme environment if it undergoes a stress test),” Ramos said.

“Yung makina, nagkaroon ng stress test. Ang problema yung area, ginagawa yun kung saan malamig so hindi siya real environment sa polling place kaya pagdating sa polling place, iba ang nangyayari,” he added.

(The ACMs do undergo a stress test. However, the problem is the area. It is done in a cold area, so it is not in the real environment of a polling place. That’s why there is a different outcome when it is brought to a polling place.)

Meanwhile, National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) national chairperson Lito Averia said different environmental conditions must be taken into consideration when using the ACM.

“We have to watch yung environmental conditions ng ka-puluan, iba-iba yan. Yung init ng panahon that could impact the performance of the machine. Yung humidity dahil mataas ang humidity in some areas pati yung mga dust levels in and around the polling stations that could affect yung mga makina pati yung data,” Averia said.

(We have to watch out for the environmental conditions across the country because it is different. The heat, humidity, and even the dust levels could affect the machines and data.)

With at least 311 machine-related issues during the 2025 Philippine election, Averia rated the ACM’s performance a seven out of 10, noting that the transmission of votes was the bigger problem.

Meanwhile, Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairperson George Garcia believed that the reported at least 311 machine-related issues during the 2025 Philippine elections were relatively lower compared to similar incidents in previous national polls. –NB, GMA Integrated News

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