Persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) and jail personnel were the first to experience the Commission on Elections (COMELEC)’s newly-acquired automated counting machines (ACMs) in San Teodoro, Oriental Mindoro.

At least 26 PDLs and seven jail staff at the BJMP-San Teodoro District Jail participated in a live voting simulation during the launch of Comelec’s nationwide ACM roadshow.

The event aimed to help voters become familiar with the machines ahead of the May 2025 elections.

Jail Officer 1 Reccie Fetalco, who oversees community relations, said the jail management requested the demonstration to educate registered voters in the facility.

Local election officers also spoke about ACM’s features and allowed participants to practice shading, casting, and verifying ballots.

Comelec is distributing flyers to inform the public about the automated voting process.

The nationwide ACM roadshow began on December 5, 2024 and will run until January 30, 2025.

(with reports from JO3 Joefrie Anglo, IO-BJMP MIMAROPA)