September 1, 2024 | 12:00pm
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday disclosed that 24,000 units out of the 110,000 automated counting machines (ACMs) to be used in the 2025 midterm elections have already been delivered.
“Right now, we already have (over) 24,000 machines – 17,400 of which are now being kept at the Biñan (Laguna) warehouse while 7,000 are in the custody of Customs here in the Philippines, but these will soon be released,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia said at a press briefing in Laguna.
Garcia added South Korean firm Miru Systems has exceeded their expectation for August in terms of machine delivery.
“Miru’s commitment for August is only 20,000, but there has been an excess of 4,000 in their delivery of ACMs,” he said, adding that the poll body is also expecting 2,000 ACMs to arrive in the country tomorrow.
The Comelec chief noted that they are happy that Miru has been complying with the terms of the contract.
“That is what we call milestones,” he said.
He added that for September, the Comelec expects some 30,000 machines to be delivered by Miru.
“By October, another 30,000 and in December, the balance of 110,000 will be delivered,” Garcia said.
He noted that the Comelec’s quality control office is very strict.
“Our instruction is that once they see a problem (in the machine), it should be rejected, it should be returned because for us, there is no compromise as to the quality of those (machines) being delivered to us,” he said.
As to other items to be used in the May 2025 elections, 100 percent of those have also been delivered by Miru, according to Garcia.
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