The Commission on Elections has started the distribution of the first batch of Automated Counting Machines (ACMs), sending around 3,700 machines to three designated hubs in Mindanao.
“It is essential that we adhere to our delivery schedule and exact timing to avoid any delays, especially since we only have 49 days left until the elections,” poll chairman George Garcia said.
The ACMs designated for the Iligan hub will serve Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, and Iligan.
Meanwhile, the machines sent to the Zamboanga City hub will be allocated for Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and Zamboanga City.
In the Kidapawan hub, the machines will be intended for Maguindanao North, Maguindanao South, and Cotabato City.
Trucks transporting these machines will be escorted by personnel from the Philippine National Police until they arrive at their final locations, he said.
“We are focused on delivering to the remote regions, such as Mindanao. This strategy ensures that should any problems arise, the hubs will have already received the necessary machines,” Garcia said
He also assured the “primary” machines dispatched from the Comelec warehouse have undergone inspection and will primarily be utilized at the polling stations.
Garcia said the next shipment would include contingency machines, adding the electoral body has a total of 16,000 contingency machines – with each municipality likely to receive around eight to ten ACMS.
Meanwhile, Garcia said the shipment of ballots is scheduled to start on April 22, and will arrive just ahead of the final testing and sealing, at least five to seven days before the election day on May 12, 2025.