AUTOMATED Counting Machines (ACMs) have arrived in all local government units (LGUs) across the province, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Cebu Provincial Office on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
Cebu Provincial Election Officer Michael Sarno told SunStar Cebu that the delivery of the ACMs to the different localities and polling centers from the Comelec Central Visayas’ hub in Mandaue City was completed on Monday, May 5, without transport issues.
The delivery of election paraphernalia, including official ballots and other materials, is set to follow in the coming days before the May 12 polls, he said.
Sarno said testing and final sealing of the machines will be conducted on May 6 and 7 to ensure the readiness of the ACMs and familiarity of electoral board members on election day.
The process will use at least 10 test ballots per machine which will be inserted into the ACMs to verify their functionality. After the tests, the ACMs will be sealed until election day.
Sarno said these are strictly for testing purposes and will not affect official election results.
“Without the ballots, the machines are useless, and vice versa. Both must be ready for Election Day,” said Sarno.
In Mandaue City, one of 15 areas in Central Visayas that fall under Comelec’s yellow category for its rising political tension, Election Officer II Jackielyn Reuyan, supervised the delivery of 271 ACMs to the city’s 29 polling centers.
Aside from the ACMs, Comelec Mandaue also distributed election paraphernalia including forms, markers, secrecy folders, and other materials essential to the voting excluding the official ballots, which will arrive separately.
To prepare for possible technical glitches or malfunctions during election day, Comelec allocated 38 contingency machines for Mandaue that will be on standby.
These backup ACMs will be stored at the Mandaue City Sports Complex and will be deployed swiftly in case of technical glitches and machine malfunctions, to ensure the voting process remains uninterrupted.
Backup machines
The number of backup ACMs for each LGU will depend on the number of polling centers in the LGU.
However, before replacement, the electoral board or teachers who will serve in the election will have to contact the Comelec for troubleshooting assistance.
If the troubleshooting does not work, the malfunctioning ACM will be transported to the Comelec’s repair hubs located in Danao City, Carcar City, and Camotes Islands for immediate repair.
Sarno clarified that election paraphernalia and official ballots will be dispatched to remote and far-flung barangays as early as May 11 to cover for the longer travel time.
For urban precincts, official ballots and election paraphernalia will be delivered just hours before polling centers open on May 12 to minimize security risks.
“We will not allow early deployment on May 10 due to high risk for the ballots,” he said.
Cebu has at least 3.4 million registered voters across 4,120 clustered precincts.
To secure the ACMs stationed in each polling center, Sarno said the Philippine National Police has already deployed personnel who will stay until election day and after the ACMs are retrieved as voting concludes.
Sarno reminded voters to bring any valid government-issued ID to identify themselves at the polls on Election Day.
He debunked fake news and misinformation spread online that only voters with National ID can enter polling places to vote.
Sarno said even voters without identification can still be verified by the electoral board through the official voter’s list in each polling place by checking the voter’s picture found in their system.
Early voting will be available from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. for senior citizens, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups; while regular voting will proceed from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., with priority still given to individuals who belong to vulnerable sectors. / EHP, CAV