THE Commission on Elections-Davao Region (Comelec-Davao) will deploy 1,173 Automated Counting Machines (ACMs) across Davao City for the May 12, 2025, elections.
The machines will be distributed based on the number of registered voters per district: District 1 will get 418 machines, District 2 will receive 385, and District 3 will have 370.
Earlier this year, Comelec-Davao announced that a total of 4,189 ACMs would be used across the entire Davao Region for the 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE).
The ACMs assigned to Davao City will be delivered to the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) headquarters on May 1 for secure storage. They will then be distributed to polling stations, with final testing and sealing scheduled from May 2 to 7.
As part of its voter education campaign, Comelec-Davao has been conducting ACM demonstrations since December 2024, reaching even remote barangays to teach voters about the automated voting process. The campaign officially concluded on January 30, 2025.
On March 31, Comelec-Davao acting regional director, lawyer Gay Enumerables reported that the office is 80 percent prepared for the upcoming elections. She noted that while most preparations are complete, a few final tasks remain. Some ACMs have already been delivered, while others are still used for poll workers’ training.
Enumerables also confirmed that key election materials, including ballot boxes, have already arrived in the region. However, she acknowledged challenges, particularly regarding misinformation.
She cited allegations by lawyer Jeryll Harold Respicio, who posted videos on social media accusing Comelec of planned election fraud. In response, Comelec filed a complaint against Respicio for violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
Enumerables further reminded candidates of the requirement to register their official social media pages. While monitoring the large number of pages remains difficult, she stressed that the registration deadline is approaching.
Candidates were also warned against excessive negative campaigning online, in line with Comelec regulations.
Despite these challenges, Enumerables assured the public that Comelec remains committed to ensuring a peaceful, credible, and fraud-free election.
As of November 2024, the Comelec-Davao reported more than a million registered voters, 418 clustered precincts, and 59 voting centers, according to City Election Officer IV for the First District, Atty. Sittie Shahane P. Balt. Final testing and sealing of the ACMs will take place at polling stations designated for Election Boards (EBs) from May 2 to 7. DEF