THE Commission on Elections – Davao Region (Comelec-Davao) has announced that approximately 4,000 Automated Counting Machines (ACMs) will be used for the 2025 midterm elections in the region.
Comelec-Davao assistant regional director lawyer Gay Enumerables clarified that a total of 4,189 ACMs will be deployed, but the machines for the May 12, 2025 elections have yet to arrive. The current machines are being utilized for ACM demonstrations, which started on December 2, 2024, and are expected to conclude on January 30, 2025. She also noted that election officers have already visited remote barangays as part of the voter education campaign.
“Naa nata sa kining tail-end pahumanay nata sa atoang ACM demonstration sa atoang voter education (We're now at the tail end, almost done with our ACM demonstration for voter education),” Enumerables shared during the Kapehan sa Dabaw forum on January 20, 2025, at SM City Davao.
She said that while the machines are new, the voting procedure remains unchanged, making it easier for many voters to adapt. She acknowledged concerns about first-time voters but pointed out that most are tech-savvy young individuals who quickly grasp the process.
Comelec-Davao has deployed one ACM per locality for demonstrations, showcasing the machines’ speed and efficiency in ballot scanning and their ability to allow voters to double-check their selected candidates. Alongside these demonstrations, Comelec-Davao has carried out extensive information drives to ensure a smooth voting experience.
Enumerables also confirmed that the ACMs for the elections are en route, with their logistics partner managing preparations.
As of October 14, 2024, there are 3,388,943 registered voters in the Davao Region. The breakdown includes 1,007,630 voters in Davao City, 466,999 in Davao del Sur, 205,729 in Davao Occidental, 721,726 in Davao del Norte, 551,671 in Davao de Oro, and 435,188 in Davao Oriental.
Nationwide, the Philippines has 68,697,596 registered voters, distributed across 438,502 precincts and 37,525 voting centers. RGP