WITH the new Automated Counting Machines (ACMs) to be used in the May 2025 polls gradually being shipped into the country, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to hold a "roadshow" across the country beginning November.
In an interview, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the poll body's Education and Information Department (EID) is preparing to conduct a series of demonstration activities for the ACMs.
"We will demonstrate how to use the ACMs to the people in the entire Philippines beginning this November up to January 2025," said Garcia.
"We will have this roadshow for the next three months to demonstrate the use of the machines to the people in different towns," he added.
The poll chief said the roadshow shall be done in order to help the voters familiarize themselves with the new voting machines.
"We want the people to learn how to use, touch, and see these machines so that they won't get confused or even intimidated in using them," said Garcia.
He said at least 2,000 ACM units shall be designated for the use of the EID.
"We are setting aside 2,000 ACMs that shall be used by our EID in the roadshow," said Garcia.
On September 12, 2024, the Comelec reported that 27,500 ACM units have already been shipped to the Philippines from South Korea, and are now stored in the Comelec warehouse in Biñan, Laguna.
In November, all the 110,000 ACM units are expected to be delivered by the Comelec's service provider, Miru Systems. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)