Smartmatic shows the Vote Counting Machine during the Supreme Court oral arguments on the issuance of receipts by the Commission on Elections Vote Counting Machines, in this photo taken in 2016.聽INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / RAFFY LERMA
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� While there are at least 200 vote-counting machines (VCMs) nationwide that need replacement, poll watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) said on Monday that this number is not yet alarming.
鈥淎s of now, we have received reports that there鈥檚 a request for at least 200 replacement VCMs nationwide,鈥� PPCRV spokesman Atty. Van dela Cruz said in a press briefing.
Dr. William Yu from the poll watchdog said that the number of faulty VCMs is still not yet alarming, but clarified that it is still an 鈥渆volving situation.鈥�
鈥淭wo hundred out of 107,000 VCMs is not yet alarming but of course, let us take note that it is still an evolving situation. The reports are still coming in and we don鈥檛 have the final number yet,鈥� Yu said in the same press briefing.
Yu said that the current situation is 鈥渁 little better鈥� compared to the 2019 elections which had more SD card failures.
He also said that the age of the VCMs, which are currently around six years old, is also considered in determining whether the situation is still manageable.
鈥淐ompared to 2019, where we had a lot more failures of different kinds, including SD card failures, it鈥檚 still not a very large number and we feel it鈥檚 still manageable,鈥� Yu said.
鈥淚t is an evolving situation, this is not the final numbers yet, it is still very preliminary but at this point, we feel that this is something that the Commission on Elections can still manage,鈥� he added.
Yu said that the situation may become alarming if there are about 400 to 500 VCMs that are reportedly not functioning, however, the location of the failing VCMs still has to be taken into consideration.
鈥淚f there is a grouping of failures like certain machines in certain areas then that can also be alarming so the absolute number, 鈥榶ung 200, hindi necessarily not alarming or alarming because if all 200 are generally in one location, that can also be alarming,鈥� he said.
鈥淲e also have to look at where these failures are, but in general, just the absolute number does not seem very large but again until the final results, the final information with the details come out, we can make a more definitive statement,鈥� Yu added.
The PPCRV then called for the public鈥檚 vigilance and their prayers for a clean and orderly election.
With the failure of some VCMs, Dela Cruz said that this may make the transmission of results come late, Dela Cruz said.
He, however, said that this 鈥渄oes not really affect鈥� the poll watchdog鈥檚 manual validation count.
The PPCRV earlier said they expect an 85-percent voter turnout in the May 9 national and local elections.
PPCRV is a non-partisan and non-profit organization that helps the Commission on Elections (Comelec) attain 鈥渃lean, honest, accurate, meaningful and peaceful elections.鈥�
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