TACLOBAN CITY: At least 144 automated counting machines (ACM) have been deployed across all cities and towns in Eastern Visayas to help voters familiarize themselves with the voting process ahead of next year’s midterm elections. During the demonstration’s kick-off on Monday, Comelec Assistant Regional Director Corazon Montallana stated that the roadshow aims to reach as many voters as possible nationwide and will run until Jan. 30, 2025.

According to Philippines News Agency, the initiative includes one machine for each city and town in the region, ensuring demonstrations are accessible in all villages. This approach allows voters to experience firsthand how the ACM works. The region, comprising seven cities and 136 towns across six provinces, also has an additional machine at the Comelec regional office dedicated to demonstrations in government offices and the media.

To address potential technical failures, four to five contingency machines are stationed at six Comelec provincial offices in the region. The
primary objective of the demonstration is to educate voters on using the new automated counting machines and understanding the voting process.

‘These are new machines and tailored fit for the 2025 elections. These are fast and speedy, but voters must learn how to use it,” Montallana emphasized. The machines boast new features including an automatic receipt cutter, headphones and keypads for vulnerable sectors, and a 14-inch touch screen for voters to review their selections.

The ACMs can read ballots in just three seconds and are equipped with a battery lasting up to 14 hours when unplugged, enhancing their reliability and efficiency during the voting process.