THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday said 16 Philippine posts abroad are set to use automated counting machines (ACMs), while 77 other posts will use the Online Voting and Counting System (OVCS), which will be pilot tested for overseas voting, in the May 2025 polls.
The 16 Philippine Embassies and Philippine Consulates General that will use the ACMs are in Beijing, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Xiamen in China; Dili in Timor Leste, Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, Yangon in Myanmar, Ankara, and Istanbul in Turkiye, Moscow in Russia, Abuja in Nigeria, Beirut in Lebanon, Damascus in Syria, Tehran in Iran, and Tripoli in Libya.
The ACMs shall be utilized either by personal or via postal mode of voting.
In a phone interview, Comelec chairman George Garcia urged Filipinos based in the 16 overseas posts to make their votes count and not be intimidated by the ACMs.
“Our ACM units are easy to use. Don’t fail to vote. Voting experience is enhanced,” Garcia said.
Garcia said the OVCS to be used in the 77 Philippine posts will be provided by the Joint Venture (JV) of SMS Global Technologies, Inc. & Sequent Tech Inc.
He called on Filipinos in the 77 areas to take advantage of the trial period for the internet voting mode.
“Try to have test voting experience online to familiarize yourselves with this easy process,” he said.
For the May 2025 overseas voting, there are 1.180 million registered voters.
The overseas voting period for the 2025 polls will start on April 13 and end on May 12, 2025.
