THE Commission on Elections (Comelec), the National Printing Office (NPO), and Miru Systems have completed the printing of 68,542,564 official ballots for the midterm elections on May 12.
In a press briefing on Saturday, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said: “By the second week of April, you can expect that we will start the deployment of ballots in the initial areas identified.
“We will deploy the official ballots last since they are the accountable documents,” he added.
After the printing, the Comelec shifted its full attention to the verification of the ballots. Garcia said they have been able to verify about half of the official ballots.
“Currently, we are already at 50 percent (of) ballots verified,” he said.
The official ballots must pass manual verification and via the automated counting machines (ACMs).
Garcia said they are looking to finish the verification process by April 20 to 21.
“By that time, those (subject for verification) will just be the ballots for the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, or Central Luzon. They will be easier to deploy,” said Garcia
The poll chief said that based on their usual system of deployment, the farthest areas will be delivered first.
“We first printed those for Caraga, Bangsamoro. Therefore, those will also be distributed first. The father they are, the earlier the deployment will be,” said Garcia.
He added that they have already shipped the other election supplies and paraphernalia ahead of the official ballots and the automated counting machines (ACMs) to Comelec hubs across the country so that the distribution to each and every municipality and city will be easier.
