Comelec set to lease warehouse for OMR machines

MANILA, Philippines - After two failed biddings, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is now set to lease a warehouse to store the 93,977 optical mark reader (OMR) machines acquired through negotiated procurement.

In a Notice of Conduct of Negotiated Procurement, the Comelec’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) called on interested parties to submit their proposals not later than Oct. 3. The lease contract would be for one year.

The notice showed “offers exceeding the approved budget for the contract shall be rejected.”

Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista earlier said the poll body was looking for a warehouse at least 100 kilometers away from Metro Manila.

Bautista added the warehouse in Cabuyao, Laguna where the 81,896 precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines are being kept was too small to accommodate the OMR machines.

BAC chairman Helen Aguila-Flores said the poll body is also bidding out a P12.9-million contract for the supply of warehouse equipment that includes two reach truck (forklift), two counter-balance (forklift), one generator set (500kVA), 60 hand pallet trucks and 19 air-condition units.

Based on the Invitation to Bid, a pre-bid conference will be conducted on Sept. 28 at the Comelec session hall at the Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros, Manila.

Flores added that submission of bids would be on Oct. 12 before 9 a.m. 

Meanwhile, the Comelec opened all its local offices for voter’s registration.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said local poll offices are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, although a holiday in observance of Eid’l Adha. 

Jimenez added satellite registration in various malls across the country will be open today.

These include Robinsons Galleria Balibago in Angeles City, Pampanga; Robinsons Mall in General Santos City, South Cotabato; Robinsons Place in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental; SM City in Bicutan, Taguig City; SM City in Taytay, Rizal; NCCC Mall in Davao City, Davao; Pacific Mall in Lucena City, Quezon; Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall in Cainta, Rizal; and Waltermart in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna.

Bautista reiterated Filipinos should do away with their buzzer-beating habit in registering for elections.

Bautista said that barely a month is left before voter’s registration ends on Oct. 31.

“We strongly encourage our voters to register now. Those who are already registered are advised to validate their registration to make sure that they have their biometrics.  Otherwise, they may not be able to vote in 2016,” he added.

The Comelec estimates that some 3.1 million registered voters still lack biometrics data to be qualified to vote in next year’s elections.