No information drive on automated polls just yet

CEBU, Philippines – Provincial election officers assured they are ready for a massive information drive on the automated elections but said no campaign will be conducted until the Commission on Elections central office seals the deal with the automation machine provider.

Alex Villacrusis, election officer of Borbon town, said it is difficult for them to start disseminating information about the automation process, considering that the conduct of an automated election next year remains a big question.

“Unsaun pag-disseminate if wala pa gani awarding?” said Villacrusis.

Netherlands-based Smartmatic Corp. and Filipino-owned Total Information Management Corp., winners of the lease contract to supply the 82,000 precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines, recently announced a fallout reportedly because of monetary concerns.

The Comelec has given the two companies until today to decide whether or not they could push through with the automation contract. The two companies won the contract with a bid offer of P7.2 billion.

Villacrusis said they are ready to hold an information campaign as long as they, themselves, are aware of the machines that would be used for the automated polls.

Bernard George de los Reyes, Election Assistant II, also shared De Los Reyes’ sentiments. He said they have already planned the info-drive and have started preparations until the announced fallout. 

Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera earlier said the entire consortium that was supposed to provide machines for the automation of next year’s national elections may face legal liabilities following the withdrawal of TIM from its partnership with Smartmatic last Monday.

Devanadera explained that a firm that backs out of a government project it had won through bidding could be held accountable for civil damages. — Barbara Anne B. Ocaba, STC/JMO (THE FREEMAN)