Comelec to start printing ballots for May polls on Jan. 31

MANILA, Philippines - Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal reported yesterday that the poll body would start printing the official ballots for the May elections on Jan. 31.

Larrazabal, who attended the meeting of the International Association of Business Communication (IABC) Philippines at the Filipinas Heritage Library in Makati City, said the printing machines are ready to print the official ballots for the May 10 polls.

“The four printing machines are capable of printing 700,000 to 800,000 ballots a day each. We will start printing the official ballots on Jan. 31,” Larrazabal said.

He said the automation of elections is the government’s priority.

“The purpose of automation is to have credible elections. In case we need to go manual, we will go manual. That is our backup plan. But that is not the main plan. The law requires us to do 100 percent automation. So, we will go for 100 percent automation. The best way to prove that we can do it is by doing it,” Larrazabal said when asked if Comelec is 100 percent ready for automation.

Larrazabal said countries all over the world are now watching the Philippines because of the expected automation of elections in May.

The Comelec had coordinated with the Department of Education (DepEd) last December regarding the assignments of teachers in the May elections, he added.

He said he National Printing Office (NPO) will finish printing the 50,723,734 ballots by early April using high-end printers but the delivery will start in March or two months before the May 10 polls.

Larrazabal said the ballots will be sent to the city and municipal treasurer’s office earlier than in past polls, when the Comelec shipped the ballots and other election paraphernalia like the election returns, certificates of canvass and statement of votes to the Treasurers’ offices only two weeks in advance.

Heider Garcia, manager of Smartmatic International Corp.-Total Information Management Corp. for Electoral Systems, said the early shipment is in anticipation of any untoward incident.

Larrazabal said the Comelec would coordinate with the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines to ensure that the ballots are secured while they are being kept at the treasurers’ offices.

Smartmatic president for Asia Pacific Cesar Flores had allayed fears that the ballots would be damaged because of the humid condition in the provinces.

Larrazabal said Smartmatic-TIM had procured four high-end printers that could print some 800,000 ballots a day. Because of this, it is expected that the printing of over 50,723,734 million ballots, using 1:1 ratio with voters, will be completed in 60 to 70 days.

The paper is 160 grams per square meter in thickness and each ballot measures some 11 inches in width and 24 inches in length.

He added that the NPO would be operating 24 hours a day and printing is open to observers from the political parties and poll watchdog groups.

NPO director Servando Hizon said they were assured by Meralco that power supply to the NPO would not be cut while it is printing the ballots. – With Sheila Crisostomo, Jess Diaz