Decision on counting machines out this week

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it will decide this week whether to lease a new automated election system, a deal worth P18.3 billion, for next year's national and local elections.

A demonstration of the technology was held on Wednesday by representatives of Miru Systems Co. Ltd., Integrated Computer System, St. Timothy Construction Corp., and Centerpoint Solutions Technology Inc., before the Commission en banc and observers.

«Right after this demonstration, we will come out with the decision within the week if we are going to adopt the recommendation of the SBAC (Special Bids and Awards Committee) or we set it aside,» said Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia.

Garcia said the role of the SBAC is only recommendatory and that the Comelec would award the contract to the bidder based on the results of a technical evaluation and post-qualification process.

He reiterated that Comelec will not buy but only lease the new counting machines.

He said that Comelec's bargaining offer for every counting machine is P155,000, inclusive of ballot boxes, printing of ballots, ballot paper and peripherals, as well as technical reviews.

Garcia said Miru's offer of P149,000 was way below Comelec's, which was very cheap by industry standards.

First unveiled to the public on May 4, 2023, the FASTrACT is an upgraded optical mark reader paper-based automated election system with direct recording electronic capabilities.

It was intended to replace the more than 90,000 vote counting machines that the Comelec used in the 2016, 2019 and 2022 elections — all considered obsolete by current technology standards.