Last batch of poll machines ready

MIRU Systems Inc. has finished manufacturing 110,620 automated counting machines (ACMs) and peripherals ahead of schedule for use in the 2025 national and local elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Thursday.

The final batch of ACMs is now being transported to the Philippines, marking an early milestone in the country's electoral preparations.

The first batch of over 10,000 ACMs is currently en route by truck to Busan Port in South Korea, where it will be loaded onto ships bound for the Philippines. Comelec's warehouse in Biñan, Laguna, already houses 78,456 ACMs, or about 71 percent of the total order.

Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said 37,329 ACMs have completed the required hardware acceptance test (HAT), with another 41,127 queued for the same inspection.

«We anticipate all 110,620 units to be delivered by November, a month earlier than the original December deadline,» Laudiangco said, highlighting the collaboration between Comelec and Miru Systems.

The production and delivery of the ACMs form part of Comelec's Full Automation with Transparency Audit and Count (FASTrAC) initiative, aimed at streamlining and enhancing the integrity of the 2025 elections.

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This year, Comelec awarded Miru Systems a P17.99 billion contract to provide a comprehensive election system. In addition to the ACMs, the contract includes peripherals such as ballot boxes, laptops, SD cards, and accessories for vote counting and transmission.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia expressed satisfaction with the progress, noting that this early completion allows additional time for tests and preparations. The last batch of ACMs, consisting of over 32,000 units, is currently being cleared at customs, in transit, or ready to be loaded for shipment.

Earlier in September, Comelec confirmed that all essential equipment for vote consolidation and transmission, such as servers, printers, and modems, had been delivered. The commission also announced nationwide demonstrations and roadshows to familiarize the public with the automated system.

With this progress, the Comelec is on track to implement a fully automated and transparent voting process for the 2025 elections.

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