Comelec: Vote early

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) shares some reminders on how to verify voter registration status and how to vote during the country’s second automated polls on Monday, as local poll officials urge the public to go to polling precincts early.

To check voter’s registration, one can visit the Precinct Finder at www.comelec.gov.ph .

“Dili g’yud maayo nga magdugay-dugay pagbotar abi kay gilugwayan sa Comelec ang oras sa pagbotar hangtud na sa gabii,” Cebu City acting Election Officer Ferdinand Gujilde said when interviewed by The Freeman. (Although precincts are open until 7 pm, it’s still best to vote early.)

The Comelec listed the voting procedure in its Voter’s Information and Instruction Sheet (VIIS) which was used in the agency’s education campaign.

 There were reports that during the past elections some voters deliberately waited until the afternoons to vote although they were already within the vicinity of the voting centers because they were allegedly waiting for the money.

While there are only 34 barangays in the city’s south district, it has 299,389 voters, much higher than the 248,292 registered voters in the city’s 46 barangays.

Comelec records showed that there are 3,117 original precincts in the entire 80 barangays of the city but these were clustered to only 592 precincts.

Every clustered precinct will be assigned with one Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machine that is capable of scanning and counting the votes of at least 1,000 voters. It can transmit the result directly to the city canvassing center.

“Kon pananglit ang tanang botante sa usa ka presento makahuman na pagbotar, ang mga sakop sa Board of Election Inspector mahimo na nga mo-transmit sa ilang resulta ngadto sa city canvassing center,” said Gujilde. (If all voters in the precinct have cast their votes, results can immediately be transmitted to the city’s canvassing center.)

The city canvassing center that will be manned by the Board of Election Canvassers (BEC) who will proclaim the winners of the elections will be stationed at the Cebu City Social Hall.

If the Board of Election Inspectors in the precincts are not be able to send their results, the BEC chairman will call them through mobile phones to inquire.

“Kon dili gayud maka-transmit ang PCOS paingon sa city canvassing center, anha nga higayona nga tugotan nato ang mao nga BEI nga dad-on na lang nila sa canvassing center ang memory sa PCOS ug isulod sa sealed envelope aron anhi na lang i-upload,” Gujilde explained. (If the PCOS could not really transmit, they will be allowed to bring to the canvassing center the memory cards in a sealed envelope.) – Rene U. Borromeo/JPM

The computer machine at the city canvassing center is capable of monitoring what precincts in the 80 barangays that have yet to transmit results.

Although the city canvassing center is open to the public, people who will be allowed to enter are regulated to maintain order.  (FREEMAN)