20,000 vote counting machines arriving in August

MANILA, Philippines — An initial batch of about 20,000 vote counting machines (VCMs) to be used in the May 2025 midterm elections are expected to arrive from South Korea in August, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia said yesterday.

“Our hope is that this August, they would deliver more or less an initial 20,000 units,” he said in a radio interview, referring to South Korean firm Miru Systems.

Garcia said the Comelec’s preparations for next year’s elections are now at full speed.

He said Miru’s customization of the counting machines began two weeks ago.

Before the end of the year, Miru is expected to complete the delivery of the 110,000 automated machines, according to Garcia.

He clarified that the poll body is just leasing the VCMs.

The joint venture led by Miru Systems won the Full Automation System with Transparency Audit and Count project of the Comelec.

The poll body and Miru forged a P17.99-billion contract for the procurement of a new automated election system for the 2025 elections.

The contract covers 110,000 machines and peripherals, including ballot boxes, laptops and other printing requirements for the polls.

Garcia, however, said the Comelec does not expect next year’s elections to be totally glitch-free despite the new automated counting machines.

He said there is no “100-percent guarantee” that a new machine would not fail, but stressed that Miru’s new machines are better options for the country compared to Smartmatic’s units.

Garcia said the glitches are expected to be fewer in next year’s elections than the 2,000 VCMs that malfunctioned in the 2022 polls.

He noted that the large number of Smartmatic VCMs that malfunctioned in 2022 is the main reason the Comelec opted to choose new machines for next year.

“Hindi ko ipagbabakasakali ang boto ng sambayanan, ang demokrasya natin sa makinang pwedeng pumalpak (I will not risk the country’s vote, our democracy on machines that could fail),” Garcia said.

He expressed confidence that Miru would not want to risk losing its credibility by offering malfunctioning machines.