Low-tech transport for high-tech polls
Ain’t no mountain high enough, ain’t no river wide enough – to keep the ARMM polls from being automated.
On Aug. 11, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will test two poll automation technologies – the direct recording electronics (DRE) and the
optical mark reader (OMR) machines – in the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
But since some places in the ARMM are inaccessible to modern means of transportation, bringing the voting and counting machines there poses a big challenge to the companies contracted by the Comelec to supply the machines, who may have to resort to using carabao-drawn carts and bancas.
Vince Dizon, spokesman of Smartmatic-Sahi International Technology, said there are places in Maguindanao that could not be reached “even by 4x4 vehicles” so how to bring the DRE machines there is a “challenge.”
“We had a survey of the areas and we found out that some areas are very hard to reach. For example, South Upi. From the main municipal hall, it takes some two hours to reach some barangays where there are schools that have polling precincts,” Dizon said in an interview.
Smartmatic-Sahi is tasked to supply some 2,300 DRE machines that will be used in the ARMM
It will also provide the servers that will be used to canvass and consolidate the ballots for the entire region.
Comelec will also use some 136 optical mark reader (OMR) machines in the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Basilan and Shariff Kabunsuan. The machines will be supplied by Avante International Technology Inc.
“The road condition in some places is really bad. I think 15 percent of places in Maguindanao is a challenge. So we have to be creative and innovative. We thought of ways to transport the machines there,” Dizon said.
To bring the DRE machines to far-flung polling precincts, Smartmatic-Sahi would be using carts drawn by carabaos and horses and even the “habal-habal,” motorcycle-taxis commonly used in mountainous places.
“At first, we were worried that the machines would be damaged. But we did some tests in South Upi. We did full diagnostic test of the machines and all worked,” he added.
Another problematic area for Smartmatic is the Liguasan Marsh in the eastern part of Maguindanao, which easily submerges during high tide so it is accessible primarily by boat.
According to Kevin Chung, president of Avante, one of the most challenging places in their area of jurisdiction is
“It is very remote. We may need a boat in going there. Helicopter may help. But there’s no problem. No matter how remote a place is, we can go there. The general carrying team sees no problem,” Chung said.
Mapun is more than 24 hours away from Zamboanga but only two hours away from
The Comelec will set up the counting and canvassing centers for those who voted in
The DRE technology is fully automated from voting to canvassing.
Machines carry the names and photographs of the candidates and voters can cast their votes by simply touching the screen.
On the other hand, with OMR, voters will vote by shading the ovals corresponding to their candidates’ names.
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