PCOS Machines All Here

Here’s a little something for the doomsayers.
The Commission on Elections has announced the completion of deliveries of all the Precint Count OPtical Scan Machines to be used in the elections in May. The final delivery was made February 27, one day before the deadline. Smartmatic delivered about 82,000 optical scan machines.
With the completion of the [...]

Comelec Releases Testing Rules and Procedures, Ballot Templates

The Commission on Elections has come out with a resolution on “Rules and Procedures for the Testing and Sealing of The Precinct Count Optical Scan Machines.”
Here are some of the more important points:

SECTION 1. Period for testing and sealing of PCOS machines. – At least three (3) days before April 10, 2010 in the [...]

PCOS Field Tests Set This Month

The Commission on Elections and Smartmatic held a press conference yesterday to reiterate their assurance that the automated election system is hack-proof.
Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal says laboratory testing is now being conducted on the Precinct Count Optimal Scan machines in their warehouse in Cabuyao, Laguna.
Field tests are also set to commence before the end of [...]

SWS survey says People Power if elections fail

The automated election system is built with redundant security features and back up systems that is intended to counter any possibility of sabotage.

Smartmatic-TIM Statement on the latest delivery of PCOS machines and other equipment by Gene Gregorio, Spokesman

The latest batch of PCOS machines was released by the Bureau of Customs with dispatch and was immediately transported this morning to the Smartmatic TIM warehouse in Cabuyao, Laguna.

Additionally, two more shipments of 2,400 and 8,000 units have arrived yesterday onboard vessels Horai Bridge S006 and Wan Hai 172 S018, respectively. They are currently being processed and will be delivered to the warehouse after release.

Another shipment of 8,000 units of PCOS onboard vessel Yong Da 185E is expected to arrive in the next few days.

More PCOS Machines delivered today as Comelec sees delays in ballot printing

This morning, some 10,400 PCOS or Automated Counting Machines will be delivered at the door step of the Commission on Elections at the Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros, Manila. This brings up the total number of voting machines delivered to 15,320.

Another 8,000 machines is due to arrive at one of Manila’s ports and around 17,000 have left the manufacturing plant in Shanghai. Added together, a total of 40,320 will have been delivered before January ends and this is about half of the total 82,000 PCOS machines that will be supplied to the Comelec for the 2010 automated polls.

Philippine government website hacking, advertisement for new racket by “hacking syndicate”?

What is shocking is that Gregorio said that their security experts have tipped them off that hacking syndicates are using news of the government website hackings to claim that they can hack the automated polling system.

Smartmatic Delivers PCOS Machines

The Bureau of Customs is set to release the 4,000 Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines that were deliered to the country last night.  An inspection of the machines before Comelec officials has reportedly been scheduled for tomorrow morning. Smartmatic-TIM expects to complete the delivery of all 82,000 machines by February 21.
I wish I could [...]

Gordon Confident Poll Automation To Push Through

Aside from presenting himself as an alternative candidate for the presidency in 2010, Senator Richard Gordon seems to be positioning himself as the gauge for whether or not it’s time to panic over the problems affecting the Comelec’s poll automation project.
In an Inquirer.net report, Gordon said he is still optimistic the automation of the elections [...]

Comelec: Smartmatic Not Liable For Delays

As it turns out even the Commission on Elections agrees that Smartmatic cannot be blamed for the delays in the shipping of its Precinct Count Optical Scan machines or PCOS.
Here’s what Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez had to say about the issue. This is taken from an ans-cbnnews.com report.
COMELEC spokesman James Jimenez confirmed a “gentleman’s agreement” [...]