Smartmatic-TIM Completes Production of PCOS Machines

Here’s one less thing to be paranoid about.
The Commission on Elections has announced the completion of the production of Smartmatic-TIM’s Precinct Count Optical Scan machines. The 25,000 machines yet to be delivered are scheduled to arrive in the country at least a week before the deadline on February 28.
The 25,000 machines will complete the 82,000 [...]

Jam The Jammers

It should be clear by now that the success of the upcoming automated elections would also depend on the cooperation of everyone. The Commission on Eelections has been doing all it can to ensure that the new system would bring about much improvement in the way we carry out elections. Smartmatic-TIM is also doing its [...]

Comelec: Manual Elections Still An Option

The Commission on Elections has reiterated for the nth time that automated elections will push through. But as can be expected such assurances have done very little to allay the fears of the perennially paranoid.
In the hopes of quelling talks of the possibility of failure of elections, Comelec has now resorted to saying that manual [...]

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 [...]

Cell Site Surveys Delayed By Extortion

I heard a TV news report that Smartmatic-TIM encountered some problems with the New People’s Army in Southern Luzon. Smartmatic-TIM spokesperson Gene Gregorio was interviewed and he said their personnel encountered communist rebels who demanded payment of the so-called access fee. Gregorio says the demanded amount was at least P5,000. I’m assuming the consortium was [...]

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.

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 [...]

Delays, Delays, Delays

Comelec Chairman Jose Melo admits to having sleepless nights these days. As the head of the agency tasked to oversee anything that has to do with the upcoming elections, Melo is a little bit concerned over the delays. Reports say Smartmatic-TIM will not be able to follow the agreed delivery schedule.
Here’s an excerpt from an [...]

Comelec Receives Initial Batch of PCOS Machines

Smartmatic-TIM has already delivered an initial batch of 20 Precint Count Optical Scan machines to the Commission on Elections.
Comelec says the machines will be deployed to the various regions for the training of 180 of its personnel. These will also be used to familiarize voters and other stakeholders with the actual voting procedure that will [...]