Comelec to start clearing old ballot boxes for reuse in May 13 polls

The Commission on Elections is in the process of transferring the contents and clearing 57,255 ballot boxes utilized in the 2010 presidential elections for reuse in the May 13 polls.

 

“Mag-uumpisa na kami implement 'yung paglipat ng mga may laman. Order ng PET (Presidential Electoral Tribunal) pwede na namin gamitin 'yung ballot box na luma,” poll chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. told reporters Thursday afternoon.

 

In December last year, PET allowed the Comelec to retrieve the ballot boxes used in 2010 elections. The PET had held in custody 76,340 ballot boxes due to a pending electoral protest by defeated vice presidential bet Manuel Roxas II, now secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government, against Vice President Jejomar Binay.

 

Brillantes said they will transfer the contents of three ballot boxes to a single ballot box.

 

Asked when they will start, the poll chairman said they are still setting up the procedure as they need to notify the lawyers of Roxas and Binay and other parties first.

 

He said they will conduct a time and motion study first at the Philippine Postal Corporation in Lawton, Manila where the bulk of the ballot boxes are stored.

 

“Uumpisahan namin sa Philpost kasi maraming ballot boxes diyan nung mga nagprotesta. Dito namin aaralin 'yung time and motion, kung gaano kabilis 'yung paglilipat nung (contents nung) tatlo sa isa para alam na namin 'pag ginawa sa buong bansa. Maraming nakakalat na ballot boxes sa buong Pilipinas,” he said.

 

With 57,255 ballot boxes that will be reused, Comelec will only be shelling out P75 million for the procurement of 30,000 units of ballot boxes. Some 80,000 ballot boxes are needed for the May 13 polls, according to Brillantes.

 

On January 18, the Comelec declared Noah's Paper Mills as eligible to bid for the supply and delivery of ballot boxes. The company, which submitted the lowest calculated bid, is now undergoing post-qualification evaluation.

 

Brillantes also said that Air21will be in charge of the deployment of Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines in Luzon, Metro Manila, and Mindanao while for Visayas it will be 2Go Express and 2Go Logistics.

 

“They are supposed to be putting hubs malapit kung saan ididistribute 'yung mga PCOS machines. Ang deployment, from National Printing Office to here (Comelec) or airport tapos sa mga hubs,” he said.

 

“May mga hubs, parang warehouse, maliit lang, na malapit sa area. 'Pag ide-deploy namin, ilalagay muna sa mga hubs. From there saka idi-distribute sa mga presinto,” he added.

 

He said the Comelec en banc has yet to discuss the distribution of some 3,000 standby PCOS for contingency.

 

“Hindi pa namin pinag-uusapan. Basta 3,000 ikakalat sa key positions,” said Brillantes. —KG, GMA News