By Mariela Angella Oladive
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) introduced its new Automated Counting Machine (ACM) technology during a roadshow held on December 2 at Iloilo City National High School in the Molo District.
The event, part of a nationwide campaign, aims to educate voters about the updated voting technology in preparation for the 2025 midterm elections.
Voters from seven barangays—Katilingban, San Antonio, Poblacion, North San Jose, North Avanceña, San Pedro, and Tap-oc—participated in the demonstration.
Regional Election Director Atty. Dennis Ausan emphasized that the roadshow addresses voter interest and inquiries about the automation process.
“We’ve been conducting automated elections since 2010, and we’ll be doing that again on May 12, 2025,” Ausan said.
The roadshow will run for two months, reaching various localities in the region. By January 31, 2025, the machines will be returned to their Laguna warehouse for reconfiguration.
The ACM replaces the Vote Counting Machine (VCM) first used in the 2008 Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) elections.
The updated system offers several enhancements, including a 14-inch adjustable touchscreen, a privacy screen, more than 14 hours of battery life, faster scanning speeds, and an automatic receipt-cutting feature.
It also includes a built-in receipt compartment, improved accessibility options, and immediate result transmission capabilities. The ACM’s Optical Mark Reader can recognize ballots with as little as 15% shading.
Barangay Poblacion Molo Councilor Susanne Mates praised the ACM for its user-friendly design, calling it more intuitive and comfortable than previous systems.
A total of 101 ACMs will be deployed across local government units in Western Visayas, including Panay and Guimaras, with one machine allocated to the regional Comelec office.
Iloilo City Election Officer IV, Pinky Tentativa, said the roadshow marks the city’s effort to familiarize voters with the new voting system.
Comelec plans to visit all districts in Iloilo City, offering voters hands-on training and the opportunity to test the new machines.
In addition to the ACM demonstration, Comelec announced new policies for the 2025 elections, including early voting from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. and mall voting for vulnerable sectors to make the process more accessible.
