PCOS machines arrive in Bulacan safe, functioning

MALOLOS, Bulacan – Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines that will be used in the May 13 elections in Bulacan arrived safely at their respective polling precincts.

Provincial election officer Atty. Elmo Duque said, “Napakasecure at wala tayong naitalang karahasan or intimidation (Everything was secure and there were no reported hostilities or intimidation) during the transportation of PCOS machines.”

A week before the election, the Board of Election Inspectors had set a final testing and sealing of the PCOS machines witnessed by poll watchers from Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting or PPCRV and major electoral parties.

He said the testing and sealing of polling precincts will be done by the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) together with their IT assistants to ensure that the PCOS machines have been working and are able to transmit the votes to canvassing centers.

After the testing of the PCOS machines, these will be configured to zero votes by the BEIs and sealed so they will be ready for use on May 13. The polling centers will then be secured by the PNP and the AFP after the testing and sealing process. 

Barasoain Memorial Elementary School election chairwoman Ma. Jasmin Libiran said that the machines are functioning and the testing went smoothly.

“Bumoto po tayo ayon sa kwalipikasyon at programa ng isang kandidato at huwag natin ibenta ang ating boto dahil ito ay labag sa batas at hindi konsiderasyon sa pagiging mamumuno sa ating bayan (Let us vote according to the qualifications and programs of a candidate and not sell our votes because it is against the law and isn’t a proper consideration in choose the leaders of the country),” Duque said. 

Bulacan is high on the list of vote-rich areas, with 1.5 million registered voters.- Rappler.com