MANILA, Philippines?Commission on Elections Chairman Jose Melo does not see the biometrics screening being used in the 2010 elections because the technology is too expensive.

But the Comelec might be able to use biometrics in the registration of voters, which starts on December 1.

?Biometrics is easy to use in gathering signatures and thumb marks which are then stored and filed. But how do you use that? There will have to be cross-matching and that?s expensive,? he said.

Melo said he would rather not ask Congress for the money to buy biometric machines right now because they have been asking for funds for automated elections in 2010.

The Comelec is prioritizing the machines that will be used in the 2010 national and presidential elections, according to Melo.

But if Congress would be willing to fund biometric screening, Melo said the Comelec could carry out a pilot program in a few cities.

Biometrics is the technology involved in scanning and analyzing unique body characteristics and matching them against information stored in a database.

The Comelec has electronically recorded the signatures and thumb marks of about half of the 48 million population of voters in the country.

With biometric machines, the poll body would be able to screen voters at the entrance to polling places to ensure against multiple voting.

Election watchdog groups have been urging the Comelec to use biometric screening to help guarantee the integrity of the election process.

The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, for instance, has said biometrics would ensure that there are no ?flying voters? and proxy voting on election day.