MANILA, Philippines ? How come we?re still talking about the delivery of automated poll machines?

But despite delays in the delivery of machines and their testing, election officials told a joint oversight committee Thursday that the first nationwide automated balloting would proceed as scheduled in May.

Even if the Commission on Elections (Comelec) fails to automate the balloting, officials said they could still shift to a manual vote if given two months, or by March 9, to prepare.

Under the Comelec timeline, some 42,200 machines are to be delivered this December, the remaining 40,000 in January. These 82,200 machines will read, count and transmit the balloting results.

Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez reminded the Comelec that it had said that delivery of the machines would be completed from Nov. 11 to Nov.18 and its testing from Nov. 17 to Dec.17.

?By today, we should have tested the machines. How come we?re still talking about deliveries?? Rodriguez asked.

Even Sen. Francis Escudero, co-chair of the committee for the Senate, said that the Comelec had given the Senate a different timetable, promising that the poll machines would be delivered by Nov. 26.

What caused delay

Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua III, chair of the Commission on Information and Communication Technology, blamed ?lots of developments? for the delays.

These included the initial problems between Smartmatic and TIM regarding their partnership and ?unforeseen circumstances? that included the typhoon in Taiwan where the poll machines were originally to be made. This resulted in the transfer of their manufacture to China. The deal also was questioned in the Supreme Court.

Comelec Executive Director Jose Tolentino said actual production of the poll machines ?started really slow.?

But he added that ?like any product, the longer the manufacturing process takes place, the more machines? are made.

Chua said that the adjustment of the deadline for these preparations were ?mutually agreed? on.

Escudero retorted that Comelec ?had made representations to Congress and the people on certain deliverables to assure us that the preparations for automated polls would run smoothly.?

Comelec officials faced tough questioning on their preparations at the meeting of the joint congressional oversight committee on automated elections.

Satisfied with explanations

But at the end of the hearing, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile expressed satisfaction at the Comelec explanations.

?Based on what the Comelec said to us, the automated elections would push through,? Enrile told reporters.

Makati City Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr., co-chair of the joint committee for the House, agreed with Enrile?s assertion that the consortium would be able to meet its schedules.

Enrile and Escudero stressed to the Comelec officials that the balloting should proceed whether done manually or through automation and urged them to be transparent and honest.

?They should do what they have to do, but if they can?t achieve automated elections, they should say so at the earliest time so we can make remedies,? said Escudero, Senate chair of the committee.

?What?s important is that elections push through and that it be clean and credible,? he added.

Comelec has said that Smartmatic-Total Information Management (TIM) can only deliver 30,000 precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines this month due to heavy sea traffic during the Christmas season from China, where the machines are being manufactured.

Adjusting deadline

What Escudero said he did not like was the provision in the automation contract that if the supplier failed to meet the delivery deadline for the machines, the company had to pay a penalty for every day of the delay.

?If they adjust and adjust the deadline, how can the provision on penalty on the delay in the contract be applied,? he told reporters later.

Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento admitted the poll body was confronted with difficulties and delays. ?But yes, we will have automated elections,? Sarmiento said in response to a question from Enrile.

Preparation for manual vote

Enrile also asked the lead time that the Comelec needed to prepare for manual elections should it fail to automate polls.

?Two months would suffice,? Sarmiento said.

Enrile also asked what were the obligations of Smartmatic-Tim should it fail to fulfill its contract.

Sarmiento said he had to refer to the contract, prompting Rodriguez to ask for a copy at the next hearing on Jan.11.

It was also learned that Comelec has so far paid Smartmatic P1.5 billion or 20 percent of its P7.4 billion contract.

Hybrid balloting

Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez said the House might push the Comelec to implement automation in certain areas and to hold manual voting in other places.

Suarez said that partial poll automation would be the best option amid doubts about the ability of Smartmatic-TIM to live up to its commitments.

He said the oversight committee would hold a hearing in January to further scrutinize Smartmatic?s preparedness.

?I have the consensus of oversight. We may have to strongly insist to Comelec that we may go partial automation,? he told reporters at the Serye forum in Quezon City.

According to him, there were areas where there were no signals of the telecommunications companies. These signals are necessary to electronically transmit the election results.

He said he was not appeased by Smartmatic?s plan to use satellite disks in areas without signals, and added that he would rather have manual elections in these areas. With a report from Leila B. Salaverria