MANILA, Philippines—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) plans to start deploying election-related materials for the 2025 national and local elections by March 2025, Comelec Spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said on Friday.
Laudiangco made this statement at the opening of a bid fo the procurement of deployment of election-related materials and paraphernalia. According to the spokesperson, Comelec targets early deployment with sufficient time for preparation.
“Ang panuntunan ng Comelec ngayon ay maaga ang deployment natin pero maaga in such a way na in time na makakarating na may sapat na oras. Hindi ‘yong maaga na maaaring makompromiso ang deployment,” Laudiangco said in an ambush interview.
(The Comelec’s guideline now is that our deployment should be early, but early in such a way that it arrives with enough time. Not the kind of early that could compromise the deployment.)
“Magsisimula po ang deployment probably mga March dahil mayroon pong ipapadala via sea cargo kagaya ng baterya ng ACM (automated counting machine),” he added.
(The deployment will probably start around March because there are items that will be sent via sea cargo, like the batteries for the ACM.)
ACMs will be received by the election officers, while the ballots will be handed to the treasurers’ offices. Meanwhile, the board of canvassers will receive the consolidation and canvassing system.
READ: Comelec targets to start printing ballots by December
Laudiangco said that the winner of the procurement bid will have a “point-to-point system” where the consignees of the election materials will directly receive them from the deployment service hubs.
The poll body spokesperson also noted that Comelec required the procurement bidders to establish their own hubs where the materials would be stored.
“Inobliga po namin ang lahat ng sasali sa bidding na ito na magtayo ng kanilang hubs, mga warehouses na siyang titiyakin ng Comelec, babantayan din po namin yan. Obligado sila magkaroon ng security at obligado sila na silipin ng Comelec para makasiguro na kapag dineliver, magkakasama yung mga gamit natin sa eskwelahan, mga EO (election officers), at board of canvassers,” he said.
(We required everyone participating in this bidding to set up their own hubs — warehouses that will be overseen by Comelec. We will also monitor them closely. They are obligated to have security, and Comelec is required to inspect them to ensure that when deliveries are made, all our materials are together at the schools, with the election officers and board of canvassers.)
There are four bidders for the procurement of deployment of election materials. These companies are LBC Express, Ximex Delivery Express, F2 Logistics, and a joint venture of U-Freight Philippine and Airfreight 2100.
“Mukhang maganda po ang kompetisyon… Lahat po ‘yan ay local, at nakita na rin po namin ang mga pangalan nila so alam namin na established na rin sila pagdating ng business expertise ng procurement,” Laudiangco stated.
(The competition seems good… All of them are local and we have seen their names and we know that they are established in the business expertise of procurement.)
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