Comelec execs tour ballot printing facilities

MANILA, Philippines – The National Printing Office (NPO) with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) unveiled Wednesday their new facilities that will be used for the printing of the 2013 election ballots.

The P30 million newly renovated basement of the NPO will house the three brand new ballot printing machines leased for the 2013 election ballot printing, NPO Director Emmanuel Andaya told reporters.

The new 5,000-square meter facility will have a cooling system to prevent the printers from overheating, Closed Circuit Television system for security, a biometrics entry and exit system for the employees, among others, NPO assistant director Raul Nagrampa said in a separate interview.

The printing machines have all undergone sufficient testing and “are ready anytime” to go full swing with the printing of an estimated 52 million official ballots, Andaya said.

They are expecting to begin printing on February 4 and aim to finish within 90 days, as stipulated in the agreement, he said.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said that they will have “more than enough time” for the printing because the new machines have a higher capacity than those used in 2010.

“We are confident we can finish earlier. But it will also depend on the Comelec because they will check each and every ballot before accepting,” Andaya said.

An estimated 650,000 ballots would be printed each day in the initial run but will be ramped up later to a million ballots daily in order to meet the deadline of April 25.

Each machine will be manned by seven technical engineers per shift. There will be two shifts to keep one printing machine working for 18 hours a day.

“Printing will be 24 hours, the machine will only rest two hours in the morning, two hours in the afternoon and when the ballot paper is being reloaded,” Andaya said.

Every ballot that is printed will immediately be tested in a Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machine within the facility. At least 156 PCOS machines manned by Comelec personnel will conduct the testing.

“There will be 100 percent testing of the ballots by Comelec. Failed ballots will be destroyed and replaced,” Nagrampa said.

Andaya said that each machine has a “kit” containing all the spare parts needed to make immediate repairs in case of any breakdown.

“NPO operators have undergone extensive training from German and Singaporean engineers,” Andaya said. “Foreign technicians are also on standby in case of any problems [with the machines].”

Present during the ceremonial ribbon cutting and blessing were Comelec Commissioners Elias Yusoph, Armando Velasco, Grace Padaca, Christian Robert Lim, Lucenito Tagle, and Brillantes.

They were joined by Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Henrietta de Villa, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting chairperson, and Andaya who toured the Comelec officials around the new facility.