MANILA, PHILIPPINES — All ballot boxes and transmission devices have been delivered to local hubs, according to Comelec Commissioner Aimee Ferolino.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced on Thursday that the deployment of election paraphernalia, such as official ballots and vote-counting machines, is near completion with less than two weeks till election day.

The deployment of vote counting equipment has reached 96.44%, external batteries have reached 99.54%, and the integrated canvassing system laptop has reached 99.01%.

Meanwhile, the May 9 national and local elections will go on regardless of whether a new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Omicron subvariant danger exists, officials from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) stated yesterday.

“We are very certain that suspension is not an option. We will conduct the elections as mandated by the Constitution,” Commissioner Marlon Casquejo stated in a press conference.

The guarantee from poll officials came after the Department of Health discovered the country’s first instance of the Omicron subvariant BA.2.12 virus.

The Department of Health previously stated that elections could be postponed if COVID-19 cases arise.

Officials from the Comelec reaffirmed that they have done everything necessary to avoid the May 9 polls becoming a “super spreader” event.

On election day, separate voting stations will be built up in polling centers to accommodate persons with COVID-19 symptoms, according to Elections Commissioner George Garcia.

On the other hand, Casquejo stated that approximately 500,000 defective ballots prepared by the National Printing Office (NPO) on May 7 will be destroyed.

“We have about 300,000 plus defective official ballots. But we will also destruct the roadshow ballots so we reached 500,000 ballots to be destroyed,” he said.

The defective ballots, according to Casquejo, will be separated into three sections and destroyed after the May 9 election. – WhatALife!

Source: (malaya.com, pna.gov.ph)

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