Comelec to inspect poll machines in Shanghai
by Reynaldo Santos Jr., Newsbreak | 11/04/2009 5:43 PM
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Poll body wants to prepare ‘remedial measures’ in case problems arise
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will be sending a technical team to Shanghai next week to inspect the production of the vote counting machines for the 2010 elections.
Two officials, who the poll body has yet to choose, will be checking on the electronic plant of Qidi, the company which was subcontracted by Smartmatic International Corp. to manufacture the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines, said Commissioner Gregorio Larazzabal in a press conference Wednesday.
Larrazabal said this is a “measure of pro-activity” with the purpose of “ensuring that everything is going well so we will meet the delivery needs” of the vote counting machines.
The production of the machines have been transferred from Taiwan, the original production site, to Shanghai. Thus, the need to make sure the production goes smoothly despite the changes.
Under the automation project, Smartmatic is expected to ship 82,200 voting machines. The first batch of the machines is expected to be delivered at the end of the year, and the last batch in February 2010.
‘Better supply lines’
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said that they are looking among Comelec officials and representatives with background in information and engineering to send to Shanghai.
The task of the Comelec representatives will be “to see if production is on schedule [and] if the availabilty of raw materials and all of the other aspects of production is online,” he said.
“Basically, they have to make sure that the manufacturing facility will be able to produce the machines in the proper quantity and the proper time,” Jimenez said.
This will also give Comelec enough time to come up with “remedial measures” if ever problems arise. “If there is a potential delay, then we catch it before it happens,” Jimenez said.
Jimenez said that the safety of manufacturing and delivery of machines have been ensured, as machine production was transferred from Taiwan to China.
Taiwan is on the path of typhoons that recently developed in the Pacific, among them Pepeng that hit both Taiwan and the Philippines in early October.
Jimenez said that “supply lines are better in Shanghai, which makes manufacturing more efficient.”
The inspection will be supervised by Comelec’s steering committee, which overseas the automation of the election. (Newsbreak)
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'Automation won't stop all forms of cheating'
(UPDATE) It's official: SC OKs poll automation
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