MANILA, February 8 ------ Majority of Philippine posts overseas will be using Online Voting and Counting System (OVCS) for the May 12 national and local elections. Based on the final specific modes of overseas voting released by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), a total of 77 out of the 93 posts abroad will be using the OVCS, which is initially being introduced in the upcoming midterm polls.
The system will be provided by the Joint Venture of SMS Global Technologies, Inc. & Sequent Tech Inc. Comelec chairperson George Garcia urged voters overseas to use the internet voting to take advantage of the its trial period. "Try to test voting experience online to familiarize yourselves with this easy process," he said in a telephone interview Thursday.
The poll body noted that there are 16 Philippine embassies and consulates general that would use automated counting machines (ACMs). These are in Beijing, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Xiamen in China; Dili in Timor Leste; Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea; Yangon in Myanmar; Ankara, and Istanbul in Turkiye; Moscow in Russia; Abuja in Nigeria; Beirut in Lebanon; Damascus in Syria; Tehran in Iran; and Tripoli in Libya.
The ACMs will be used either by personal or postal mode of voting. "Our ACM units are easy to use. Don't fail to vote. Voting experience is enhanced," Garcia said. There are a total of 1.180 million registered voters for the overseas voting process. The overseas voting period for this year’s polls is set on April 13 until May 12. Voters will be choosing for national positions only 12 senators and one party-list group.
Source: pna.gov.ph
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