Written by Mark Genrev Baybayan, Eidanne Carlos, Vexie Monique Gabol
The Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, right after its General Assembly for the Second Semester, partnered with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) for the dry run of the MIRU System’s Automated Counting Machine (ACM), set to be used in the forthcoming Midterm Election on the second Monday of May 2025, held on January 28, 2025 at FGB Hall at the University of Baguio. This event was participated in not only by the Political Science Program but also by selected SHITM and SIT students.
The COMELEC Roadshow is an initiative by the agency in partnership with various school institutions, tackling the salient features of the new ACM, as well as giving various stakeholders the opportunity to use the machine through a mock election. Some of the salient features of the ACM include its scanning feature, where the inserted ballot is scanned and appears on a flat-screen monitor, allowing the voter to review the cast ballot. Another feature that makes this ACM more efficient than the AVM provided by Smartmatic is its lithium battery, which ensures the election process remains undisrupted even in the absence of electricity.
During the demonstration, the participating students had the opportunity to ask questions to clarify how this new system is better than the one used in previous elections and to address skepticism rooted in the alleged involvement of the MIRU System in the failure of elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Iraq, as well as its alleged involvement in bribery with the COMELEC. To address this, the COMELEC cited that the ACM provided by the MIRU System complies with the specifications set by the COMELEC as a corrective measure for the failures and lapses of past elections.
“The new Automated Counting Machine (ACM) is indeed more efficient and user-friendly, making it a game-changer for the upcoming election,” stated Tine De Guzman, a first-year Political Science student.
This event demonstrated transparency for the upcoming election, which is crucial for fostering trust and accountability in the democratic process. Transparency in elections enables citizens to make informed decisions, promotes fairness, and helps prevent fraud. By utilizing the ACM, the electoral process was streamlined, reducing the likelihood of human error and increasing the speed of vote counting.
