THE South American-based company that is one of two firms that bagged the multimillion peso project for election automation at the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) expressed confidence that it will be able to deliver results of the elections in less than two days.

                Vince Dizon, spokesman for Smartmatic Sahi Joint Venture, the company that will use the direct recording electronic (DRE) system in Maguindanao, and consolidate the results of the elections in other parts of the region, said results of the August exercise would be released “well within 36 hours” from election day.

                Smarmatic Sahi, a joint venture that is 60- percent Filipino-owned and 40-percent owned by a US-based company, is one of the two companies tapped by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to provide the poll automation in the ARMM in August.

                Another company, Avante International, will be using another technology, called optical mark reader, for the rest of the autonomous region.

                Dizon said Smartmatic Sahi will do the consolidation and canvassing for both technologies being the project manager of what could be the country’s first taste of election automation.

                He expressed confidence that no glitches will stop the computerization of the August 11 exercise in the ARMM, including a power interruption that normally happens during election in the region.

                According to him, the company has purchased a total of 3,000 car batteries that will be used to run its 3,000 machines to be used in Maguindanao, in case of power interruption.

                The automatic teller machine-like DRE machines work in a touch-screen mode where one just have to press a vote pad with pictures and names of candidates to vote. A confirmation slip, just like doing transaction in an ATM, comes out to verity one’s choice.

                The machine automatically records results, which it will transmit to a consolidating center in the ARMM and in Manila.

                Dizon added that the company is also setting up a virtual private network since some areas in the ARMM do not have cellular-telephone signal. It will also put in place as backup very small aperture terminals  for transmission ease.

                James Jimenez, spokesman for the Comelec, said a total of 5,175 clustered precincts will be used in the ARMM polls and more than 15,000 teachers will be mobilized as members of the board of election inspectors. C. Jimenez

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Results of ARMM polls out in two days

THE South American-based company that is one of two firms that bagged the multimillion peso project for election automation at the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) expressed confidence that it will be able to deliver results of the elections in less than two days.