10 million ballots representing 13% of total ballots for May polls printed

COMELEC printing machines at the NPO in Quezon City on Saturday, October 26, 2024. (INQUIRER photo / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA)

MANILA, Philippines — Thirteen percent of over 72 million ballots have been printed a week after the resumption of the production ordered by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia on Tuesday said more than 10 million (or 10,051,712) ballots have been printed so far.

This represents 13.9 percent of over 72 million (or 72,107,420) ballots that will be printed for May 12 polls.

These 10 million ballots consist of the election materials allocated for five regions including the Bicol Region, Caraga Region and Batanes province.

Garcia is optimistic that the printers of the National Printing Office (NPO) and South Korean election systems provider Miru will be able to make it to the April 14 deadline.

The Comelec resumed the printing of ballots on Jan. 27.

The printing process of Comelec first began on Jan. 6 but it has since been delayed thrice due to Supreme Court’s temporary restraining orders.

The high tribunal’s directives compelled the Comelec to add the names of some senatorial aspirants the poll body had previously declared as nuisance candidates.

READ: Comelec urges printers to lessen defective ballots

In line with this, NPO will help Miru fulfill the printing of more than 72 million ballots..

READ: Comelec ‘partially terminates’ contract with election service provider

Meanwhile, Garcia said the Comelec may hire up to 300 more ballot “verifiers” of these ballots to fast track the process.

After printing, the ballots undergo machine verification, then manual verification.

Of the total number of the printed ballots, Garcia said only about two to three million have been verified.

“The printing is way ahead while the verification falls behind,” he explained.