By Ferdinand G. Patinio
MANILA, Feb. 4 (PNA) — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is looking to pilot test the Voter Verification System (VVS) as an additional security measure in the 2016 national and local polls.
With this, the poll body will start the public bidding process for the lease of 23,000 units of VVS amounting to Php 727,215,000.
According to James Jimenez, Comelec Spokesperson, the system would double check a voter’s biometrics record if he or she was indeed on the voter’s list database.
“We will pilot test these in, I think, mostly in the Metro Manila, basically kung saan may bagong makina,” he said.
The poll body official said that the VVS would be partnered with the additional Optical Mark Reader (OMR) machines in the 2016 national and local elections.
Jimenez noted that use of the VVS was an initiative of the Comelec since it was not part of the recommendation of the Comelec Advisory Council (CAC) for the 2016 polls.
“Yung voter verification na yan, kumbaga, ay additional measure lang yan… That’s just an added way to make sure na hindi ka makakaboto if you don’t have biometrics data,” he said.
In its Invitation to Bid, the Comelec – Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) said that they were looking to lease 23,000 VVS units with a per unit cost of Php 90,000 for a total of Php 690 million.
An additional Php 37.215 million will be used for the technical support composed of 4,000 technicians in polling centers and 135 technicians at the National Technical Support Center.
The complete set of bidding documents may be purchased already for a non-refundable fee of Php 75,000 from Feb. 2 to Feb. 23 at the BAC Secretariat Office located at the 7th Floor of the Palacio del Gobernador Building in Intramuros, Manila.
The Pre-Bid was set at 10 a.m on Feb. 10, at the Comelec Session Hall of the said building while the submission of bids is set on Feb. 23, 2015 on or before 1 p.m. to be followed by the opening of bids at 2 p.m. (PNA)