Voting in Puerto Princesa City and across Palawan began at 5 a.m. today, but several issues involving automated counting machines (ACMs) were immediately reported, including rejected ballots, machine malfunctions, and ink spills that required urgent cleaning to prevent delays.
At Mateo Jagmis Elementary School in Barangay San Miguel, Puerto Princesa City, three ACM glitches were encountered, according to volunteers of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV).
“Around 5:45 a.m. ay nagkaroon ng aberya kung saan isang ballot ang rejected, then 6:32 a.m. isang ballot din ang na-reject, around 6:37 a.m. ay nagkaroon ulit—naayos naman siya kaagad,” a PPCRV volunteer said.
Another ACM encountered three successive issues at Cluster 133 of Francisco Ubay Memorial Elementary School in Brgy. San Jose, also in Puerto Princesa City.
According to a voter, the machine began acting up repeatedly starting at 6 a.m., which caused a delay in the queue.
“Natagalan bago umusad ang pila kasi nga nagka-aberya ang ACM,” the voter said.
The same issue occurred at Narra Pilot School in Narra municipality, southern Palawan, where an ACM at Cluster 3, Precinct 9A experienced glitches three times.
Election precinct officials attributed the malfunction to a dirty ACM machine and a shortage of paper. The issue was immediately addressed, and the machine was back in use by 8:59 a.m.
In the town of Roxas in northern Palawan, an ACM spilled ink on the ballot of a senior citizen while printing the receipt, temporarily disrupting the voting process.
Cleaning the ACM’s scanner plate was also necessary to properly read the voter’s receipt.
Several voters in southern Palawan also reported early morning issues with ACMs rejecting ballots, possibly due to creases, heavy shading, or improper feeding.
In Bataraza town, one machine reportedly stopped accepting ballots altogether after processing around 30 voters. Local officials said they are seeking guidance on whether the unit should be replaced.
According to COMELEC Palawan spokesperson Jomel Ordas, the standard procedure is to have the ACMs first undergo troubleshooting by the technicians assigned to the precincts.
“Iti-troubleshoot muna siya ng assigned technician. The National Technical Support Center (NTSC) of COMELEC will receive a report if the problem persists. If the NTSC advises replacement, that’s when it will be changed,” he explained.
Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Chairman George Erwin Garcia earlier explained that while the ACMs introduced for the 2025 elections offer significant improvements over previous systems, certain issues have been identified, such as minor technical glitches and ballot rejection due to improper marking.
However, he emphasized that the ACMs underwent proper certification and that the systems used are secure and accurate.
Several voters also experienced delays in casting their votes after having difficulty locating their precincts, despite the inclusion of their photos in the certified voter’s list (CVL).
“Di ko makita ang pangalan ko agad sa voter’s list kaya natagalan ako kanina. Yon nga may picture na, di ko pa nakita… pambihira rin,” a voter at Puerto Princesa Pilot Elementary School said.
For the 2025 elections, the COMELEC added photos to the CVL posted outside polling places. The list now shows each voter’s name, precinct number, and a small photo taken during registration.
Garcia said this was done to help election workers and voters easily check identities and find the right precincts faster.
However, people had different reactions to this change. Some said it caused longer lines because voters took more time looking for their names and photos.
Others, especially in small towns, were concerned about privacy since their photos were shown in public.
