COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS

ELECTORAL BOARD
Pocket Guide to the General Instructions
for the 2025 National and Local Elections,
and BARMM Parliamentary Elections
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Preliminaries
The Electoral Board
Electoral Board and Support Staff 3
Powers, Duties and Functions of the Electoral
Board 4
Maintaining Order in the Polling Place 4
Voting Privileges of the Electoral Board Members 5-6
Local Absentee Voting 6-7
Conduct of Meetings and Decision-Making
Process of the Electoral Board 8
Temporary Vacancies 9
Arrest of Absent Members 9
Support Staff of the Electoral Board 10
Guidelines on Poll Watchers
Poll Watchers 10-11
Appointment of Poll Watchers 11-12
Qualifications of Poll Watchers 12
Rights and Duties of Watchers Inside the Polling
Place on the Election Day 13-14
Responsibilities of the EB with Respect to the
Poll Watchers 14-15
Rules on Maintaining Peace and Order
Rules to Observe 15-16
Persons Allowed Inside the Polling Place 16
Persons Not Allowed Inside the Polling Place 17

II. Final Testing and Sealing

Period and Place of Conduct 20
Procedure on the Day of the FTS 21
Preliminaries 22
Setting Up the ACM 23-26
Authentication and Registration of EB
Members 26-31
Configuration of Date and Time 31-33
ACM Diagnostic Procedures 33
Touchscreen Display 34-35
Audio 35-36
Network Diagnostics 37
USB Ports 37-38
Printer 38-39
Scanner 40-41
Smart Card 41-42
Camera 42-43
Keypad 43-44
Printing of Diagnostic Report 44-46
 Open Voting 46
Assigning Names of the EB Members 47
Printing Initialization Report 48
FTS Voting 49-52
Close Voting 52
Digital Signature 53-54
Printing of National and Local Returns 55-58
Ballot Review 58-59
Manual Verification of the Results 59-61
Re-Zero Procedure 62-64
Disposition of FTS Forms and Supplies 64-65
Minutes of FTS 65

III. Election Day Proper

Voting Hours 68
Early Voting 68
Regular Voting 68
Forms, Documents, and Supplies 69
Verification and Signing of Certificate of
Receipt 70
Forms from the City Municipal 71-72
Forms from the Election Officer 73
Forms to be Reproduced when Needed 73
Election Day Procedures for Voting, Counting of Votes,
and Transmission of Precinct Results
Preliminaries to Voting 74-77
Setting Up the ACM 77-78
ACM Operations on Election Day 78-81
Authentication and Registration of the EB 81-86
Changing of Date and Time 87-89
Open Voting 89-92
Accomodating of Voters in the Polling Place 92-93
Voting Procedure or Manner of Obtaining
Ballots 93-99
Close Voting 99-106
Transmission of Results 106-109
Printing of the Remaining Twenty-One (21)
Copies of Election Returns and Report 110-111
Ballot Review 112-113
Printing of Audit Log Report 113-115
Final Back-Up 116-117
Sealing the ACM 117-119
Disposition of Documents 119
Unused Ballots 119-120
Election Returns 120-122
Disposition of ACM, Ballot Boxes, Election Returns,
and Other Documents 122-125
IV. Legal Matters and Other Procedures Voters
Voters 128-129
Challenge Against Illegal Voters 129-130
Challenge Based on Certain Illegal Acts 130-131
Procedure on Rejected Ballots 131-133
Procedure in case there is an Objection by the Voter
to the Results Reflected on the VVPAT 133
Procedure in case the Ballot Box is Full and
New Ballots Cannot Come Through 134
Procedure in case of Failed Transmission/Re-
Transmission of Results 134-137

V. Vulnerable Sectors
Senior Citizens (SCs), Persons with Disabilities
(PWDs) and Pregnant Voters Voting 140
Early Voting Hours 141
Express Lane 141
Accessible Polling Place (APP) 142
Priority Polling Place (PPP) and Satellite-
Priority Polling Place (S-PPP) 142-144
Preparation of Ballots for the Illiterate,
PWDs, and SCs 144-147
Voting Procedures in the PPP/S-PPP 147-152
Counting and Feeding the Ballots from the
PPP/S-PPP 152-153
Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) Voting 154
Escorted Voting 154-155
PDL Special Polling Place 155
Preparation of Election Forms, Documents, and
Supplies for PDL Voting 157
Voting Procedures in the PDL-SPP 157-161
Counting of Ballots from PDL-SPP Voting 162
Indigenous Peoples (IP) Voting 163
Accessible Voting Center (AVC) 163
Separate Polling Place (SPP) 163-164
Procedures on Voting and Counting of Votes in
the AVC and E-SPP 164-165
Procedures on Voting and Counting of Votes in
the IP-SVR 165-168
Sensitivity Guidelines for the Vulnerable
Sectors 162-168

VI. Contingency Procedure

General Procedures 171
Emergency Change of Venue/Schedule 171
Absent EB Members on FTS Day 171-172
Late Arrival of EB Members 172
FTS Contingency Procedures 173
Non-Technical Issues
Non-Delivery/Delay of the ACM during
the FTS 173
Lacking/Missing Supplies or Items 174
Ballots 174-175
Smartcard Security and Re-Zero Pins 175-176
Smartcard Security Keys 176-177
USB Devices 177-178
Other Items 178-179
Discrepancy in Election Return and
Manual Audit 179-180
Defective ACM/s for Reverse Logistics 180-181
Technical Issues
Diagnostic Test 181
Corrupted or Detective USB Devices 182
Election Day Contingency Procedures 183
Non-Technical Issues 183
Misdelivered Ballots 183
Shortage of Ballots Due to Inclusion
Approval 184
Insufficient Ballots Delivered 185
Problem in the Size of the Ballots due to
Delivery 186
Missing Items in the ACM Box on E-day 186
Smartcard Security Key PINs 186
USB Devices 187-188
USB Modem 188
Other Items 189
Thermal Paper 190
Marking Pens 190-191
Fortuitous Events 191-192
Absent DESO-TSS 192-193
Smart Card Security Keys are not
Functional 193
Technical Issues
ACM Replacement 193-194
Ballots Jams 195
Rejection of Ballots after Initial
Acceptance of Several Ballots 197-198
Hash Code 198
ACM Printer 199-200
Thermal Paper 200-201
ACM Screen 201-202
Power Source 203-204
Transmission 204-205
Execution of Final Backup 206
Shutting Down the ACM 206-207
 PRELIMINARIES

PRELIMINARIES

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 PRELIMINARIES

ELECTORAL BOARD, DEPED SUPERVISING OFFICIAL

AND SUPPORT STAFF

The Electoral Board is the duly constituted authority of the

Commission to conduct the Final Testing and Sealing (FTS),
voting, counting, and transmission of election results.

Q: What is the composition of the EB?

A: The EB consists of:
1. A Chairperson
2. Poll Clerk
3. Third Member

Poll Clerk Third Member

Chairperson

Q: What is the essential requirement for the EB?

A: In all cases, at least ONE (1) member

of the EB must be an information
technology (IT) capable person trained
and certified by the Department of
Science and Technology (DOST).

Note: The Special Electoral Board

(SEB) for Persons Deprived of Liberty
(PDL) Voting shall have the same
composition as the regular EB but
shall not be required to have an IT-
capable member who has to undergo
DOST certification. (Sec. 3)

2
 PRELIMINARIES

POWERS, DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE ELECTORAL BOARD

What are the powers, duties and functions of the EB?
Among the main responsibilities of the EB is to:
Act as deputies of the COMELEC in the supervision and
control of the conduct of election in the polling place;
Conduct the Final Testing and Sealing of the Automated
Counting Machines (ACMs);
Administer the voting in the polling place and the
electronic counting of votes;
Verify and be accountable for all the ACM kits received
pursuant to the checklist inside the ACM case while the
same is in their custody;
Maintain order within the polling place and its premises
to keep an open and unobstructed access to it;
Enforce obedience to its lawful orders; and
Perform such other functions prescribed by law or by the
rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission.

MAINTAINING ORDER IN THE POLLING PLACE

Q: What should the EB do if a person disobeys its lawful orders
and displays disorderly conduct inside the polling place?
A: The EB may issue a Written Order
directing any peace officer to take
any person, who refuses to obey the
lawful orders of the EB or conducts in
a disorderly manner in its presence or
within its hearing and thereby interrupts
or disturbs its proceedings, into custody
until the adjournment of the meeting,
provided that the order shall not be executed
as to prevent such person from voting.
Note: In the absence of any peace officer, the order may
be executed by any other component and able person
deputized by the EB in writing. (Sec. 2)
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 PRELIMINARIES

Q: What is/are the restriction/s for EB members?

A: In no case shall any member of the EB
engage in any partisan political activity or
take part in the election, except only to vote
and perform his/her official duties. (Sec. 6)

VOTING PRIVILEGES OF THE ELECTORAL

BOARD MEMBERS
While serving for the elections, the EB Members have the
privilege to cast their vote in three (3) different options. They
may choose to:
Vote in the polling place where they are
assigned on election day;
Vote in the polling place where they are
actually registered; or
Vote through local absentee voting
pursuant to the pertinent COMELEC
Resolution on the same.

Q: Can EB members vote at the polling place where they are

assigned on election day?
A: Yes.The EB members may vote if they meet the following conditions:
They are registered voters of the city within the same
legislative district or municipality where they are assigned;
They have not used local absentee voting; and
They shall add their names and precinct numbers and
the place where they are actually registered in the
EDCVL and note such fact in the Minutes.

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 PRELIMINARIES

Q: How can an EB member who is a registered voter of another

legislative/councilor district within the same city or municipality
be able to vote in the polling place where they are actually
registered?
A: The EB member may opt to vote at their registered
polling place, provided that:

The voting in their place of assignment

is light;
Their absence shall not be for more than
thirty (30) minutes;
The members of the EB shall schedule the
voting so that only one (1) member shall
leave at any given time;
They must be given priority in voting; and
The fact that they exercised their voting
privilege shall be noted in the Minutes.

LOCAL ABSENTEE VOTING

Q: How does one avail of Local Absentee Voting?

A: Government officials and employees,

members of the AFP and PNP, and members
of the media and media practitioners may
file their duly accomplished LAV Form No.
01 (Application to Avail Local Absentee
Voting) not later than March 7, 2025
before their respective heads of office,
supervisors, commanders, or officers
next-in-rank.

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 PRELIMINARIES

Q: When will be the casting of vote when Local Absentee

Voting is availed of?
A: Local Absentee Voters shall
vote on any day from April 28,
29, and 30, 2025 from 8:00
o’clock in the morning until 5:00
o’clock in the afternoon.
The heads of office, supervisors,
commanders, or officers next-
in-rank, shall designate, not
later than April 12, 2025, the
place of voting where the
Local Absentee Voters shall
converge, with written notice
upon the Municipal/City/District
Election Officer who or whose
representative will supervise
the conduct of voting thereat.

For more information and copies of the local absentee forms,

see Comelec Resolution No. 11091 at www.comelec.gov.ph.

Note:
• If the Chairperson exercises his/her privilege to vote
in the polling place, the Poll Clerk shall act as the
Acting Chairperson.
• The voting by a member of the EB in the polling place
where he/she is registered or in the polling place
where he/she is assigned on Election Day should
always be noted in the Minutes.
• If they voted in the place where they are assigned on
Election Day, their names, precinct numbers, and the
place where they are actually registered, should also
be added in the EDCVL. (Sec. 4)

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 PRELIMINARIES

CONDUCT OF MEETINGS AND DECISION-MAKING

PROCESS OF THE ELECTORAL BOARD
Q: How are EB meetings conducted?
A: The meetings of the EB shall be PUBLIC
and held only in the POLLING PLACE
AUTHORIZED BY THE COMMISSION.

Q: Who will preside over the

meetings of the EB?
A: The Chairperson shall be
the designated presider in
the meetings of the EB.

Q: What should the EB do if there are issues and

questions encountered in the performance of their duties?
A: The EB shall act through its Chairperson and make
decisions by MAJORITY VOTE of its present members to
address all questions that may arise in the performance of
its duties, without delay. (Sec. 5)

The EB Support Staff cannot participate

in the deliberation of the EB or vote on
any issue or question that may arise
during the proceedings. (Sec. 10)

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 PRELIMINARIES

TEMPORARY VACANCIES
Q: How to handle temporary vacancies during EB meetings?
A: 1. In case there is an absentee member
or a vacant position in the EB at the
time of meeting:
The members present should call upon
the SUBSTITUTE of the absent member
to perform the duties of the latter.
2. In case the substitute cannot be found:
The members present can appoint any
QUALIFIED NON-PARTISAN REGISTERED
VOTER of the polling place to temporarily
fill in said vacancy until the absent
member appears or the vacancy is filled.

3. In case there are only two (2) members present:

The members shall act jointly. (Sec. 7)

ARREST OF ABSENT MEMBERS

Q: What should the EB do if any member or substitute is absent
WITH the INTENTION of obstructing its performance of duties?
A: It is the discretion of the EB member or
members present to order the ARREST of any
member or substitute, who, in the EB’s best
judgement, is absent with the INTENTION of
obstructing the performance of the duties of
the EB. (Sec. 8)

The members of the EB shall not be relieved

or substituted unless otherwise disqualified
under COMELEC rules. (Sec. 9)

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 PRELIMINARIES

SUPPORT STAFF OF THE ELECTORAL BOARD

How are the Support Staff of the EB appointed?
It is the responsibility of the city or municipal Election Officer
(EO) to appoint the Support Staff that will assist the EB
in the performance of its duties, during the period for the
constitution and appointment of the EB. (Sec. 10)
What should the EB do if any of the Support Staff is absent
on the day of the election?
The EB, by MAJORITY VOTE, may designate a substitute who:
is at least eighteen (18) years of age but need not be a
registered voter of the city or municipality;
must be of good moral character and irreproachable
reputation;
is of known integrity and competence;
has never been convicted of any election offense or of
any crime punishable by more than six (6) months of
imprisonment, or has no pending information for any
election offense; and
is able to speak and write Filipino, English, or the local
dialect.

GUIDELINES ON POLL WATCHERS

Among the responsibilities and functions of the EB members
is to supervise and control the election process by knowing
the rights, qualifications, responsibilities, and limitations set
by the law and COMELEC rules on poll watchers, and the
scope of their authority to observe the voting process.

9
 PRELIMINARIES

Q: Who are Poll Watchers?

A: They are the official representatives of candidates, political
parties, associations, or organizations participating in the
Party-List System, and accredited citizen’s arms to safeguard
the accuracy and transparency of the election process.
Poll watchers are among the few selected people authorized
by law to enter and stay inside the polling place during the
entire voting process.

Poll Watchers

APPOINTMENT OF POLL WATCHERS

Q: How many poll watchers can each candidate or political
party appoint in ONE (1) polling place?

A: For each candidate, registered political

party, or coalition of political parties,
associations, or organizations participating
in the Party-List System, and duly
accredited citizen’s arms:

TWO (2) watchers per polling place

who shall serve alternately.

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 PRELIMINARIES

For each candidate, Senatorial, Member of

the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Sangguniang
Panlungsod, and Sangguniang Bayan belonging
to the same party or coalition:
Collectively entitled to appoint
ONE (1) watcher.

For other civic, religious, professional,

business, service, youth, and any other
similar organizations:
Collectively entitled to appoint
ONE (1) watcher in every polling
place with prior authority of the
Commission. (Sec. 14)

QUALIFICATIONS OF POLL WATCHERS

Q: Who are qualified to be poll watchers?

A: A registered voter of the city/municipality where the
person is assigned;
Of good moral character; and
Able to read and write in Filipino, English, or the
prevailing local dialect.
Q: Who are disqualified from serving as poll watchers?
A: Persons convicted by final judgment of any election
offense or crime;
Relatives within the fourth (4th) civil degree of
consanguinity or affinity to the EB Chairperson or
members; and
Barangay officials and their employees, including
barangay tanods. (Sec. 15)

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 PRELIMINARIES

RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF WATCHERS INSIDE THE POLLING

PLACE DURING THE ELECTION DAY
Q: What are the rights and duties of poll watchers inside the
polling place?
A: Watchers have the right to:
Stay in the space reserved for them inside the polling
place, except in case where the space provided is
insufficient;
Witness the EB proceedings;
Take note of what they see or hear;
Take pictures, images, photos, or videos of the
proceedings and incidents, if any, during FTS, counting
of votes, transmission, and printing of election returns
(ERs), and the scanning of the VVPAT provided the
secrecy of the ballot shall be maintained at all times;
File a protest against any irregularity or violation of law
which they believe may have been committed by the EB
or by any person present;
Obtain from the EB a certificate as to the filing of such
protest and/or the resolution thereof; and
Position themselves near the EB Chairperson during
announcement of precinct results.

If the space reserved for poll watchers in the

polling place is insufficient, the EB must give
preferences to the watchers of the DOMINANT
MAJORITY and DOMINANT MINORITY PARTIES,
as determined by the Commission. Watchers of
the citizen’s arms shall be given preferential
position closest to the EB. (Sec. 16)

12
 PRELIMINARIES

Q: What are the restrictions for poll watchers?

A: Watchers are PROHIBITED to:
Take pictures, images, photos, or videos while the
voter is shading the ballot and feeding the same
in the ACM. Violation of this rule shall constitute
an election offense.

Speak to any member of the EB, to any voter,

or among themselves in a manner that would
disrupt the proceedings of the EB.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EB WITH RESPECT TO THE

POLL WATCHERS
Q: What are the responsibilities of the EB with respect to the
poll watchers?

A: The EB Chairperson must check the credentials of the

poll watchers upon entering the polling place, ensuring
that they have:
Appointments as watchers, which shall bear the
signature of the candidate or duly authorized
representative of the party, organization or coalition
of parties, associations, or organizations participating
in the Party-List System that appointed them; and
Proof of voter registration in the city/municipality
where they are assigned.

The EB must record the names of the poll watchers in

the Minutes, with a notation under their signatures that
they are NOT DISQUALIFIED to serve as such.

13
 PRELIMINARIES

The poll watchers representing the

dominant majority and dominant
minority parties, and the citizen’s
arm shall, if available, affix their
signatures and thumbmarks in the
Election Results. (Sec. 15)

RULES ON MAINTAINING PEACE AND ORDER

EB members are given certain powers to enforce obedience to
their lawful orders. These powers may be exercised as necessary
to maintain order within the polling place and its premises for
the conduct of an orderly and peaceful voting process.
Q: How can the EB maintain order within the polling place
and its premises?
A: The EB can maintain order in the conduct of the voting
process by adhering to the following rules:

1. Observe “First Come, First Served” policy; - EB

members should let voters vote in the order of
their arrival in the polling place. (Sec. 32.(a))

2. Enforce that no watcher shall enter the place

reserved for the voters and the EB, or mingle and
talk with the voters. (Sec. 32.(b))

3. Secure that no person carrying any firearm or any

other deadly weapon shall enter the polling place.
-Except jail/prison escorts of PDL voters and
those expressly authorized by the Commission.
(Sec. 32.(c))

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 PRELIMINARIES

4. Ensure that there will be no crowding or

disorderly behavior in the polling place; and
EB members must ensure that there will be
no crowding of voters and disorderly behavior
inside the polling place. (Sec. 32.(d))

5. Implement the maximum limit of twenty (20)

voters at any given time, depending on the area of
the polling place, with seats reserved for Senior
Citizens, Persons with Disabilities, and Pregnant
voters. (Sec. 32 (e))

Q:Who are allowed inside the polling place?

A: Only the following persons shall be allowed inside the
polling place:
a. Members of the EB and Support Staff , if any;
b. Watchers who shall stay only in the space
reserved for them;
c. Representatives of the Commission;
d. DESO Technical/Administrative Support Staff
assigned in the voting center;
e. PPP Support Staff;
f. Voters casting their votes and their assistors, If any;
g. Voters waiting for their turn to cast their vote;
h. Jail/Prison Escorts escorting PDL voters;
i. Commission on Human Rights representative/s;
j. National Commission on Indigenous Peoples
representative/s; or
k. Other persons who may be specifically authorized
by the Commission.

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 PRELIMINARIES

Q: Who are not allowed inside the polling place?

A: Unless specifically authorized by the Commission, the
following persons are NOT ALLOWED to enter or to stay within
the fifty (50) meter radius of the polling place, except to vote:
a. Any officer or member of the AFP or the PNP;
b. Any peace officer or any armed person
belonging to any extra-legal police agency,
special forces, reaction forces, strike forces,
Civilian Armed Force Geographical Units
(CAFGUs), barangay tanods, or other similar
forces or para-military forces, including
security guards, and special policemen; or
c. All other kinds of armed or unarmed extra-
legal police forces
For the EB’s protection and the protection of election
documents and paraphernalia, the EB may, by a MAJORITY
VOTE, if they deem it necessary, order in WRITING the detail of
policemen or peace officers. In such case, the said policemen or
peace officers should stay outside of the polling place within
a radius of thirty (30) meters, enough to be easily called by
the EB at any time but NEVER at the door, and in no case shall
the said policemen or peace officers hold any conversation
with any voter or disturb or prevent, or in any manner obstruct
the free access of the voters to the polling place. (Sec. 34)

The order of the EB for the detail of

policemen or peace officers in the
polling area must be noted in the
Minutes. (Sec. 34)

16
 FINAL TESTING
AND SEALING

FINAL TESTING
AND SEALING

17
 FINAL TESTING
AND SEALING

The Final Testing and Sealing of the

Automated Counting Machine (ACM)
is conducted before the Election Day
to test the competency, readiness, and
accuracy of the ACMs that will be used
during the actual elections.

PERIOD AND PLACE OF CONDUCT

Q: When and where is the final testing and sealing of the

ACMs conducted?

A: On any scheduled day from 02 May 2025 to 07 May

2025, the EB shall convene at the designated polling place
to test and seal the ACM assigned to its clustered precinct.
The members of the EB, DESO, and their respective Support
Staff shall be notified by the EO, in writing, of the date, time,
and place of the FTS, not later than three (3) days before the
schedule of the FTS.

Q: Until when can the FTS be conducted in case it cannot be

done during the prescribed schedule?

A: The Comelec has the option to conduct the same on any

day from 08 May 2025 until the Election Day.

If the reason of the failure is due

to security concerns and/or other
practical concerns, the EO may order
the conduct of the FTS in the nearest
voting centers, subject to the approval
of the concerned PES, or the RED in the
case of the National Capital Region,
Zamboanga City, and Davao City.

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 FINAL TESTING
AND SEALING

PROCEDURE ON THE DAY OF THE FTS

The duly designated member of the

EB shall obtain from the Office of the
Election Officer, the forms, documents,
and supplies early in the morning of the
day scheduled for the FTS of the ACM,
unless the City/Municipal EO provides
and earlier period.

Rate of Distribution
CEF No. Description Per Clustered
Precinct
Election Forms
A6-FTS FTS Ballots 10 pieces □
A9-TS Election Returns for Testing
and Sealing
1 set of 4
pages □
Minutes of Final Testing
A11 and Sealing of ACM, Voting,
Counting, and Transmission
1 set of 2
copies □
of Votes
A12 Paper Seal 1 piece □
Envelope for Voting and Counting
For Counted FTS Ballots, FTS
A17-FTS Election Returns, and Other 1 piece □
Reports
NLE Supplies
FTS Ballot Secrecy Folder 12 pieces □
Indelible Ink 4 pieces □
Ballpen for EB 3 pieces □
Thumbprint/Fingerprint Taker 1 piece □
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 FINAL TESTING
AND SEALING

PRELIMINARIES
The EB shall observe the following steps in the final testing
and sealing of the ACM.
1 2 2
1
EXPLAIN to those who are RETRIEVE the ACM from
present the purpose of the its box. OPEN the ACM
FTS and the procedures to hardcase and VERIFY the
be performed. contents found inside the
ACM hardcase against the
items indicated on the
checklist.

3 4
5 POSITION the ballot box in an
Properly PLACE the ACM area that is accessible to voters
on top of the ballot box. during voting. ATTACH the
voter receipt receptacle to the
ballot box.
6

5
SHOW to the public that the left compartment at the
back of the ACM, where the main and backup USB
devices are individually stored, is sealed.
This compartment must remain sealed throughout
the entire FTS procedure.

20
 FINAL TESTING
AND SEALING

6
LIFT up the ACM monitor
towards you until the screen
display is viewable.

CONNECT the ACM lithium battery (22.4 V LiFePO4-7S1P)

to the ACM by performing the following procedures:

a. Retrieve the DC lithium

battery and ACM cables.
b. Connect the ACM cable to
the AC power adapter and
plug the other end into
the electrical outlet.
c. Connect the cable of
the AC power adapter
connector (red) to the
input DC power port of the
DC lithium battery.
d. From the battery, remove
the cover of the male
coaxial connector and
connect to the DC female
coaxial cable connector.
e. Plug the other end into
the ACM power port and
then switch on the lithium
battery.

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 FINAL TESTING
AND SEALING

8
PRESS the power-on button of the ACM which Is located
beside where the power adaptor plug and wait for
the ACM to initialize. The COMELEC logo will appear,
followed by a loading message “ACM is starting...”. An
“ALERT” will then appear with the message “Two Main
USBs are connected. Do you want to continue?” with the
OK button. Press “OK”.

9
WAIT for the SYSTEM INFORMATION screen to be
displayed with a “PRINT DEVICE INFORMATION” button.

22
 FINAL TESTING
AND SEALING

10
INSTALL the thermal paper roll by performing the
following procedures:

a. Place the new thermal roll into the paper roll

compartment.
b. Open the printer compartment underneath the
ACM monitor by simultaneously pressing the left
and right red buttons to unlock the printer cover.
c. Life the lid cover upward to open the printer
compartment.
d. Pull out a portion of the thermal paper roll and
guide it into place on top of the sheet feeder.
Make sure that it is aligned properly with the
printed COMELEC logo of the thermal paper roll
is facing downwards.
e. Close the printer cover by pressing down until
you here a *click* sound. The ACM should
automatically adjust to the insertion of the
paper roll by feeding and cutting a few inches of
the paper.

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11
PRESS the “PRINT DEVICE INFORMATION” option
and check if the device information is visible on the
paper. You can view the System Information, Election
Information, and Precinct Information on the screen
by pressing on the right arrow located on the top left
corner of the screen, below the COMELEC logo.

12
PRESS on the right arrow until you reach the
ENROLLMENT screen. The message “INSERT THE
SMART CARD FOR OPERATION IN THE CARD SLOT” will
be displayed.

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13
INSERT the smartcard security key for the EB
Chairperson and enter the corresponding Role
PIN. The ACM will now display “The EB Chairperson
authentication was successful. REMOVE THE SMART
CARD”. REMOVE the EB Chairperson’s smartcard
security key and proceed with the authentication of
the other EB members.

14
INSERT the smartcard security key for the EB Poll
Clerk and enter the corresponding Role PIN. The ACM
will now display “The EB Poll Clerk authentication was
successful. REMOVE THE SMART CARD”. REMOVE the
EB Poll Clerk’s smartcard security key and proceed
with the authentication of the remaining EB Member.

15
INSERT the smartcard security key for the Third
Member and ENTER the corresponding Role PIN. The
ACM will now display “The EB Member authentication
was successful. REMOVE THE SMART CARD”. REMOVE
the EB Poll Clerk’s smartcard security key .

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After all three (3) EB members have completed the

authentication process, the ENROLLMENT screen
will be displayed with the instruction to “INSERT THE
SMART CARD TO REGISTER THE EB MEMBER’S NAME”.

REGISTRATION
16
Proceed with the registration of the EB members
by encoding their complete names, following these
procedures:
a. INSERT the smartcard security key of the EB
Chairperson. Wait until the message “READING
THE SMART CARD” is displayed.
b. Once the smartcard security key is detected, the
message “IF YOU HAVE A PNPKI CARD, REMOVE THE
OPERATION SMART CARD, AND INSERT THE PNPKI
SMART CARD. OTHERWISE, TYPE YOUR NAME AND
PRESS THE ‘ASSIGN’ BUTTON.” will be displayed.

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c. ENTER EB Chairperson’s complete name in capital

letters (example: JUANA B. DELA CRUZ) and PRESS
the ASSIGN button or use the PNPKI card to extract
the EB name stored in the PNPKI card.

d. If the EB Chairperson will use the PNPKI card,

REMOVE the operation smartcard security key and
INSERT the PNPKI card. Wait until “Reading smart
card” is displayed, then ENTER the PNPKI Digital
Signature password. REMOVE the smartcard
security key to display the extracted name on the
screen. EDIT the displayed name if necessary, and
then PRESS the ‘ASSIGN’ button.

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e. After pressing ‘ASSIGN’ button, the ACM will display

“EB Chairperson name registration successful. REMOVE
THE SMART CARD”. REMOVE the smartcard security
key and proceed to the registration of the next EB
member’s name.

f. REPEAT the same procedures described from (a)

to (e) to register the remaining EB members.

After completing the registration of the EB members’

names, the MAIN MENU will now be displayed.
On the MAIN MENU screen, the ACM will display the
following information:
Upper portion, from left to right:
• The COMELEC logo, “Republic of the Philippines”,
“Commission on Elections”;
• The title and date of the election;
• Precinct information containing the city/
municipality/province, barangay/voting center;
and
• The clustered precinct ID number;
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Lower portion, from left to right:

• The date and time;
• The status of the ACM, which should show as “NOT
INITIALIZED” during FTS;
• The transmission status icon;
• Connectivity status displayed with an exclamation
point during FTS;
• The actual number of registered voters for the
clustered precinct; and
• The number of ballots scanned, which should be
zero (0) at the start of the FTS.

17
CHECK the date and time displayed if they are correct
and aligned with the present date and time.

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If the date and/or time is incorrect, perform the

following procedures:
a. TAP the UTILITES menu option and SELECT
CHANGE DATE AND TIME. The message “INSERT
THE SMART CARD FOR OPERATION IN THE CARD
SLOT” will display.

b. At least two (2) required EB members which

shall include the Chairperson, must INSERT their
operation cards and enter their Role PINs for
authentication to allow the change of date and
time.
c. After authenticating the EB Chairperson and at
least one of the EB members, the current date and
time will be displayed.
d. TAP the displayed DATE or TIME to correct them
and then press the CANCEL option to revoke the
action or OK to reflect the changes made.

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e. PRESS OK button to return to the UTILITIES sub-menu.

f. PRESS X mark in the top left corner of the screen to

return to the MAIN MENU.

ACM DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES

18
The certified IT-capable EB member shall perform the
following ACM DIAGNOSTIC procedures:
a. From the MAIN MENU, SELECT “DIAGNOSTICS” option;

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b. The ACM will display the “DIAGNOSTICS” menu. TAP

the “RUN ALL” option; and

TOUCH SCREEN DIAGNOSTIC

After choosing “RUN ALL”, the ACM will initially test

the TOUCHSCREEN COMPONENT displaying the cells
in horizontal, vertical, and diagonal direction.

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• TOUCH each cell by running your finger in a line

on the 4 corners of the screen and in a X path
before the time (30 seconds) runs out. If the set
time out is reached without touching all the cells,
the ACM will automatically record the Touchscreen
diagnostic test as “FAILED”.
• All cells that have been touched will change their
color which indicates that the regions on the
screen are functioning properly.

AUDIO DIAGNOSTIC

The ACM will automatically proceed to the next

component, the AUDIO DIAGNOSTIC for speaker and
headphone tests.
• To test the ACM speaker: The ACM will automatically
play the sounds on the ACM and simultaneously
display “Did you hear the sounds?” with volume
adjustment and “NO” and “YES” buttons.
• PRESS “YES” if you heard the sounds. “NO” if you
did not.

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• After checking the speaker, the ACM will proceed to

test the audio of the headphone.
• If the headphone is not connected, the ACM will
display the message “PLUG THE HEADPHONE TO
THE HEADPHONE JACK OF THE ACM”, CONNECT the
headset to the audio port to continue the test or
press the X mark on the upper left portion of the
screen to record the test as “SKIPPED” or press “NO”
button to record the audio test as “FAILED”.

• If the headphone is connected, the ACM will

automatically play the sounds and display the
question “Did you hear the sounds?” with volume
adjustment and “NO” and “YES” buttons.
• PRESS “YES” if you heard the sounds. “NO” if you did not.

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NETWORK DIAGNOSTICS

Now, the ACM will perform the NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC

test for the ethernet. For purposes of FTS, there will be
no connectivity test to be performed.
• PRESS the “X” on the upper left part of the screen to
mark the diagnostic as “SKIPPED” for both ethernet
and modem.

USB PORTS DIAGNOSTIC

The ACM will now proceed to the USB PORTS

DIAGNOSTIC and the screen will display the following:
• The Mounted USB count (there should be 2);
• A panel which contains the following:
1. The port number where the USB is connected,
from ports 1 to 4;
2. The status of the USB if detected or mounted;
3. The properties of the connected USB (storage
capacity).

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• A question “IS THE NUMBER OF MOUNTED USB

DEVICES CORRECT?” will be displayed, with “NO”
and “YES” buttons.

NOTE: You may use the External Keypad or the

USB modem to test the functionality of the Port 3
and Port 4 to complete the testing of all four (4)
USB ports. Do not forget to remove the connected
device in the USB ports.

• PRESS “YES” to continue the process.

PRINTER DIAGNOSTIC

The ACM will automatically proceed to the PRINTER

DIAGNOSTIC.

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• At this point, the ACM will display the Print

Count with the image to be printed (QR code
with sample text);

• PRESS “PRINT” button to print the image on the

thermal paper. Verify the printed image if the
same as the displayed image on the screen.
• The question “Is the sample image on the screen
printed correctly?” will be displayed, followed by
with “NO” and “YES” buttons.
• PRESS “YES” if it printed correctly, otherwise
press “NO”.
• KEEP the printed sample image for the CAMERA
DIAGNOSTIC.

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SCANNER DIAGNOSTIC

The ACM will now proceed to SCANNER DIAGNOSTIC

and display the following information:
1. Status;
2. Result;
3. Stamp ballot paper (checkbox should be clear);
4. Recognize ballot paper (checkbox should be ticked).
5. Instruction to “INSERT THE BALLOT” will also be
displayed at the bottom of the screen.

• INSERT one (1) FTS ballot.

• On the STATUS line, the ACM will display
“Scanning”, ”Recognizing the ballot”, and then
“Scanning Finished”.
• After which, the ACM will display corresponding
information of the ballot inserted.
• REMOVE the ballot from the ballot entry slot to
display the ballot images of the bottom and top
view of the scanned ballot. To view the ballot
image, tap the preferred side you want to zoom in.

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• The ACM likewise prompts the question

“Does the displayed ballot image match the
inserted ballot?”, with “NO” and “YES” buttons.
• PRESS the ”NO” or “YES” button to continue
with the test.

SMARTCARD DIAGNOSTIC

The ACM will now automatically proceed to the

SMARTCARD DIAGNOSTIC test displaying the required
number of smartcard security keys to test.

• The message “INSERT OPERATION CARD IN THE

CARD SLOT (0/4)” is displayed. INSERT the smartcard
security key of any of the EB members.
• On the CARD STATUS, the ACM will display
message “Successfully read data”, and at the same
time, information of the inserted card will display
on the panel (Tested Card, Card CP ID, Card role,
Card error reason).
• REMOVE the inserted card and then repeat the
process until all the required smartcard security
keys are tested.
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• The ACM will display the list of roles of EB

members whose smartcard security keys have
been tested on the “Tested Card” field.
• After testing all the smartcard security keys, the
question “Are all the smart cards tested?” will show
onscreen with “YES” option. PRESS “YES”.

CAMERA DIAGNOSTIC

The ACM shall now perform the CAMERA DIAGNOSTIC.

• If the square in the center of the screen appears to
be entirely in black, CHECK if the camera cover is
closed. If closed, OPEN the camera cover by sliding it
to the right.
• GET the printed sample image with the QR code that
was generated during the printer diagnostic.
• The message “PLACE THE PRINTED SAMPLE IMAGE IN
FRONT OF THE CAMERA” will be displayed.
• POSITION the printed sample image with the QR code
in front of the camera found below the smartcard
security key slot. The content of the QR code “2025
MAKABAGONG HALALAN PARA SA MAKABAGONG
PILIPINO” will be displayed in the QR code value. In
case of low light, turn on the camera light by sliding
the Camera LED option on the ACM screen to the right.
• The question “Does the camera read the QR code?” will
be displayed on screen.

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• PRESS the YES button to continue with the last

component test for the ACM.

KEYPAD DIAGNOSTIC

The ACM shall now proceed with the last component to

be tested, the KEYPAD DIAGNOSTIC.
• The message “CONNECT THE KEYPAD AND THEN
PRESS EACH OF THE SIX (6) BUTTONS” will be
displayed with “NO” and “YES” options.

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• CONNECT the External Keypad in the USB port

at the back of the ACM.
• PRESS all the available keys on the external
keypad. Check if the symbols displayed on screen
corresponds with the keys that were pressed.
• The message “Are the symbols on the keypad
displayed correctly when pressed?”, with “NO” and
“YES” options.
• After all keys are pressed and displayed on the
screen, the “YES” button will be enabled. PRESS
YES to continue.

PRINTING THE DIAGNOSTIC REPORT

The summary of the result per component will display

on the screen as well as the messages “GENERATING
THE DIAGNOSTIC REPORT.... PRINTING THE DIAGNOSTIC
REPORT” while simultaneously printing the report.

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19
SECURE the printed diagnostic report and place it inside
the envelope (A17- FTS) provided for the purpose.

20
After printing the Diagnostic Report and if some
tests were skipped or have failed results, the ACM
shall display the status per color:

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• GREEN: PASSED [SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE

TEST]
• RED: FAILED [UNSUCCESSFUL TEST]
• YELLOW: SKIPPED [BYPASS THE TEST]

NOTE: You can reprint a copy of the Diagnostic Report

by selecting the “PRINT DIAGNOSTIC REPORT” button.
Additionally, you can retry testing any failed or skipped
component by clicking the button corresponding the
component’s name.

CLICK the X button in the top left part of the screen

to return to the MAIN MENU.

21
To start the voting process, the EB shall open the
election:
a. TAP the OPEN VOTING button to display “INSERT THE
SMART CARD FOR OPERATION IN THE CARD SLOT”.

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b. INSERT the smartcard security key for operation

of the Chairperson which will then display the
message “THE CARD INSERTED IS FOR THE EB
CHAIRPERSON. ENTER THE PIN”. Enter the PIN of the
EB Chairperson.

c. After successful authentication, the message “The

EB Chairperson authentication was successful”..
“REMOVE THE SMART CARD”, REMOVE the EB
Chairperson’s smartcard security key .
d. INSERT the smartcard security key of either the
EB Poll Clerk of the EB Member, which will then
display the message “THE CARD INSERTED IS FOR
THE <EB Position>. ENTER THE PIN”. ENTER the Role
PIN corresponding to the smartcard security key
that was used. REMOVE the smartcard security key
to proceed with the printing of the Initialization
Report.
e. The messages “Generating the Initialization Report...
Printing the Initialization Report...” will appear on
the screen while simultaneously printing the
Initialization Report. The report should show
Zero (0) vote for each candidate including the
geographic information (Machine ID, Serial Number,
Configuration, City/Municipality, Barangay, Voting

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Center, Clustered Precinct ID, Precincts in a Cluster,

Number of Registered Voters, Number of Ballots
Counted) ACM Province,

22
After printing the Initialization Report, the Chairperson,
EB Poll Clerk, and EB Member, and three (3) watchers
from the representatives of the political parties,
candidates, or citizens’ arms present, shall affix their
signatures on the report. Place the Initialization Report
in the envelope (A17-TS) provided for the purpose.

The ACM is now ready to accept ballots. During this time,

the ACM screen will display the header “VOTING SCREEN”
with the instruction to “PLEASE INSERT THE BALLOT”.

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FTS VOTING
Once the ACM is ready to accept ballots, the EB Members shall
23

Randomly CHOOSE ten (10)

persons from among those
present who will accomplish
the FTS ballots. If there are less
than ten (10) persons present,
any of them may accomplish
more than one (1) ballot to
complete the ten (10) ballots.

24
The Chairperson shall GIVE each of the FTS voter a ballot(s)
inside the ballot secrecy folder and a marking pen.
Using the marking pen, they
shall accomplish the ballot
by fully shading the circle
opposite the names of the
candidates, including that
of the party, organization,
or coalition participating
in the party-list system of
representation. Thereafter, the FTS voter shall return
the accomplished ballot inside the ballot secrecy folder
and the marking pen to the Chairperson.

For the voters in BARMM, two (2) ballots shall be used

during the FTS: one containing the NLE candidates,
and the other containing the names of candidates for
members of the Bangsamoro Parliament.

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25
The Chairperson shall:
a. EXAMINE the accomplished ballot and determine
whether the circle opposite the names of the
candidates/political parties participating in the
party-list system have been fully shaded; and the
security features (timing marks, barcodes, and QR
codes) have not been damaged;
b. RETURN the accomplished ballot inside the ballot
secrecy folder and give the same to the voter who
shall personally feed the accomplished ballot
into the ACM.

Once the ballot is inserted, the ACM will display

the following in sequence: “Scanning the ballot”...
“Verifying the ballot” ... “Saving vote result”...
“Depositing the ballot in the ballot box”...”Generating
the Vote Receipt”... “Printing the Vote Receipt”. A vote
receipt will be printed by the ACM.

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The front page of scanned ballot image will be displayed

for 15 seconds, while the back page will be viewable for
5 seconds. During this time, the voter may zoom in on
the scanned image using the touchscreen by:

• Scroll up to view the lower portion of the ballot.

• Tap on the “RIGHT ARROW” button to display the back
face of the ballot.
• Tap on the “RIGHT ARROW” button to exit. The voting
screen will be displayed automatically after the
lapse of the timer.

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c. INSTRUCT the person to verify the votes as

appearing on the VVPAT and place the same in the
VVPAT receptacle.

The Chairperson should REPEAT the same procedures

from “a” to “c” until all the ten (10) FTS ballots are fed.

CLOSE VOTING
26
After all the FTS voters have cast their votes, perform
the CLOSE VOTING procedure on the ACM:
a. While on the VOTING SCREEN, INSERT the smartcard
security key of any of the EB members to access the
MAIN MENU. Select the “CLOSE VOTING” option.

b. The process will require authentication of three (3)

EB members.
c. INSERT the smartcard security key of the EB
Chairperson which will then display the message
“The card inserted is for the EB Chairperson. ENTER
THE PIN.” ENTER the Role PIN for the EB Chairperson.

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d. A status message reading: “The EB Chairperson

authentication was successful”. “REMOVE THE
SMART CARD” will be displayed after successful
authentication. REMOVE the smartcard security key.
e. INSERT the smartcard security key of either the EB
Poll Clerk which will then display the message “THE
CARD INSERTED IS FOR THE <EB POSITION>. ENTER
THE PIN”. ENTER the Role PIN for the EB Poll Clerk
or Member, depending on which card was used.
f. A status message reading: “The EB Poll Clerk
authentication was successful. REMOVE THE
SMART CARD” will be displayed after successful
authentication. REMOVE the smartcard security key.
g. INSERT the smartcard of the EB Member which will
then display the message “The card inserted is for
the EB Member. ENTER THE PIN.” Enter the Role PIN
for the EB Member.
h. A status message reading: “The EB Member
authentication was successful. uccessful
authentication. REMOVE the smartcard security key.
i. The ACM will ask to “SELECT THE EB ROLE TO
DIGITALLY SIGN THE ELECTION RESULTS”. TAP on the
“EB CHAIRPERSON” first.

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j. The instruction “INSERT THE SMART CARD WITH THE

PNPKI DIGITAL SIGNATURE IF AVAILABLE, OTHERWISE,
INSERT THE OPERATION SMART CARD” will be displayed.

k. INPUT the Role PIN of the EB Chairperson and then

remove the card if the Role PIN is accepted.
l. REPEAT STEPS (i), (j), and (k) for the EB Poll Clerk
and EB Member until all three (3) EB members have
digitally signed the election returns.

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27
The ACM will proceed with the generation of Election Returns.
a. The messages “Tabulating result...” and then ”Generating
the Election Returns for National Positions...” with loading
progress status starting from 0% will be displayed.

b. The ACM will then print nine (9) copies of Election

Returns for National Positions while the message
“Printing the Election Returns National 1 of 30” is
displayed on screen. Wait for all nine (9) copies to be
printed completely and PLACE them in the envelope
provided for the purpose.
c. After the nine copies of the National ERs, the
message “Generating the Election Returns for Local
Positions...”with loading progress status starting from
0% will be displayed.

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d. The ACM will proceed to print nine (9) copies of

Election Returns for Local Positions will start while
the message “Printing the Election Returns Local 1 of
30” is displayed.
e. PLACE the nine (9) copies of the Local ERs in the
envelope provided for the purpose.

28
Once printing is completed, the message “Generating
Data for CCS Import” will be displayed, followed by the
TRANSMISSION menu.

The ACM will display message “Do you want to

transmit?”. SELECT “SKIP TRANSMISSION”.

NOTE: For purposes of FTS, no transmission of election

results will be performed.

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29

The ACM will go back to the CLOSE VOTING screen and

display “Generating the Election Returns for National
Positions” with 0% loading progress. TAP on “STOP
PRINTING” button. The ACM will completely print one
(1) copy of the ER before it can stop printing.

NOTE: For the purpose of FTS, there will be NO

printing of additional 21 copies of ERs. TAP on the
“STOP PRINTING” button to cancel the printing of
the ER.

REPEAT this step and stop the printing of the Election

Returns for Local Positions.

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31
After skipping the printing of the twenty-one (21) copies
of the National returns and twenty- one (21) copies of
the Local returns, the ACM will automatically generate
and print the STATISTICAL REPORT.

After printing the Statistical Report, the ACM will

automatically return to the MAIN MENU.

BALLOT REVIEW
32
Perform the BALLOT REVIEW by selecting the
button displayed on the MAIN MENU.

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a. The ballot image with only the voted candidates will

be displayed, together with the Total Ballot Count
and Current Ballot Count. The Total Ballot Count is
the same as the number of Ballots Scanned.

b. SCROLL up/down to view all the candidates per

position.
c. TAP on the “RIGHT ARROW >” button to display the
other ballot images.
d. TAP on the “X” icon on the top left corner of the
screen to exit the page, which will be redirected to
the MAIN MENU.

MANUAL VERIFICATION OF RESULTS

Before performing the Re-zero process, the EB shall conduct

the manual verification of results.

The EB shall retrieve the accomplished ballots from the

ballot box, manually count the votes therein, and accomplish
the manual ERs provided for the purpose. The following rules
shall be observed in the counting of votes:

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33
The Chairperson shall VERIFY the
ballots to determine whether there
is over-voting (when the number of
votes for a position exceeded the
number of ballots). If there is an over-
vote in a position, no vote shall be
counted in favor of any candidate for
the said position.

34
The Chairperson shall TAKE the
ballots one by one, and READ
the names of the candidates
voted for and the position for
which they were voted to, in
the order in which they appear
thereon.

35
The Poll Clerk shall RECORD the
vote on the manual ER as the
names voted for each position are
read. Each vote shall be recorded
by a vertical line, except every fifth
(5th ) vote which shall be recorded
by a diagonal line crossing the
previous four (4) vertical lines.

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36
After finishing the ten (10) ballots, the Poll Clerk shall
DETERMINE the total number of votes obtained by
each candidate.

37
The EB shall SIGN the certification portion of the ERs
generated by the ACM, and manually prepared ERs; and

38
The EB shall COMPARE the
results derived from the ERs
generated by the ACM, and
the manually prepared ERs.

If the results are the same,

PERFORM the re-zero
procedure, and shut down
the ACM.

If the results are NOT the same, the EB shall re- appreciate
the ballots and review the VVPAT to determine the
discrepancy. If there is still a discrepancy, the EB shall call on
the assigned DESTO Technical Support Staff for technical
assistance. The DESO Technical Support Staff shall report
such incident to the NTSC and the EO concerned.

Once the discrepancy is resolved, perform the re-zero

procedure, and shut down the ACM.

IN NO CASE SHALL THERE BE TRANSMISSION OF VOTES

DURING THE FTS.

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RE-ZERO PROCEDURE
39
The EB Chairperson will then perform Re-Zero process.
From the MAIN MENU, TAP on the “UTILITIES” option
then choose “RE-ZERO”.

a. On the ZERO-OUT screen, the system will ask to

“INSERT THE SMART CARD FOR OPERATION IN THE
CARD SLOT” to authenticate the process.

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b. INSERT the EB Chairperson’s smartcard security key

and enter the Role PIN. REMOVE the EB Chairperson’s
smartcard security key after authentication is
successful.
c. The screen will display instructions to “INSERT THE
ZERO-OUT SMART CARD IN THE CARD SLOT”. INSERT
the Zero-Out smartcard security key and enter
the corresponding Role PIN. REMOVE the card as
instructed.
d. The “Processing Zero-out” status message will be
displayed, followed by “Generating the Zero- Out
Report”.
e. The ACM will print the Zero-Out Report while the
screen displays “Printing the Zero-Out Report.”

f. Once the Zero-Out procedure is completed, the ACM

will automatically shut down.

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40
PLACE all the FTS ballots, vote receipts, election returns,
and all other reports generated by the ACM in the
envelope provided for the purpose.

DISPOSITION OF FTS FORMS/SUPPLIES

After the FTS, the EB shall:

PLACE the ACM in its case

and seal it with a plastic
security seal.

Thereafter, RETURN the ACM case inside its box and

secure it with paper seal.

LEAVE the ACM case, ballot box, VVPAT receptacle, and

external battery inside the polling place or any secured
room in the voting center.

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SUBMIT to the EO the Envelope for Counted FTS Ballots,

FTS Election Returns, and Other Reports (CEF No. 17-
FTS) containing the following and seal the same with a
paper seal (CEF No. A-12):
1. Diagnostic Report;
2. Initialization Report;
3. Nine (9) copies of National
and Local returns;
4. Manual ER;
5. Counted Ballots; and
6. VVPAT.

MINUTES OF FINAL TESTING AND SEALING

The EB shall record in the

Minutes (CEF No. A11) all the
acts or data required to be
entered under this Resolution
as soon as they occur or
become available.

After the FTS, the ACM shall not be opened earlier than
four o’clock in the morning (4:00 AM) on 12 May 2025.

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PROPER

ELECT ION DAY

PROPE R

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PROPER

ELECTION DAY PROPER

The 2025 National and Local Elections, and BARMM

Parliamentary Elections shall be held on May 12, 2025.

Q: There are two (2) voting hours that will implemented for
the 2025 NLE. What are they?

A: 1. Early Voting Hours–from

five o’clock in the morning
(5:00 AM) to seven
o’clock in the morning
(7:00 AM), which shall be
devoted exclusively for
persons with disability,
senior citizens, including
their assistors, if any, and
pregnant voters. The
assistors may also be
allowed to vote during
this time, provided that
they are registered voters
of the same polling place.
2. Regular Voting Hours
– from seven o’clock in
the morning (7:00 AM)
to seven o’clock in the
evening (7:00 PM).

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

After the early voting hours, persons

with disability, senior citizens (SCs), and
pregnant voters shall continue to enjoy
the PRIORITY LANE at the polling
places from seven o’ clock in the
morning (7:00 AM) to seven o’ clock in
the evening (7:00 PM) on election day.
Persons with disability, senior citizens, and pregnant voters
may opt to vote in the PRIORITY POLLING PLACE if established
in their voting center, from five o’ clock in the morning (5:00
AM) to five o’ clock in the afternoon (5:00 PM).

Q: What should the EB do if there are still people in line to

vote at the polling place by seven (7) o’clock in the evening?
A: The EB shall still allow voters who have yet to cast their
votes but are within the thirty (30)-meter radius in front of
the polling place by seven (7) o’clock in the evening (7:00 PM)
to vote.
In such instance, the POLL CLERK shall:
1. Promptly prepare a complete
list in duplicate containing the
names of said voters numbered
consecutively.
2. The voters so listed shall be
called to vote by the Poll Clerk
by announcing the voter’s name
near the door of the polling place
three (3) times, in a tone loud
enough to be heard throughout
the polling place.
Any voter in the list who is not present or does not respond
when called shall no longer be allowed to vote.
The said list shall be attached to the Minutes.
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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

FORMS, DOCUMENTS, AND SUPPLIES

The duly designated member of the EB shall obtain the forms,

documents, and supplies early in the morning of Election
Day from the City/Municipal Treasurer and Election Officer
early in the morning of Election Day, unless an earlier date is
authorized by the COMELEC.

Q: What is the responsibility of the duly designated EB member

in obtaining the necessary supplies, forms, and documents
from the City/Municipal Treasurer and the EO?

A: He/she shall:
1. Carefully CHECK the CORRECTNESS and QUANTITY of the
received forms, documents, and supplies;
2. SIGN the Certificate of Receipt (CEF No. A14) in three (3) copies;
3. DISTRIBUTE the Certificate of Receipt as follows:
a. Original – to the City/
Municipal Treasurer
who shall transmit
the same to the EO
for submission to the
Election Records and
Statistics Department
(ERSD);
b. 2nd copy – to the City/
Municipal Treasurer
for his/her file;
c. 3rd copy – retained
by the EB for his/her
own file.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

SUPPLIES AND FORMS CHECKLIST

FROM THE CITY/MUNICIPAL TREASURER

RATE OF
CEF DISTRIBUTION
DESCRIPTION
No. PER CLUSTERED
PRECINCT

ELECTION FORMS

A3
Poster Indicating Precincts
Numbers
1 piece □
A6 Official Ballots
1 piece per
voter □
A12 Paper Seal 48 pieces □
A13 Certificate of Votes 20 pieces □
Certificate of Receipt of
A14
Official Ballots, Other Forms,
and Supplies by the Electoral
3 pieces □
Board

A27
Official Receipt of Election
Returns
10 pieces □
ENVELOPES FOR VOTING AND COUNTING
For Rejected Ballots, Half of
A16
Torn Unused Official Ballots,
and Other Half of Torn
3 pieces □
Unused Official Ballots
A17 For Election Returns 30 pieces □
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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

OTHER ENVELOPES

A18-B Form Main Storage Device 1 piece □

A18-C Initialization Report, Audit
to
A18-E
Log, Precinct Statistical and
VVPAT Audit Reports
3 pieces □
OTHER FORMS
Temporary Appointment of
A30/
A31
Chairperson/Poll Clerk/Third
Member/Support Staff
10 pieces □
Certificate of Challenge or
A35 Protest and Decision of the
Electoral Board
10 pieces □
A39
Oath of Voter Challenge for
Illegal Acts
10 pieces □
A40
Oath of Identification of
Challenged Voter
10 pieces □
SUPPLIES

Multi Copy Paper (Long) 20 pieces □

Ballot Secrecy Folder 12 pieces □
Thumbprint/Fingerprint
Taker
1 piece □
Plastic Security Seal for the
Ballot Box
5 pieces □
Indelible Stain Ink 4 bottles □
Ballpen 3 pieces □
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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

FROM THE ELECTION OFFICER

RATE OF
CEF
DESCRIPTION DISTRIBUTION PER
No.
CLUSTERED PREC

ELECTION FORMS

1 copy
Precinct Computerized Voters
List (PCVL) duly certified by
the ERB
(For posting
outside the □
polling place.)

Election Day Computerized

Voters List (EDCVL) duly
certified by the ERB
1 copy □
A5 Copies of Appointment and
and
A5a
Oath of Office of the EB and
Support Staff
□
FORMS TO BE REPRODUCED WHEN NEEDED

ELECTION FORMS

A30
Appointment of Chairperson/Poll Clerk/
Member □
A35
Certificate of Challenge or Protest and
Decision of the EB □
A39 Oath of Voter Challenged for Illegal Acts □
A40 Oath to Identify a Challenged Voter □
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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

ELECTION DAY PROCEDURES FOR VOTING, COUNTING OF

VOTES, AND TRANSMISSION OF PRECINCT RESULTS

PRELIMINARIES TO VOTING

After the designated EB member

has obtained the necessary forms,
documents, and supplies for
Election Day from the Municipal/
City Treasurer and Election Officer
early in the morning of Election Day
(turn to page 93 for the procedures),
the EB members shall:

Meet at the polling place

prior to the opening of polls on
May 12, 2025.

2
Ensure that the ACM box and the ballot box are
inside the polling place.

3
Set up the polling place.
Strategically arrange the
chairs and tables to be used
inside the polling place in
such a way that they are at
least one (1) meter apart
from each other.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

4
As far as practicable, the
EB shall designate at least
five (5) seats exclusively for
persons with disability, senior
citizens, and pregnant voters.

5
Post one (1) copy of the
PCVL of each precinct in
the cluster, near or at the
door of the polling place,
with the pages/sheets
spread out to give free
access to voters who are
checking their names in
the list.

6
Show to the watchers and the public present that the:
• ACM box is sealed;
• Ballot box is empty and thereafter, lock the same
with plastic security seals; and
• Package of official ballots is duly sealed, and
thereafter, break the seal.

For precinct/clustered precinct with PDL Voters and

special polling places, see VSO’s Sensitivity Module.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

7
BREAK the paper seal of the ACM box:
OPEN the ACM case and check if the following are
deposited inside:
o The ACM;

o Power cord with adaptor of the ACM

and battery cable;

o Remaining rolls of thermal paper;

o The three (3) Personal Identification

Numbers (PINs) for operating the
ACM, the three (3) smartcard security
keys, and one (1) PIN for re- zeroing;
o The checklist of the contents of
the ACM box;

o USB modem with SIM card and one

(1) contingency SIM card;

o Cleaning sheet;

o Marking Pens; and

o One (1) paper seal for ACM

box (A12-B) to be used at
the end of Election Day to
close the ACM box.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

8
RETRIEVE the smartcard security keys and security
PINs from the ACM case and to the EB members.

The RE-ZERO PIN shall remain inside the ACM case.

9
BRING OUT the ACM and show to the public that the
compartment containing the main and back-up devices
is sealed.

10
POSITION the ballot box in an area that is accessible
to voters during voting.
ATTACH the voter receipt receptacle to the ballot box.

11 12
Properly PLACE the ACM LIFT UP the ACM monitor
on top of the ballot box. towards you until the
screen display is viewable.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

13

CONNECT the ACM lithium battery (22.4 V LiFePO4-7S1P)

to the ACM by performing the following procedures:

a. Retrieve the DC lithium battery

and ACM cables.
b. Connect the ACM cable to the
AC power adapter and plug the
other end into the electrical
outlet.
c. Connect the cable of the AC
power adapter connector (red)
to the input DC power port of
the DC lithium battery.
d. From the battery, remove the
cover of the male coaxial
connector and connect to
the DC female coaxial cable
connector.
e. PLUG the other end into the
ACM power port and then
switch on the lithium battery.

ACM OPERATIONS ON ELECTION DAY

After plugging in the ACM to the electrical outlet and

connecting the lithium battery, the EB should initialize the
machine to open it for voting.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

14
PRESS the power-on button
of the ACM and wait for it
to initialize. The COMELEC
logo will appear, followed by
a loading message “ACM is
starting...”. An “ALERT” will then
appear with the message “Two
Main USBs are connected. Do you
want to continue?” with the OK
button. Press “OK”.

15
Wait for the SYSTEM INFORMATION screen to be
displayed with a “PRINT DEVICE INFORMATION” button.
PRESS the “PRINT DEVICE INFORMATION” option
and check if the device information is visible on the
paper. You can view the System Information, Election
Information, and Precinct Information on the screen
by pressing on the right arrow located on the top left
corner of the screen, below the COMELEC logo.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

16

INSTALL the thermal

paper roll by performing
the following procedures:

a. Place the new thermal roll into the paper roll

compartment.
b. Open the printer compartment underneath the
ACM monitor by simultaneously pressing the left
and right red buttons to unlock the printer cover.
c. Life the lid cover upward to open the printer
compartment.
d. Pull out a portion of the thermal paper roll and
guide it into place on top of the sheet feeder.
Make sure that it is aligned properly with the
printed COMELEC logo of the thermal paper roll
is facing downwards.
e. Close the printer cover by pressing down until
you here a *click* sound. The ACM should
automatically adjust to the insertion of the
paper roll by feeding and cutting a few inches
of the paper.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

17
PRESS the “PRINT DEVICE INFORMATION” option and
check if the device information is visible on the paper. You
can view the System Information, Election Information,
and Precinct Information on the screen by pressing on
the right arrow located on the top left corner of the
screen, below the COMELEC logo.

18
PRESS on the right arrow until you reach the
ENROLLMENT screen. The message “INSERT THE
SMART CARD FOR OPERATION IN THE CARD SLOT” will
be displayed.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

19
INSERT the smartcard security key for the EB Chairperson
and enter the corresponding Role PIN. The ACM will
now display “The EB Chairperson authentication was
successful. REMOVE THE SMART CARD”. REMOVE the EB
Chairperson’s smartcard security key and proceed with
the authentication of the other EB members.

20
INSERT the smartcard security key for the EB Poll
Clerk and enter the corresponding Role PIN. The ACM
will now display “The EB Poll Clerk authentication was
successful. REMOVE THE SMART CARD”. REMOVE the EB
Poll Clerk’s smartcard security key and proceed with
the authentication of the remaining EB Member.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

21
INSERT the smart card security key for the Third
Member and ENTER the corresponding Role PIN. The
ACM will now display “The EB Member authentication
was successful. REMOVE THE SMART CARD”. REMOVE
the EB Poll Clerk’s smartcard security key.
After all three (3) EB members have completed the
authentication process, the ENROLLMENT screen
will be displayed with the instruction to “INSERT THE
SMART CARD TO REGISTER THE EB MEMBER’S NAME”.

22
REGISTRATION
Proceed with the registration of the EB members by encoding
their complete names, following these procedures:
a. INSERT the smartcard security key of the EB
Chairperson. Wait until the message “READING THE
SMART CARD” is displayed.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

b. Once the smartcard security key is detected, the

message “IF YOU HAVE A PNPKI CARD, REMOVE THE
OPERATION SMART CARD, AND INSERT THE PNPKI
SMART CARD. OTHERWISE, TYPE YOUR NAME AND
PRESS THE ‘ASSIGN’ BUTTON.” will be displayed.

c. ENTER EB Chairperson’s complete name in capital

letters (example: JUANA B. DELA CRUZ) and PRESS
the ASSIGN button. Or use the PNPKI card to extract
the EB name stored in the PNPKI card.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

d. If the EB Chairperson will use the PNPKI card, REMOVE

the operation smart card and INSERT the PNPKI card.
Wait until “Reading smart card” is displayed, then enter
the PNPKI Digital Signature password. REMOVE the
smartcard security key to display the extracted name
on the screen. EDIT the displayed name if necessary,
and then PRESS the ‘ASSIGN’ button.

e. After pressing ‘ASSIGN’ button, the ACM will display

“EB Chairperson name registration successful. REMOVE
THE SMART CARD”. REMOVE the smartcard security
key and proceed to the registration of the next EB
member’s name.

f. REPEAT the same procedures described from (a) to

(e) to register the remaining EB members.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

After completing the registration of the EB members’

names, the MAIN MENU will now be displayed.
On the MAIN MENU screen, the ACM will display the
following information:
Upper portion, from left to right:
• The COMELEC logo, “Republic of the Philippines”,
“Commission on Elections”;
• The title and date of the election;
• Precinct information containing the city/
municipality/province, barangay/voting center; and
• The clustered precinct ID number; Lower portion,
from left to right:
• The date and time;
• The status of the ACM, which should show as “NOT
INITIALIZED” during FTS;
• The transmission status icon;
• Connectivity status displayed with an exclamation
point during FTS;
• The actual number of registered voters for the
clustered precinct; and
• The number of ballots scanned, which should be
zero (0) at the start of the FTS.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

23
CHECK the date and time displayed if they are correct
and aligned with the present date and time.
If the date and/or time is incorrect, perform the
following procedures:
a. TAP the UTILITES menu option and select the
CHANGE DATE AND TIME. The message “INSERT
THE SMART CARD FOR OPERATION IN THE CARD
SLOT” will display.

b. At least two (2) required EB members which shall

include the CHAIRPERSON, must INSERT their
operation cards and enter their Role PINs for
authentication to allow the change of date and
time.

c. After authenticating the EB Chairperson and at

least one of the EB members, the current date and
time will be displayed.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

d. TAP the displayed DATE or TIME to correct them and

then press the CANCEL option to revoke the action
or OK to reflect the changes made.

e. PRESS OK button to return to the UTILITIES sub-

menu.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

f. PRESS X mark in the top left corner of the screen to

return to the MAIN MENU.

OPEN VOTING
Once the date and time are correctly set, the EB shall now
perform the Open Voting Process.
24
To start the voting process, the EB shall open the election.
From the Main Menu:
a. TAP the OPEN VOTING button to display “INSERT THE
SMART CARD FOR OPERATION IN THE CARD SLOT”.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

b. INSERT the smart card security key for operation of

the Chairperson which will then display the message
“THE CARD INSERTED IS FOR THE EB CHAIRPERSON.
ENTER THE PIN”. ENTER the PIN of the EB Chairperson.

c. After successful authentication, the message “The EB

Chairperson authentication was successful”.. “REMOVE
THE SMART CARD”, REMOVE the EB Chairperson’s
smartcard security key.

d. INSERT the smartcard security key of either the EB

Poll Clerk of the EB Member, which will then display
the message “THE CARD INSERTED IS FOR THE <EB
Position>. ENTER THE PIN”. ENTER the Role PIN
corresponding to the smartcard security key that was
used. REMOVE the smartcard security key to proceed
with the printing of the Initialization Report.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

e. The messages “Generating the Initialization Report...

Printing the Initialization Report...” will appear on
the screen while simultaneously printing the
Initialization Report. THE REPORT SHOULD SHOW
ZERO (0) VOTE for each candidate including the
geographic information (Machine ID, Serial Number,
ACM Configuration, Province, City/Municipality,
Barangay, Voting Center, Clustered Precinct ID,
Precincts in a Cluster, Number of Registered Voters,
Number of Ballots Counted)

25
After printing the Initialization Report,the CHAIRPERSON,
EB POLL CLERK, AND EB MEMBER, AND THREE (3)
WATCHERS from the representatives of the political
parties, candidates, or citizens’ arms present, shall affix
their signatures on the report. PLACE the Initialization
Report in the envelope (A18) provided for the purpose.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

The ACM is now ready to accept ballots. During this time,

the ACM screen will display the header “VOTING SCREEN”
with the instruction to “PLEASE INSERT THE BALLOT”.

ACCOMODATING VOTERS IN THE POLLING PLACE

Once the ACM is ready to accept ballots, the EB members can

now start to accommodate voters inside the polling place to
cast their votes.

There should only be a maximum

of twenty (20) voters at any given
time, depending on the area of the
polling place, with seats reserved
for Senior Citizens, Persons with
Disabilities, and Pregnant voters.

Turn to page 17 for personalities who are not allowed inside

polling place.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

Whenever practicable, the EB, in

coordination with the DESO, may
designate an adjacent room –
with ample space and accessible
to wheelchair users, if available,
to be used as a holding area for
voters who are waiting for their
turn to vote.
The voters shall sit and arrange themselves on a first come, first
served basis, such that they will vote according to the sequence
of their arrival.

REMEMBER: Giving numbers to voters to determine their

sequence of voting is strictly prohibited.

VOTING PROCEDURE/MANNER OF OBTAINING BALLOTS

The following shall be the procedure when the voters present
themselves to vote:

26
When the voter whose turn it
is to vote approaches the EB
member, the POLL CLERK shall:

VERIFY if the name of the voter

is in the EDCVL to establish that
the voter is assigned in that
polling place.

If the voter’s name is not in the EDCVL, the voter shall be

directed to the VAD to check his/her assigned precinct.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

If the voter’s name is found, check, without touching

the voter, their fingernails for any indelible ink stain.

If STAINED, it shall be a conclusive

presumption that the voter already
cast his/her vote. As such, the voter
shall be directed to leave the polling
place after informing him/her the
reason thereof.

This fact, including the name and

the precinct of the voter, shall be
recorded by the Poll Clerk in the
Minutes.

If the fingernail is NOT STAINED, establish the identity

of the voter through the following:
i. Voter’s photograph or specimen signature in the
EDCVL. In case the identity of the voter cannot
be determined with certainty in the EDCVL, the
EB may require the voter to present any valid
identification document, EXCEPT barangay
certificate or community tax certificate; or
ii. In the absence of any of the above-mentioned proof
of identity, ANY MEMBER OF THE EB OR ANY
REGISTERED VOTER of the precinct/clustered
precinct may IDENTIFY THE VOTER UNDER OATH
(CEF No. A40), and such fact shall be reflected in
the Minutes.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

If satisfied with the voter’s

identity, DISTINCTLY ANNOUNCE
THE NAME OF THE VOTER in a
tone loud enough to be heard
throughout the polling place.

If the voter is not challenged

or having been challenged, the
question has been decided in
his/her favor, require the voter
to SIGN IN THE EDCVL. In case
of illiterate voters or persons with
disability who cannot sign, require
said voters to affix their thumb
marks in the EDCVL.

NOTE: In case there is a challenge against the identity of

the voter, turn to page 124, for the procedures.

Thereafter, DIRECT THE VOTER TO THE CHAIRPERSON

TO OBTAIN HIS/HER BALLOT.

NOTE: In case the identity of

the voter was not sufficiently
established under the foregoing
rules, or having been challenged,
and the question was decided
against him/her, the voter shall
be asked to leave the polling
place after informing him/her the
reason thereof. This fact, including
the name and the precinct of the
voter, shall be recorded by the
POLL CLERK in the Minutes.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

The CHAIRPERSON, in turn, shall:

1. AUTHENTICATE the ballot by affixing his/her
signature at the designated space at the front of
the ballot;
NOTE: Failure to authenticate the ballot shall not
invalidate it but shall constitute an election offense.

2. SHOW to the voter that

the ballot being given
is not torn or smudged,
and has not yet been
filled-out;
3. PLACE such ballot inside
the ballot secrecy folder;
4. GIVE the ballot secrecy
folder containing the
ballot and the marking
pen to the voter with
the instruction that the
ballot shall be kept
clean and free from
unnecessary markings
(i.e., smudge/stain from
thumbprint-taker, food
stains, and the like);

NOTE: Only one (1) ballot shall be issued to a single

voter by the Chairperson, except in the BARMM area
where each voter will receive two (2) ballots.

5. INSTRUCT the voter how to fill-out the ballot

properly; and
6. DIRECT the voter to fill-out the ballot in the
designated voting area.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

27
The CHAIRPERSON shall instruct the voter to:
1. Use a ballot secrecy folder and marking pen
provided by the COMELEC;
2. Accomplish the ballot by fully shading the circle
appearing before the names of their chosen
candidates and the organizations participating in
the party-list system of representation;
3. Feed the accomplished ballot in the ACM’s ballot
entry slot, then take the printed VVPAT;
For BARMM voters, they shall feed the two (2) ballots
one at a time in the ACM.
4. Deposit the VVPAT in the VVPAT receptacle; and
5. Return the ballot secrecy folder and the marking
pen to the EB third member.

28
After accomplishing the ballot, the VOTER shall feed it
to the ACM’s ballot entry slot.

Once the ballot is inserted the status massage: “Scanning

the ballot”...”Verifying the ballot”... “Saving vote result”...
“Depositing the ballot in the ballot box”... “Generating the
Vote Receipt”... “Printing the Vote Receipt” is displayed. A
vote receipt will be printed by the ACM.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

The voter shall take the printed VVPAT to check if the

result reflected therein corresponds to the votes he/
she made on the ballot. If there is no objection to the
results in the VVPAT, the VOTER shall deposit the same to
the VVPAT receptacle.

In case the ballot is rejected by the ACM, turn to page 127

for the procedure on rejected ballots.

If an objection is raised by the voter on the results reflected

on the VVPAT, turn to page 129 for the procedure.

29

The EB THIRD MEMBER shall position himself/herself

beside the ACM without being able to view the screen,
but near enough to be able to perform the following:
1. ENSURE that the ballot is successfully deposited, and
the VVPAT is printed and deposited by the voter in
the VVPAT receptacle;
2. COLLECT from the voter the ballot secrecy folder and
marking pen;

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

3. APPLY indelible ink to the

voter’s right forefinger nail
or any other nail if there is
no forefinger nail; and

4. ADVISE the voter to leave the polling place.

The entire process shall be repeated for every voter allowed
to vote in the polling place until the end of voting hours.

NOTE: The ballot box shall remain locked during the

voting. Should it become necessary to make room for
more ballots, turn to page 130 for the proper procedure.

CLOSE VOTING
After the voters have cast their ballots, the EB shall ensure
that the IP-SVR, PDL-SPP, and PPP ballots, been fed in the
ACM. The EB shall then close the voting by performing the
following procedure:

30
While on the VOTING SCREEN, insert the smartcard
of any of the EB members to access the MAIN MENU.
Select the “CLOSE VOTING” option.

The process will require authentication of the three (3)

EB members.

INSERT the smartcard security key of the EB Chairperson

which will then display the message “The card inserted
is for the EB Chairperson. ENTER THE PIN.”

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

ENTER the Role PIN for the EB Chairperson. A status

message reading: “The EB Chairperson authentication
was successful. “REMOVE THE SMARTCARD” will be
displayed after successful authentication.

REMOVE the smartcard security key.

INSERT the smartcard security key for operation of

the EB Poll Clerk which will then display the message
“THE CARD INSERTED IS FOR THE EB POLL CLERK.
ENTER THE PIN”.

ENTER the Role PIN for the EB Poll Clerk.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

A status message reading: “The EB Poll Clerk SMART

CARD” will be displayed after successful authentication.

REMOVE the smartcard security key.

INSERT the smartcard security key for operation of the

EB Member which will then display the message “THE
CARD INSERTED IS FOR THE EB POLL MEMBER. ENTER
THE PIN”.

ENTER the Role PIN for the EB Member.

A status message reading: “The EB Poll Clerk

authentication was successful. “REMOVE THE
SMARTCARD” will be displayed after successful
authentication.

REMOVE the smartcard security key.

The ACM will ask to “SELECT THE EB ROLE TO DIGITALLY

SIGN THE ELECTION RESULTS”. TAP on the “EB
CHAIRPERSON” first.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

The instruction “INSERT THE SMART CARD WITH THE

PNPKI DIGITAL SIGNATURE IF AVAILABLE. OTHERWISE
INSERT THE OPERATION SMART CARD” will be displayed.

INSERT the corresponding smartcard security key.

ENTER the Role Pin of the EB Chairperson and then

remove the card if the Role PIN is accepted.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

Repeat the steps for the EB Poll Clerk and EB member

until all three (3) EB members have digitally signed
the election returns.

INPUT the corresponding PIN/Password of the card

inserted and then REMOVE the card if the PIN/
Password is accepted.

31
The ACM will proceed with the generation of
election results.
a. The message “TABULATING RESULT..” and then
”GENERATING THE ELECTION RETURNS FOR
NATIONAL POSITIONS...” with percentage will be
displayed.

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 ELECTION DAY
PROPER

b. The printing of the nine (9) copies of Election

Returns for National Positions will start, while
the message “PRINTING THE ELECTION RETURNS
NATIONAL 1 OF 30” is displayed on the screen.

• Copy 1 - Copy for the City/Municipal Board of

Canvassers
• Copy 2 – Copy for the Commission
• Copy 3 – Copy for the PPCRV
• Copy 4 – Copy for the NAMFREL
• Copy 5 – Copy for the Dominant Majority Party
• Copy 6 – Copy for the Dominant Minority Party

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• Copy 7 – Copy for the Ballot Box

• Copy 8 – Copy for Posting
• Copy 9 – Copy for the Provincial Board of
Canvasser

c. After the nine copies of the National ERs, the

message “GENERATING THE ELECTION RETURNS FOR
LOCAL POSITIONS...” with loading progress status
starting from 0% percentage is displayed.

d. The ACM will proceed to print nine (9) copies

of Election Returns for Local Positions will start
while the message “PRINTING THE ELECTION
RETURNS LOCAL 1 OF 30” is displayed.

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PROPER

e. SECURE the election returns and place them in the

envelope provided for the purpose.

NOTE: The EB must post the printed Copy for Posting in

a conspicuous place inside the polling place.

TRANSMISSION OF RESULTS
32
Once the printing of the nine (9) election returns is
completed, the message, “GENERATING DATA FOR
CCS IMPORT” will be displayed, followed by the
TRANSMISSION menu.

a. The ACM will display message “DO YOU WANT TO

TRANSMIT?” INSERT the modem into any available
USB port on the back of the ACM, or connect it to the
Ethernet port if the allocated transmission device is
Starlink router. Wait for the connectivity status symbol

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PROPER

to be filled with black and display a “V” character

on top of the signal icon. This indicates that the
transmission device has successfully established a
connection.

b. TAP “START TRANSMISSION” button and then it will

proceed with the transmission of the following
servers: .
• MBOC: [City/Municipal CCS]

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• Central Server
• Citizen’s ARMM Server 1
• Citizen’s ARMM Server 2

• Dominant Majority Server

• Dominant Minority Server
• Media Server

c. After the transmission to different servers, the ACM

will display the summary results of the transmission.

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d. Immediately after the set time-out to display

the summary result, the ACM will generate
and print the Transmission Report indicating
the status of transmission and received per
destination server.

e. VERIFY the results if all servers have the Transmission

Status, “TRANSMITTED/[DATE AND TIME]” received
status “RECEIVED/[DATE AND TIME]”

NOTE: If the transmission is not successful, turn to

page 195 for the procedure on Re-transmission.

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PROPER

PRINTING OF THE REMAINING TWENTY-ONE (21) COPIES

OF ELECTION RETURNS AND STATISTICAL REPORT

33
The ACM will go back to the CLOSE VOTING screen and
display “Generating the Election Returns for National
Positions” with 0% loading progress.

The ACM will then print twenty-one (21) copies of

Election Returns for the National Positions while the
message, “Printing the Election Returns National 10 of
30” is displayed on screen. Wait for all the twenty- one
(21) copies to be printed completely and placed them
in the envelope provided for the purpose.

After the nine copies of the National ERs, the message,

“Generating the Election Returns for Local Positions...”
with load progress starting from 0% will be displayed.

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PROPER

The ACM will proceed to print twenty-one (21) copies

of Election Returns for Local Positions will start while
the message “Printing the Election Returns Local 10 of
30” is displayed.

Place the twenty-one copies of the Local ERs in the

envelope provided for the purpose.

The ACM will automatically generate and print the

STATISTICAL REPORT.

After printing the Statistical Report, the ACM will

automatically return to the MAIN MENU.

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PROPER

BALLOT REVIEW
34
Perform the BALLOT REVIEW by selecting the button
displayed on the MAIN MENU.
a. The ballot image with only the voted candidates
will be displayed, together with the Total Ballot
Count and Current Ballot Count. The Total Ballot
Count is the same as the number of ballots scanned.

b. SCROLL up/down to view all the candidates per position.

c. TAP on the “RIGHT ARROW” button to display the

other ballot images.

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PROPER

d TAP on the “X” icon to exit the page, which will be

redirected to the MAIN MENU.

PRINTING OF AUDIT LOG REPORT

35
Print the Audit Log Report, by performing the following
procedures:
a. From the MAIN MENU, TAP on “REPORTS” which will
display all the reports that can be reprinted.

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b. SELECT the “AUDIT LOG REPORT” button.

c. The Start and End Date and Time will be displayed.

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d. To change the start/end date and time, tap on the

Date and/or Time values, SELECT the correct date and
time and then TAP on the “PRINT” button. Otherwise,
TAP on the “CHECKBOX” beside the “SELECT ALL
RANGE’ to start the printing.

NOTE: The date range for printing the audit log is

from FTS to Election Day only.

e. After printing, the screen will return to the

“REPORTS” sub-menu.

f. TAP on the X mark to go to the MAIN MENU.

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PROPER

FINAL BACK-UP

The CHAIRPERSON will then perform the FINAL BACKUP.

36
From the MAIN MENU, the Chairperson will CHOOSE
the “FINAL BACKUP” button.

a. The system will ask to “INSERT THE SMART CARD

FOR OPERATION IN THE CARD SLOT” to authenticate
the process. The <EB Position> to authenticate will
be displayed at the lower portion of the screen.

b. ENTER the corresponding PIN of the inserted

smartcard security key and then REMOVE the
smartcard security key from the card slot.
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PROPER

c. The message “PROCESSING FINAL BACKUP”will be displayed.

d. Once completed, the ACM displays a

confirmation message “FINAL BACKUP
SUCCESSFUL. PRESS THE OK BUTTON TO
SHUTDOWN THE ACM”.
PRESS the OK button to SHUTDOWN the ACM.

SEALING THE ACM

After turning off the ACM, the EB shall:
39
1. BREAK the seal of the USB device compartment, open
its cover, REMOVE the MAIN USB DEVICE from the
ACM, and PLACE it inside the envelope (A18-B). The
EB shall also INDICATE on the envelope the clustered
precinct number, barangay, and city/municipality/
province.

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PROPER

The Back-up USB device shall not be removed from

the ACM, and the cover of the USB device compartment
shall be resealed.

2. PLACE the initialization report,

precinct statistical report, and
audit logs in their corresponding
envelopes (A18-C to A18-E);

3. DISCONNECT the following:

a. ACM electrical adapter from the
outlet;
b. Battery from the ACM;
c. Battery cables from the battery;
and
d. Power cable from the ACM.

4. PLACE the smartcard security keys

and PINs to the ACM case;

5. PLACE the battery inside its box;

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PROPER

6. PLACE the power cord and

the battery cables inside the
ACM case.

7. CLOSE the ACM case, place

it in the ACM box and seal it
with the sealing sticker.

The EB shall AFFIX their signature on the tape and REQUIRE

the watchers present to also affix their signatures.

DISPOSITION OF DOCUMENTS
UNUSED BALLOTS
After the voting, the CHAIRPERSON, in the presence of other
members of the EB, shall:

a. RECORD in the Minutes the

quantity of unused ballots;
b. TEAR the unused ballots in
half lengthwise;
c. PLACE one half of the torn
ballots in the Envelope for
Rejected Ballots, Half of Torn
Unused Official Ballots and
Other Half of Torn Unused
Official Ballots (CEF No. A16),
and submit said envelope to
the EO for safekeeping; and

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PROPER

d. PLACE the other half in another

Envelope for Rejected Ballots, Half
of Torn Unused Official Ballots and
Other Half of Torn Unused Official
Ballots (CEF No. A16) and then
DEPOSIT the same inside the
ballot box. Such fact shall be
entered in the Minutes.

ELECTION RETURNS

After printing the (ERs), the EB shall:

1. SIGN and AFFIX their thumbmarks in the certification
portion of all copies of the ERs.
2. POST one (1) copy of the
ERs in a conspicuous place
inside the polling place.
3. Individually FOLD the ERs.
The first eight (8) copies of
the ERs shall be SEALED with
serially numbered paper seals
and placed in their respective
envelopes (CEF No. A17). All
envelopes containing the ERs
shall be SEALED with serially
numbered paper seals.
4. AFFIX their signatures on the paper seals and
envelopes on the space provided. The WATCHERS
present shall, likewise, affix their signatures, giving
preference to the dominant majority and minority
parties, and accredited citizens’ arms.

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PROPER

The ERs shall be distributed to the following:

1. City or Municipal Board of Canvassers;
2. The Commission;
3. The Congress, directed to the President of the
Senate (Only with respect to the election of Senators
and the Party-list System)
4. Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting
(PPCRV);
5. National Citizen’s Movement for Free Elections
(NAMFREL);
6. Dominant majority party as determined by the
Commission in accordance with law;
7. Dominant minority party as determined by the
Commission in accordance with law;
8. Ballot box;
9. “Copy for Posting”
10. Provincial Board of Canvassers;
11. Ten (10) accredited major national parties, excluding
the dominant majority and minority parties, in
accordance with a voluntary agreement among
them.
12. Two (2) accredited major local parties in accordance
with a voluntary agreement among them. If no such
agreement is reached, the Commission shall decide
which parties shall receive the copies on the basis
of the criteria analogous to that provided in Section
26 of Republic Act No. 7166;

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PROPER

13. Four (4) national broadcast or print media entities as

may be equitably determined by the Commission in view
of propagating the copies to the widest extent possible;
14.Two (2) local broadcast or print media entities as may
be equitably determined by the Commission in view of
propagating the copies to the widest extent possible; and
15. Two (2) major citizens’ arms, including the accredited
citizens’ arm, and other non-partisan groups or
organizations enlisted by the Commission, excluding
PPCRV and NAMFREL. Such citizens’ arms, groups, and
organizations may use the two (2) certified copies
of election returns for the conduct of citizens’ quick
counts at the local or national levels.
The remaining copies shall be given to other accredited
citizens’ arms other than NAMFREL and PPCRV.

DISPOSITION OF ACM, BALLOT BOXES, ELECTION

RETURNS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS
When the counting of votes has ended and the results of the
election in the polling place have already been announced,
the EB shall:

a. PLACE inside the ballot box the following:

1. Sealed Envelopes containing:
□ Copy of printed ERs intended
for the ballot box;
□ Copy of the Minutes intended
for the ballot box; and
□ Half of torn unused ballots;
and rejected ballots, if any;
2. VVPAT Receptacle.
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b CLOSE the flap of the ballot box with a security seal.

To protect the ballots and other election documents
therein from elements such as water and dust, COVER
the ballot box with packaging tape by wrapping
the tape around the cover and extending it to the
upper part of the ballot box. The EB shall AFFIX their
signatures on the tape, and REQUIRE the watchers
present to also affix their signatures;

c. TURN OVER the box containing

the ACM and its peripherals to
the LOGISTICS PROVIDER. In the
absence of the logistics provider,
the EB shall turn over the ACM
box to the EO or the authorized
representative who shall, in turn,
coordinate with the logistics
provider for the schedule of the
retrieval thereof;

d. DELIVER the ballot box, accompanied by watchers,

to the city/ municipal treasurer. For this purpose, the
city/municipal treasurer shall, at its own expense,
provide at the voting center the necessary personnel
and transportation facilities for the retrieval.

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In case the ballot box delivered by the EB is not sealed,

the treasurer shall seal the ballot box, and include such
fact, together with the serial number of the plastic seal
used, in his/her report to the COMELEC; and

e. DELIVER to the EO the following documents or papers:

1. EDCVL;
2. PCVL;
3. Sealed Envelope containing
□ Copy of the Minutes intended for the Commission
(CEF No. A11);
□ Other Half of Torn Unused Official Ballots;
□ Initialization Report;
□ Precinct Audit Log Report;
□ Precinct Statistical Report;
□ Copies of the ERs intended for the Provincial
Board of Canvassers (CEF No. A17);
□ Copies of the ERs intended for Commission
(CEF No. A17).
4. The envelope containing the main USB device for use
by the city/municipal board of canvassers through
the Reception and Custody Group (RCG); and
5. Other pertinent papers and documents.

REMINDER: Failure to turn over the election documents

or paraphernalia to the EO or the city/municipal treasurer
may constitute as an election offense.

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PROPER

NOTE: The ACM lock screen is automatically activated

when the ACM is inactive for some time, to unlock the
screen one (1) of the EB role smartcard security keys
must be inserted in the card slot.

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OTHER PROCEDURES

LEGAL MATTERS AND

OTHER PROCEDURES

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OTHER PROCEDURES

VOTERS, CHALLENGES, OBJECTIONS, REJECTED

BALLOTS, RE-TRANSMISSION PROCEDURES AND OTHER
MATTERS

THE VOTERS
Q: Who are allowed vote?

A: All registered voters whose names appear in the EDCVL

may vote in the 2025 NLE, unless their names are manually
crossed out from the same list with any of the following
annotations, signed by the EO:
a. The voter’s name was ordered
excluded from the list by a
proper court;
b. The voter has applied for the
Local Absentee Voting; or
c. The voter has been certified as
an overseas voter as reflected in
the Registry of Overseas Voters
(ROV) received by the OEOs
after the registration period.

d. The voter has been verified to have double/multiple

registration records based on AFIS matching;
e. The voter has an approved application for transfer
of registration records to another district/city or
municipality as stated in the verified Notices of
Approval;
f. The voter is deceased and included in the Certificate
of Deceased Registered Voters from the Local Civil
Registrar.

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OTHER PROCEDURES

Q: What are the GROUNDS for challenging the eligibility of a

voter to vote?

A: A voter’s eligibility to vote may be challenged by any person

or watcher on the following grounds:

1. Being an illegal voter; or

2. Commission of Certain
Illegal Acts.

CHALLENGE AGAINST ILLEGAL VOTERS

Q: What are the GROUNDS to challenge an Illegal Voter?
A: The identity of a person who wants to cast his/her vote
may be challenged by any voter or watcher on the following
grounds:
a. Being NOT REGISTERED;
b. Using the name of another; or
c. Having an existing disqualification.
Q: What would be the process if the identity of a voter is
challenged?
A: The EB shall determine the truthfulness of the ground for
the challenge by REQUIRING PROOF of:

1. Registration
2. Identity, or
3. Qualification.

In case the identity of the voter is challenged, the EB shall identify

the voter’s SPECIMEN SIGNATURE and PHOTO in the EDCVL.
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OTHER PROCEDURES

Q: What should the EB do when the challenged voter does not

have any proof of identity?

A: If the challenged voter is personally known to any of the

EB members, such EB MEMBER may IDENTIFY THE VOTER
UNDER OATH.

Said act of identification by the EB member should be recorded

in the Minutes.

HOWEVER, if the challenged voter who does not possess any

proof of identity is NOT PERSONALLY KNOWN to any of the EB
members, said voter should not be allowed to vote for failure to
establish his/her identity.

CHALLENGE BASED ON CERTAIN ILLEGAL ACTS

Q: What are the illegal acts that can be used as grounds to
challenge a voter’s eligibility to vote?

A: Any person who wants to cast his/her vote may be

challenged by any voter or watcher on the following grounds:
1. Received or expects to receive,
paid, offered, or promised to pay,
contributed, offered or promised
to contribute money or anything of
value as consideration for his/her
vote or for the vote of another;
2. Made or received a promise to
influence the giving or withholding
of any such vote; or
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 LEGAL MATTERS AND
OTHER PROCEDURES

3. Made a bet or is interested directly or indirectly in a bet

that depends upon the results of the election.

Q: What can the challenged voter do in such instance so that

he/she can be allowed to vote?

A: The challenged voter may

take an oath before the EB that
said voter has not committed
any of the acts alleged in the
challenged. Upon taking such
oath, the challenge shall be
dismissed, and the voter shall
be allowed to vote.

Q: What will happen in case

the challenged voter refuses
to take an oath before the EB?

A: The challenge shall be

sustained and the voter shall
not be allowed to vote.

REMINDER: ALL challenges and oaths taken, and the

decisions in each case should be recorded in the Minutes
by the EB.

PROCEDURE ON REJECTED BALLOTS

Q: What are the possible different types of messages that
will appear on the ACM screen when it rejects a ballot during
scanning?

A: The four (4) different types of messages that may appear

on the screen of the ACM when it rejects a ballot are:
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OTHER PROCEDURES

a. Misread Ballot – When a ballot has not been scanned

properly.
b. Previously Read Ballot – When a ballot with the same
ballot ID number was already scanned;
c. Invalid Ballot – When the ballot is not configured to the
ACM; and
d. Fake Ballot – when security markings are not present in
the ballot.

Q: What is the procedure when the ACM misread/rejects a

ballot?

A: The EB shall allow the voter to re-feed the ballot in four (4)
different orientations. If the ballot is still rejected, the voter
shall return the ballot to the CHAIRPERSON who shall:

1. Distinctly mark the back

the rejected ballot as
“REJECTED”;
2. Require all the members
of the EB to sign the back
thereof; and
3. Place the rejected ballot
inside the Envelope for
Rejected Ballots (CEF No.
A16).

REMEMBER: No replacement ballot shall be issued to a

voter whose ballot is rejected by the ACM, except if the
rejection of the ballot is NOT DUE to the fault of the voter.

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OTHER PROCEDURES

Q: What should the EB do in case the rejection of the ballot by

the ACM was not due to the fault of the voter?

A: The EB shall annotate on the rejected ballot with the words

“REJECTED WITH REPLACEMENT” and thereafter issue a new
replacement ballot to the voter.

REMEMBER: Any party objecting to the rejection of the

ballot shall reduce his objection in writing, which the EB
shall attach and note in the Minutes (one (1) copy for the
ballot box and one (1) copy for the EO).

PROCEDURE IN CASE THERE IS AN OBJECTION BY THE

VOTER TO THE RESULTS REFLECTED ON THE VVPAT
In case an objection is raised by the voter to the results
reflected on the VVPAT:
1. The THIRD MEMBER shall Instruct
the voter to affix his/her signature
at the back of the VVPAT and to hold
onto the VVPAT for submission to
the CHAIRPERSON; and thereafter
direct the voter to the Chairperson.
2. The CHAIRPERSON shall instruct
the POLL CLERK to note the specific
objection in the Minutes and attach
the contested VVPAT to the Minutes
(copy for the ballot box).

NOTE: Filing of frivolous objections shall constitute

an election offense punishable under the Omnibus
Election Code (OEC). For this purpose, the EB is
allowed to administer oaths so that if the protest is
frivolous, falsification or perjury charges may be filed.
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OTHER PROCEDURES

PROCEDURE IN CASE THE BALLOT BOX IS FULL AND

NEW BALLOTS CANNOT COME THROUGH
GENERAL RULE: The ballot box shall remain locked during the
voting. HOWEVER, if it should become necessary to make room
for more ballots, the EB shall, in the presence of watchers:
1. Remove the ACM from the top of
the ballot box without removing
the ballot box cover, and shake
the ballot box to wobble the
contents therein, and make
room for the ballots;
2. If still the ballot cannot go
through the ballot box, the
ballot box may be opened. The
CHAIRPERSON shall press down
the ballots contained therein
without removing any of them.
After which, the EB shall close
the box by sealing it. Such fact
shall be recorded in the Minutes.

PROCEDURE IN CASE OF FAILED TRANSMISSION /

RE-TRANSMISSION OF RESULTS
If the initial transmission of the results is not successful, the
EB should perform the following procedures to re-transmit
the results:

PROCEDURE
1. Check if the transmission device is properly connected
then re-transmit the results.

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 LEGAL MATTERS AND
OTHER PROCEDURES

2. From the Main Menu of the ACM, press “RE- TRANSMIT”.

3. The SERVER LIST will be displayed containing all the

destination servers, buttons colored green for successful
transmission and red for failed transmission/transmission
attempts.

4. Select the destination server where to re-transmit the

election results.

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 LEGAL MATTERS AND
OTHER PROCEDURES

5. The ACM will display the message “RETRANSMITTING THE

RESULT TO [DESTINATION SERVER]” with the transmission
status below. After which will display the “RETRANSMISSION
OF RESULTS SUMMARY”.

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OTHER PROCEDURES

6. The ACM will generate and print the Transmission Report

and verify the results if all servers have the transmission
status “TRANSMITTED/[DATE AND TIME]” received status
“RECEIVED/[DATE AND TIME]”

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VULNERABLE SECTORS

VULNERABLE SECTORS

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 VULNERABLE SECTORS

VULNERABLE SECTORS’ VOTING MODULE

SENIOR CITIZENS, PERSON WITH DISABILITIES AND
PREGNANT VOTERS VOTING
Q: What are the voting options for Senior Citizens (SCs),
Person with Disabilities (PWDs), and pregnant voters?
A: There are four (4) options in which the SCs, PWDs and
pregnant voters can cast their votes.
1. Early Voting Hours 3. APPs – Accessible Polling Places
2. Express Lane 4. PPPs – Priority Polling Places

REMINDER: APPs are for those SCs and PWDs who

manifested their intent to avail the said voting option
during the registration period. Meanwhile, pregnant voters
may avail of the PPPs aside from the Early Voting Hours
and Express Lane of regular polling place.

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 VULNERABLE SECTORS

EARLY VOTING HOURS

Q: What is the Early Voting Hours option?
A: An option devoted EXCLUSIVELY for persons with disability,
senior citizens, including their assistors, if any, and pregnant
voters., which shall be open from five o’clock in the morning
(5:00 AM) to seven o’clock in the morning (7:00 AM).
Q: Who can avail of Early Voting Hours?
A: The following can avail of Early Voting Hours:
a. Registered voters who are
persons with disability or
senior citizens;
b. Pregnant voters; and
c. The assistors of the SCs
and PWDs who must also
be registered voters of the
same polling place. (Sec.24)

EXPRESS LANE
Q: What is Express Lane for SC, PWD, IP, Pregnant and PDL
voters? (SC, PWD, IP, Pregnant and PDL)

A: Express lane in regular polling

places is for persons with disabilities,
senior citizens, pregnant, escorted
PDL voters, and indigenous people
voters. They shall be allowed to
vote as soon as they arrive.

REMINDER: There must be a signage inside the polling place

indicating the location of the express lane and who can avail
it. (Sec. 39)
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 VULNERABLE SECTORS

ACCESSIBLE POLLING PLACE (APP)

Q: What is APP?
A: APP refers to the venue where
the Electoral Board (EB) conducts
election-related proceedings for
voters who are SCs and PWDs and
who have previously manifested
to cast their votes in an APP in
their registration form.
Q: Where should the APP be located?
A: The APP shall be located
at the ground floor of a
clustered precinct, preferably
near the entrance of the
building, free of any physical
barriers, and provided with
necessary services including
assistive devices. (Sec. 38)
REMINDER: The EB shall set up a separate holding area
in said polling place for the exclusive use of persons with
disability and senior citizens.

PRIORITY POLLING PLACE (PPP) / SATELLITE-PRIORITY

POLLING PLACE (S-PPP)
Q: What is Priority Polling Place (PPP)?

A: The PPP is a room or

makeshift/temporary polling
place established at the ground
floor of a voting center.

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 VULNERABLE SECTORS

There is also a SATELLITE-PRIORITY POLLING PLACE (S-PPP),

which refers to a PPP temporarily established in a building
used as an assisted living facility for Persons with Disability
or for Senior Citizens. (Sec. 2. (r))
Q: Who can avail of PPP and S-PPP?
A: The following voters may choose to vote in the PPP/S-PPP:
a. Senior Citizens and Persons with Disability voters who
did not avail of APPs in their voter registration form;
b. Persons with Disability voters who failed to update
their registration record;
c. Voters who became disabled, temporarily or permanently,
after the continuing registration of voters ended; and
d. Pregnant voters. (Sec. 48)

Q: What are the voting hours for PPP and S-PPP?

A: On election day, voting in the
PPPs shall be from five o’clock
in the morning (5:00 AM) to five
o’clock in the afternoon (5:00 PM),
while voting in the S-PPPs shall be
from seven o’clock in the morning
(7:00 AM) to three o’clock in the
afternoon (3:00 PM). (Sec. 53)
REMINDER: In case all the voters expected to vote in the S-PPP
have already cast their votes before the period provided for
S-PPP, the S-PPP Support Staff and poll watchers, if there
are any present, BY UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT, may declare
EARLY CLOSE OF VOTING THEREIN.
In case a voter arrived beyond the voting hours in the PPP,
the provisions on accommodating said voters as provided
for in Section 24 of Resolution 11076 shall be applicable.
(Sec. 60)
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 VULNERABLE SECTORS

Q: What are the forms, documents and supplies needed for

voting in PPPs and S-PPPs?
A: The PPP SS/S-PPP SS shall obtain the forms, documents,
and supplies listed in “Annex E” in the early morning of the
election day. (Sec. 52)

From the City/Municipal Treasurer:

• Election Forms- CEF Nos. A12,
A30/A31, A35, A39 and A40
• Envelopes- Envelopes for Official
Ballots for Ballot Pick Up and
Envelopes for Official Ballots
for Ballot Submission to the
Electoral Board
• Other Forms- Gawad ng
Kapahintulutan/ Pagpapaubaya
(Waiver and Authorization Forms)
• Supplies- Logbook, bond paper,
indelible ink stain, etc.

Q: What should the PPP Support Staff (SS) do during the

election day?
1. PREPARATION OF BALLOTS FOR THE ILLITERATE,
PERSONS WITH DISABILITY, AND SENIOR CITIZENS BY
AN ASSISTOR

No voter shall be allowed to vote as an illiterate, PWD, or

SC unless such fact is indicated in the EDCVL, or although
not indicated as a PWD in the EDCVL, when the disability is
readily apparent.

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Q: Who may assist an illiterate, PWD, or SC voter in the

preparation of their ballots?

A: Such voters may be aided in the preparation of the

ballot, in the following order:
a. Relative within the 4th civil
degree of consanguinity or
affinity;
b. Person of his confidence
who belongs to the same
household as that of the
voter. For this purpose, the
person who usually assists
the person with disability
or the senior citizen, such
as a personal assistant,
caregiver or a nurse shall be
considered as a member of
the voter’s household; and
c. Any member of the EB.

REMINDER: ALL PERSONS ASSISTING MUST BE OF VOTING

AGE. (Sec. 37)

Q: Can the EB assist voters in feeding the ballot into the ACM?
A: Yes, but only voters with physical impairment may be assisted
in feeding the ballot into the ACM by the EB member. The EB
member shall ensure that the contents of the ballot are not
displayed during its feeding into the ACM. In which case, this fact
must be recorded in the Minutes.

REMINDER: NO PERSON, EXCEPT THE MEMBERS OF THE EB,

MAY ASSIST AN ILLITERATE, PERSON WITH DISABILITY, OR
SENIOR CITIZEN MORE THAN THREE (3) TIMES. (Sec. 37)
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Q: What must the EB ensure in the preparation of ballots for

the illiterate, persons with disabilities, and senior citizens
by an assistor?
A: IN ALL CASES, the POLL CLERK shall first verify from the
illiterate, person with disability, or senior citizen whether
said voter authorized a person to help him/her cast his/her
vote. If the voter denies the authority of the assistor, any
member of the EB may assist such illiterate, person with
disability, or senior citizen. The same shall be recorded in
the Minutes.

Q: What are the responsibilities of the person assisting

the illiterate, PWD, or SC voter in the preparation of their
ballots? (Sec. 37.)

A: The person assisting the illiterate, PWD, or SC shall:

1. Prepare, in their presence, the ballot using a ballot
secrecy folder; and
2. Bind themselves in writing and under oath to fill out
the ballot strictly in accordance with the instructions
of the voter and not to reveal its contents, by indicating
the appropriate data and affixing their signatures,
thumbmark, or any available fingerprint if without a
thumb, in the corresponding space in the Minutes.

Q: Is there a voting privilege given to the assistor?

A: Yes, there is. The assistor may be allowed to vote
immediately after the person they are assisting has finished
voting, provided that:
a. The assistor is a registered voter in the same polling
place as the person being assisted; and

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b. He/she accomplishes the required Waiver and

Authorization Form (Gawad ng Kapahintulutan/
Pagpapaubaya) or “ANNEX D”. (Sec. 54)

2. VOTING PROCEDURES IN THE PPP/ S-PPP

Q: What are the voting procedures that the PPP Support Staff
(SS) must observe during the election day?

PRELIMINARIES TO PPP VOTING

One of the PPP Support Staff shall explain to the voters who
choose to vote in the PPP that:
1. They have the option to vote in their regular precincts or
in the PPP;
2. There is a difference in the voting procedures in the PPP
and in the regular polling place;

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3. They have to comply with the requirement to

submit the Waiver and Authorization Form (Gawad
ng Kapahintulutan/Pagpapaubaya) (“ANNEX D”) for
the purpose of securing their ballots from the EB
Chairperson of their clustered precincts.
4. The estimated waiting time, including the possibility
that the PPP Aide may wait until a minimum of ten
(10) voters have availed themselves of the PPP before
obtaining the ballots from their regular precincts;
5. The absence of an Automated Counting Machine (ACM)
in the PPP;
6. The ballots will be returned to the EB Chairperson
of the clustered precincts where they are registered
and that their ballots will be fed to the ACM by the EB
Chairperson; and
7. Such other relevant information. (Sec. 50)

MANNER OF OBTAINING BALLOTS AND THE CONDUCT

OF PPP/S-PPP VOTING
At the PPP/S-PPP, the PPP Support Staff 1 shall:
1. Inspect the fingernails of the Persons with Disability,
Senior Citizens, or Pregnant Voters for any ink stain
upon their arrival at the PPP. An Assistor who also
intends to vote in the PPP shall also have his/her
fingernails checked for any ink stain;
2. Require the presentation of a Persons with Disability ID
Card or any other document as proof of such disability
for a voter with nonmanifest disability, which is not
specified in the EDCVL;
3. Explain to the voter/s the procedures of voting in the
PPP;

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4. Ask the voter to sign his/her name in the logbook if

he/she opts to vote in the PPP;
5. Ensure that the assistor of the voter is qualified; and
6. Provide the voter with a Waiver and Authorization Form
(Gawad ng Kapahintulutan/Pagpapaubaya) (“ANNEX D”)
and confirm that it is accurately filled out;

Afterwards, the PPP Support Staff 2 shall:

7. Verify the identity of the voter in the EDCVL or through
his/her ID Card presented, look for his/her name, photo,
and precinct number in the EDCVL, and indicate said
precinct number in the Waiver and Authorization Form
(Gawad ng Kapahintulutan/Pagpapaubaya) (“ANNEX D”);
8. Require the voter to present a valid proof of identity
or allow any registered voter to identify him/her under
oath, in case of doubt on the identity of the voter; and
9. Hand over the Waiver and Authorization Form (Gawad
ng Kapahintulutan/Pagpapaubaya) (“ANNEX D”) to the
Aide assigned to the clustered precinct in which the
voter is registered to vote.

Then, the PPP Aide shall:

10. Proceed to the clustered precinct of the voter to obtain
the ballot;
11. Wait until a minimum of ten (10) voters have availed
themselves of the PPP before obtaining the ballots;
provided, however, that no voter shall be made to wait
for an unreasonable length of time; and
12. Turn over the Waiver and Authorization Form (Gawad
ng Kapahintulutan/Pagpapaubaya) (“ANNEX D”) and
the ID card or any other document presented for
identification purposes, if any, to the EB Chairperson
assigned in the clustered precinct.
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At the Clustered Precinct where the ballots of the PPP

Voters are obtained from, the Chairperson shall:
13. Check the name, signature, and photo of the voter in the
EDCVL upon receipt of the Waiver and Authorization
Form (Gawad ng Kapahintulutan/ Pagpapaubaya)
(‘ANNEX D’) and the ID card or any other document
presented for identification purposes, if any;
14. Prioritize all ballot requests from the PPP, except in
cases where there are PWDs, SCs and pregnant voters
who are simultaneously in the clustered precinct, in
which case the EB Chairperson shall accommodate
them alternately;
15. Note in the Minutes of Voting (Minutes), after validating
the identity of the voter, his/her name, precinct
number, and the serial number of the ballot given to
the Aide. The Waiver and Authorization Form (Gawad
ng Kapahintulutan/Pagpapaubaya) (“ANNEX D”) shall be
attached to the Minutes;
16. Insert the ballot in the envelope provided by the Aide
and write at the back thereof the clustered precinct
number of the voter/s for whom the ballot is obtained.
The time the ballot/s was/were obtained from the
polling place and the number of ballots obtained shall
be recorded in the Minutes. Enclose the envelope with
a paper seal provided by the Aide and record in the
Minutes the serial number of the paper seal;

REMINDER: The same envelope may be used for the

subsequent issuance of ballots, provided the above
procedures shall be followed; and (Sec. 57. D. (5))

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If the ballot cannot be issued for any reason that is beyond

the control of the EB, the Chairperson shall authorize the
Third Member or Poll Clerk to go to the PPP and explain to
the voter the reason for the non-issuance of the ballot. This
fact shall be recorded in the Minutes of the clustered precinct
and logbook of the PPP. (Sec. 57. D. (6))

Upon receipt of the ballots from the Aide, any of the PPP
Support Staff shall:
17. Inspect the envelope and break the paper seal to extract
the ballots therefrom;
18. Check the ballots to ensure that they have not been filled
out, marked, mutilated, or otherwise rendered unusable;
19. Enter in the logbook the conditions of the envelope, serial
number of the paper seal, and details of the ballots;
20. Issue the ballot, marking pen, and ballot secrecy folder
to the voter;
21. Insert the accomplished ballots in envelopes per
clustered precinct for submission to the EB Chairperson
of said clustered precinct where the ballots were
obtained. The PPP Support Staff shall safely keep the
accomplished ballots, ensuring the security and sanctity
thereof, until the close of voting in the PPP;
22. Instruct the voter to sign the EDCVL and impress his/
her thumbprint therein. Apply indelible ink to the voter’s
right forefinger nail or any other nail, if there be no
forefinger nail, or in any other suitable part of the voter’s
body, if there are no fingernails; and
23. Inform the voter that his/her voting is completed and
request the voter to leave the PPP.

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CLOSING THE PPP/ S-PPP VOTING

To close the PPP and S-PPP voting:
1. All members of the PPP/S-PPP SS shall jointly
accomplish and sign the PPP Voter Turnout Form
(“ANNEX F”) and ensure the completeness and accuracy
of the entries in the logbook of the PPP/S-PPP.
• There shall be one (1) PPP Voter Turnout Form
(‘ANNEX F’) submitted per PPP/S-PPP.
• The PPP Voter Turnout Form (‘ANNEX F’) and logbook
shall be turned over to the concerned EO. (Sec.58)
2. The Support Staff shall seal the envelopes per clustered
precinct containing the accomplished ballots.
3. The Aide shall deliver the securely sealed envelopes to
the EB Chairpersons of the clustered precincts where
it came from.
REMINDER: The exact time of the closing of the PPP/S-PPP,
the serial number of the paper seals per envelope, and the
time of the receipt of the envelopes by the EB Chairpersons
shall be entered in the Minutes and thereafter, the Aide/s
shall affix their signatures thereto.

3. COUNTING AND FEEDING THE BALLOTS FROM THE

PPP/S-PPP VOTING
Upon delivery at the clustered precinct, the EB Chairperson
shall:
a. Inspect the conditions of the envelopes and ballots
with due care to preserve the sanctity and secrecy of
the ballot;
b. Compare the number of ballots received with the
number of Waiver and Authorization Forms (Gawad ng
Kapahintulutan/Pagpapaubaya) (‘ANNEX D’) previously
submitted to them;
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 VULNERABLE SECTORS

c. Record in the Minutes the condition and the serial

numbers of the paper seals of the envelopes and
ballots, including the discrepancies in the number
of the ballots as against the number of Waiver and
Authorization Forms (Gawad ng Kapahintulutan/
Pagpapaubaya) (“ANNEX D’) recorded in the Minutes, if
any. The time of the receipt of the envelopes and the
ballots from the Aide/s shall, likewise, be entered in
the Minutes.
d. Announce the feeding of the ballots to the ACM in the
polling place.
e. Feed the ballots to the ACM in the presence of the
other members of the EB, Aide/s, and watchers.
f. Thereafter, the Aide/s shall:
g. Return to the PPP Support Staff to report the time of
actual receipt of the ballots by the EB Chairperson of
the clustered precinct for recording in the Minutes.

PERSONS DEPRIVED OF LIBERTY (PDL) VOTING

There are two (2) types of PDL Voting:
a. Escorted Voting at Regular Polling Place; and
b. Special Polling Place (PDL-SPP)

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 VULNERABLE SECTORS

ESCORTED VOTING AT REGULAR POLLING PLACE

Q: What is Escorted PDL Voting?

A: Escorted by uniformed
personnel, PDL voters are
accommodated and given
priority to cast their vote
in the Express Lane of
the regular polling place.
(Sec. 81)

REMINDER: A jail facility /detention center with less than

fifty (50) PDL voters may avail of escorted voting. (Sec. 80)

Q: Are the uniformed personnel allowed to bring firearms

when escorting PDL voters in regular polling places?
A: Yes. To ensure the security of the PDL voter, his/her
uniformed personnel may bring a firearm inside the polling
place. Said escort and PDL voter/s shall immediately leave
the polling place once the latter have finished voting. (Sec.
82)

SPECIAL POLLING PLACE (PDL-SPP)

Q: What is PDL-SPP?
A: PDL-SPP is a polling place inside a jail facility / detention
center which shall be spacious enough to accommodate
at least ten (10) PDL voters at a given time and shall be
supervised by the Special Electoral Board for PDL (SEB-
PDL).
REMINDER: The physical setup of regular polling places
shall apply to PDL-SPP. (Sec. 61)

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 VULNERABLE SECTORS

Q: What are the voting hours for PDL-SPP?

A: The voting in the PDL-SPP shall be from seven o’clock
in the morning (7:00 AM) to three o’ clock in the afternoon
(3:00 PM) only.
REMINDER: In case all the expected PDL voters already voted
before two o’ clock in the afternoon (2:00 PM), the SEB-PDL
shall close the voting in the PDLSPP in accordance with the
provisions on early close of voting in the S-PPP (Sec. 60).

Q: What are the powers and functions of the Special Electoral

Board for PDL (SEB-PDL)?
A: The SEB-PDL have the same powers and functions as the
EB. (Sec. 64)

Q: What are the functions of the SEB- PDL Support Staff?

A: Meanwhile, its Support Staff shall have the following
functions:
1. Collect the ballots of the PDL voters from the EB of
the polling place in the voting center where they are
assigned before the opening of polls;
2. Bring the collected ballots to the PDL-SPP; and
3. Return the accomplished ballots to the EB of the regular
polling place where the same ballots were taken on or
before six o’ clock in the evening (6:00 P.M.) on election day.
(Sec. 65)

Every PDL-SS shall have one (1) uniformed personnel who

shall accompany them, as follows:
a. From the PDL-SPP to the voting center to get the ballots;
b. From the voting center back to the PDL-SPP to deliver
the ballots to the SEB-PDL; and
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c. From the PDL-SPP to the voting center to deliver the

accomplished ballots. (Sec. 66)
REMINDER: The uniformed personnel shall not enter the
polling place from where the ballots shall be taken and
to which the same ballots shall be returned or any other
polling place, except to vote.
In case there is insufficiency of uniformed personnel,
additional security forces shall be assigned by the Chief of
BJMP, Wardens of Provincial Jails, Director General of BuCor,
Head of PNP Custodial Facilities, or any of their authorized
representatives to augment the security forces in escorting
the PDL-SS. (Sec. 66)

Q: Who are Allowed to Vote in the PDL-SPP?

A: Only PDL voters whose names appear in the PDL-EDCVL
and PDL-PCVL may vote in the PDL-SPP.
REMINDER: A PDL voter included in the PDL-EDCVL but
released before election day shall be allowed to vote in the
regular polling place where his/her precinct is assigned. (Sec.
63)

1. PREPARATION OF ELECTION FORMS, DOCUMENTS,

AND SUPPLIES FOR PDL VOTING
Q: What are the forms, documents and supplies needed for
PDL Voting?
A: To prepare the forms, documents, and supplies needed for
PDL Voting, the SEB-PDL shall:
a. Obtain the forms, documents, and supplies listed in
“ANNEX G” early in the morning of election day;
b. Collect one (1) copy of the PDL-EDCVL and one (1) copy
of the PDL Voter Turnout Form (‘ANNEX F-1) from the
Election Officer; and

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c. Check the different election forms, documents, and

supplies, and the quantities actually received.
d. Sign a Certificate of Receipt (C.E.F. No. A14) in three (3) copies,
the original of which shall be returned to the EO. (Sec. 71.)

2. VOTING PROCEDURES IN THE PDL-SPP

Q: What should the SEB-PDL observe during the voting
process on election day?
A: Preliminaries to PDL-SPP Voting
At the PDL-SPP:
1. The SEB-PDL Members and all the PDL-SS shall meet at
the PDL- SPP at five o’clock in the morning (5:00 A.M.) on
election day and shall submit themselves to all the security
measures enforced in the jail facility/detention center;
2. The SEB-PDL Members shall give to the PDL-SS the
envelopes with one (1) paper seal for each clustered
precinct with PDL voters in the voting center;
3. Upon receipt of the empty envelopes and paper seals, the
PDL-SS shall leave the jail facility /detention center to
collect the ballots for the PDL voters with the uniformed
personnel;
4. While waiting for the return of the PDL-SS, the SEB-PDL
Members shall prepare the PDL-SPP by ensuring that it
will be provided with the following:
i. A table where the envelopes for the accomplished
ballots will be placed; and
ii. At least ten (10) chairs or voting booths where PDL
voters can accomplish their ballots.

5. The SEB-PDL shall post the PCVL-PDL in a visible area in

PDL-SPP; and

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6. Upon arrival of the PDL-SS in the PDL-SPP, the SEB-PDL

Chairperson shall open the envelope/s and count the
ballots inside, in the presence of the other SEB-PDL
Members. The time of arrival, name of voting center,
clustered precinct, number of ballots, and serial number
of the paper seal/s of the envelope/s received shall be
entered in the Minutes by the SEB-PDL Poll Clerk.

At the Regular Polling Place in the Voting Center, the EB

Chairperson shall:
7. Count and segregate the ballots allocated for PDL
voters, before the start of voting in the regular polling
place, in the presence of the other members of the EB
and the watchers using the PDL-EDCVL and PCVL as
reference;
8. Annotate the PDL’s names in the EDCVL with “PDL Voter”
using the PDL-EDCVL as reference.
9. Set aside the ballots while waiting for the arrival of the
PDL-SS;
10. Insert the prepared ballot/s in the envelope brought by
the PDL-SS and seal the envelope using the paper seal
in his/her possession.
Thereafter, the EB Members shall:
11. Affix their initials on the paper seal and turn over the
sealed envelopes to the PDL-SS; and
Then, the EB Poll Clerk shall:
12. Write in the Minutes the name of the PDL-SS, the number
of ballots issued, the serial number of the paper seal of
the envelope, and the time the ballots were turned over
to the PDL-SS.

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Lastly, the PDL-SS shall:

13. Affix his/her signature in the Minutes and leave
the polling place immediately, accompanied by the
uniformed personnel to deliver the ballots to the SEB-
PDL Chairperson at the PDL-SPP.

MANNER OF OBTAINING BALLOTS AND THE CONDUCT

OF PDL-SPP VOTING
At the PDL-SPP, the Poll Clerk shall:
1. Assist the PDL voter in finding his/her name in the
PCVL -PDL and determining his/her precinct and
sequence number;
REMINDER: The SEB-PDL shall conduct the voting in the
order of arrival of the ballots in the PDL-SPP while giving
preference to Senior Citizens, Persons with Disability, and
PDL voters. (Sec. 75)
2. Verify if the name of the PDL voter is in the PDL-EDCVL.
3. Require the PDL voter to sign opposite his/her name. If
he/she cannot, then require him/her to impress his/her
thumbmark in the PDL-EDCVL.
• In case of doubt, a PDL Voter may identify under oath
another PDL voter belonging to the same Precinct
where the former belongs.
• The Jail Administrator or his/her representative/s may
likewise confirm the identity of the PDL Voter using
official records of the jail facility/ detention center.
Such identification shall be under oath and recorded
in the Minutes.
• A PDL voter belonging to the same precinct identifying
another PDL voter shall be allowed to identify only up
to three (3) times. (Sec. 75 (b))

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Before giving the ballot to the PDL voter, the SEB-PDL

Chairperson shall:
4. Check if any of the fingernails of the PDL voter has
already been stained with indelible ink.
5. If stained, it shall be a conclusive presumption that he/
she has already voted. As such, the PDL voter shall be
directed to leave the PDL-SPP after informing him/her
of the reason thereof. This fact, including the name and
the precinct of the PDL voter, shall be recorded by the
SEB-PDL Poll Clerk in the Minutes;
6. Tell the PDL voter to affix his/her signature in the PDL-
EDCVL;
7. Authenticate the ballot by affixing his/her signature
at the designated space in front thereof. Failure to
authenticate the ballot shall not invalidate the same
but shall constitute an election offense;
8. Instruct the PDL voter on how to accomplish the ballot
properly; and
9. Insert the ballot in the secrecy folder in such a manner
that its face is covered, except the portion where his/
her signature in the ballot appears, and give the ballot
to the PDL voter.
REMINDER: Only the SEB-PDL Chairperson shall issue the
ballots, and not more than one (1) ballot shall be issued at
one time. (Sec. 75(c)(5))

CLOSING THE PDL-SPP VOTING

After all the PDL voters in a particular clustered precinct
have already voted, the SEB-PDL Chairperson shall, in the
presence of the other SEB-PDL Members and watchers:
a. Count the unused ballots, if there are any, and record in
the Minutes the quantity thereof indicating therein the
Precinct ID of the ballots;

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b. Tear the unused ballots in half lengthwise and

insert them in the envelope intended for the unused
ballots separate from the envelope intended for the
accomplished ballots;
c. Close the two (2) envelopes containing the accomplished
ballots and the unused ballots using paper seals with
the initials of all the SEB-PDL Members; and
d. Hand the sealed envelopes to the PDL-SS for delivery to
the voting center where the ballots were collected.

REMINDER: The PDL-SS shall ensure that all accomplished

ballots of PDL voters shall reach the EB Chairperson of the
clustered precinct before six o’ clock in the evening (6:00 P.M.)
on election day. (Sec. 77)

3. COUNTING OF BALLOTS FROM THE PDL-SPP VOTING

The EB in the regular polling place shall observe the
following upon receipt of PDL ballots from the PDL-SS:
1. Enter in the Minutes the time of receipt of the sealed
envelope containing the accomplished ballots and
the sealed envelope containing the half-torn unused
ballots;
2. Announce to the public that the accomplished ballots
of PDL voters have been received with the half-torn
unused ballots, if any;
3. Open the envelope ONLY when all the voters in the
polling place have finished voting or when the voting
time has ended and there are no more voters within the
thirty (30)-meter radius of the polling place waiting to
vote;
4. Count the accomplished ballots;
5. Feed the ballots to the ACM before the close of voting;
and

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6. Place one-half of the torn unused ballots inside an

envelope (CEF No. A16) for submission to the OEO and
the other half inside another envelope (CEF No. A16)
for deposit inside the compartment of the ballot box for
valid ballots. Such facts shall be entered in the Minutes.
(Sec. 79)

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ (IP) VOTING IN ACCESSIBLE

VOTING CENTER AND SEPARATE POLLING PLACE
VOTING OPTIONS FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
What are the two (2) types of Indigenous Peoples’ Voting
precincts?

1. Accessible Voting Center (AVC)

Established voting centers located
near or in IP communities where
they shall cast their votes on
election day.

2. Separate Polling Place (SPP)

A polling place established for IPs
within a voting center to address
the issue of discrimination in
the present voting center of the
affected voters.

An SPP is either:
a. Exclusive - Separate Polling Place (E-SPP) - refers to a
clustered precinct within the voting center with 150 or
more IP voters assigned.
b. Clustered- Separate Polling Place (C-SPP) - refers to a
clustered precinct with less than 150 IP voters in the
same clustered precinct with regular voters.
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Note: There shall be a

Separate Voting Room (SVR)
for IP voters which refers to
an adjoining (class) room
exclusively devoted for IP
voters belonging to a C-SPP.

Q: What are the voting hours for the different IP voting precincts?
A: Voting hours:
• AVC and E-SPP – 5:00 AM to 7:00 PM
• IP-SVR of C-SPP– 5:00 AM to 5:00 PM
REMINDER: The Early Voting Hours shall be observed for IPs
who are also senior citizens, persons with disabilities and
pregnant voters. (Sec. 87)

PROCEDURES ON VOTING AND COUNTING OF VOTES IN

THE AVC AND E-SPP

Q: What are the procedures for IP voting and counting of

votes in the AVC and E-SPP?
A: The same provisions on voting, counting of votes and
transmission of precinct results on Election Day must be
observed in the AVC and E-SPP precincts. (Sec.88)

Q: What are the forms, documents and supplies needed for

AVC and E-SPP Voting?
A: The election forms, documents, and supplies needed for
AVC and E-SPP Voting are:
1. The items listed in “Annex H”
2. One (1) set of IP-PCVL duly certified by the ERB from the
OEO for posting outside the polling place; and
3. The IP-EDCVL duly certified by the ERB.
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PROCEDURES ON VOTING AND COUNTING OF VOTES IN

THE IP-SVR
Q: What are the forms, documents and supplies needed for
IP-SVR Voting?
A: The election forms, documents, and supplies needed for
IP-SVR Voting are:
1. The items listed in “Annex I”
2. One (1) set of IP-PCVL duly certified by the ERB from the
OEO for posting outside the polling place; and
3. The IP-EDCVL duly certified by the ERB.

VOTING PROCEDURE IN THE IP-SVR

Q: What are the procedures for IP voting and counting of

votes in IP-SVR?
A: The IP-SVR Support Staff shall:
1. Observe the same voting procedures as the Priority
Polling Place in Sec. 57. (Sec. 89)
2. Accomplish the IP Voter Turnout Form (“Annex F-2”).
(Sec. 91)
3. Count the unused ballots and cut them into half
lengthwise;
4. Insert them in the envelope for unused ballots separate
from the envelope containing the accomplished ballots;
5. Secure them with paper seals, and affix signatures on
the paper seals; and
6. Enter the details on the number of ballots (accomplished
and half-torn), serial number of the paper seals, and the
time of the closing of the IP-SVR in the logbook.

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CLOSING THE IP-SVR VOTING

In case all IP voters expected to vote in the IP-SVR have
already cast their votes before five o’ clock in the afternoon
(5:00 P.M.), both IP-SVR SS and the poll watchers, if there are
any present, BY UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT, may declare early
close of voting therein. (Sec. 90)

Q: What should the Support Staff (SS) do when there are still
IP voters within the vicinity of the IP-SVR who have not cast
their votes at 5:00 PM?
A: The IP-SVR SS must:
a. Allow IP voters, who are within the thirty (30)-meter
radius from the IP-SVR at five o’clock in the afternoon
(5:00 PM), to cast their vote without interruption;
b. Prepare a complete list containing the names of said
voters consecutively numbered; and
c. Call the IP voters to cast their votes by announcing their
names three (3) times in the order in which they are
listed.

REMINDER: Any IP voter in the list who is not present when

his or her name is called shall not be permitted to vote. The
said list shall be attached to the Minutes. (Sec. 87)

COUNTING OF THE BALLOTS FROM THE IP-SVR

Once the IP-SVR is closed, the IP-SVR SS shall:

1. Deliver the sealed envelope for official ballots, IP Voter
Turnout Form (“ANNEX F-2”), logbook and other election
paraphernalia to the EB Chairperson of the C-SPP who issued
the ballots. (Sec. 92)
Then, the EB Chairperson shall:
2. Announce, in a loud voice, the receipt of the ballots from the
IP-SVR;

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3. Inspect the condition of the envelope for official ballots and

the ballots enclosed;
4. Broadcast that the envelopes for official ballots containing
the ballots of the IP voters from the IP-SVR shall be opened
for counting;
5. Compare the number of ballots received and the number of
Waiver and Authorization Form (Gawad ng Kapahintulutan/
Pagpapaubaya) (“ANNEX D-1”) submitted;
6. Verify and compare the number of ballots issued and the
number of Waiver and Authorization Form (Gawad ng
Kapahintulutan/Pagpapaubaya) (“ANNEX D-1”) released
with the number of ballots received and the number of
Waiver and Authorization Form (Gawad ng Kapahintulutan/
Pagpapaubaya) (“ANNEX D-1”) previously issued as indicated
in the Minutes prior to the start of voting.
7. Announce the feeding of the accomplished ballots from the IP-
SVR into the ACM in the presence of the other EB members,
IP-SVR SS and watchers; and
8. Insert the half of the torn unused ballots in the envelope (CEF
No. A16) for submission to the EO, while the other half shall
be put inside another envelope (CEF No. A16) which shall be
deposited inside the ballot box.
REMINDER: The foregoing shall be entered in the Minutes as well
as the total number of accomplished and torn ballots.

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Republic of the Philippines

COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS
VULNERABLE SECTORS OFFICE (VSO)

SENSITIVITY GUIDELINES FOR THE VULNERABLE SECTORS

Disability Sensitivity
Who are those considered as Persons with disabilities?
• Persons who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or
sensory impairments, which in interaction with various barriers
may hinder his/her full and effective participation in society on
an equal basis with others. (Article 1, United Nations Convention
on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities)
How is disability described under the UN Convention on the rights of
persons with disabilities?
• It results from the interaction between persons with impairments
and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinder their full
and effective participation in society on an equal basis with
others (Preamble (e), United Nations Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities). It is an evolving concept.
What are considered barriers under the UN Convention on the rights
of persons with disabilities?
• These include attitudinal and environmental barriers. But these
can be broken down into four.
1. Environmental - structures in the environment that prevent
access to buildings, transportation, and equipment;
2. Institutional - policies, practices, and activities that exclude
persons with disabilities;
3. Technology and information - lack of relevant assistive
technology and inaccessible formats of information (e.g., no
captioning, small prints); and
4. Attitudinal - negative perceptions towards people with
disabilities. Exists within institutions, organizations,
communities and even families of persons with disabilities.
IMPORTANT: The use of the acronym “PWD” is NOT appropriate. This
should always be written in full as “Person with Disability” or “Persons
with Disabilities”. Do not refer to them as a “PWD” as they are person,
not a phrase that can be reduced to an acronym. (UN Disability-
Inclusive Guidelines)

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What are the Basic Disability Sensitivity Etiquette that all the members
of the Electoral Boards and Support Staff should know?

Manifest and Non-Manifest Disabilities

MANIFEST (APPARENT) NON-MANIFEST (NON-APPARENT)
DISABILITIES DISABILITIES
• Physical or orthopedic disability • Those with speech impairment.
like missing limbs, paralyzed, • Deaf or hard of hearing.
paraplegic, quadriplegic, unable • Persons with visual impairment
to move their body voluntary, (blind or low vision) not using
hunchback, limb deformity, etc. white cane or any assistive
• Those who are using assistive devices.
devices like wheelchairs, • Persons with intellectual
crutches, white cane, cane, disabilities.
hearing aids.
• People with mental disability.
• Those with cleft lip, cleft palate
which are very visible. • People with Psychosocial
• People with Down Syndrome. • disability.
• People in the Autism Spectrum.
• People with learning
disability.

Disability-inclusive language

USE AVOID USE OF

• person with disability • disabled person, handicapped
• person with [type of • person with special needs
impairment] • handicapable, atypical,
• persons with disabilities • person living with a disability
• people with disabilities (only in • differently abled, people of all
Easy Read documents, informal abilities
text and oral speech) • people of determination
• voter with disability • person living with a disability
• Physically-challenged
• Mentally-challenged
• Dysfunction
• Impairment

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What are the Basic Disability Sensitivity Etiquette that all the
members of the Electoral Boards and Support Staff should know?
1. RECOGNIZE THE PERSON FIRST
• Each person with disability is an individual, a PERSON and not
a disability.
2. ADDRESS THEM PROPERLY
• Address a person with a disability by their first name. Use
“person first” language, PERSON WITH DISABILITY. Do not
call them victim, patient, differently-abled, special deformed,
crippled, mute or dumb.
• Do not call people without disabilities as “normal” or “able-
bodied” people
- this implies having a disability is not normal.
3. LEARN THE DIFFERENCE
• Do not describe a disability as an “illness” or as a “dysfunction”.
They are not synonymous. It is simply a part of human diversity.
4. REMOVE BIAS AND JUDGMENT
• Try not to make assumptions on what they can or cannot do.
Don’t be patronizing or over sympathetic.
5. APPLY COMMON COURTESY RULES
• Sensitivity to persons with disabilities and dealing with them
should follow common courtesy.
6. ALWAYS ASK PERMISSION TO ASSIST THEM
• Do not over-extend help. Ask them first before helping them.
Consent should always be given.
7. ALWAYS TALK TO THE PERSON WITH A DISABILITY AND NOT WITH
THEIR COMPANION.
8. AVOID STARING. TRY A WARM SMILE AND INITIATE A FRIENDLY
CONVERSATION.
9. IN VOTING CENTERS, KEEP ALL WALKWAYS CLEAR OF
OBSTRUCTIONS. THEY NEED A SUFFICIENT SPACE TO MOVE
AROUND. ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING NEEDED FOR ELECTION-
RELATED TASKS ARE WITHIN THEIR REACH.
10. BE PATIENT AND LISTEN.

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Tips in assisting and communicating with persons with disability

1. Orthopedic or Physical Disability
• Refers to an impairment which limits the function of joints,
muscles and/or limbs.
• The politically correct and appropriate terms are:
-person with orthopedic or physical disability
-wheelchair user or a person who uses a wheelchair
-a person with mobility impairment
• When talking with a wheelchair user, converse with them at
eye level either by pulling a chair for you to sit on or kneeling
on one knee. This will prevent the wheelchair user to strain her
neck and remove the feeling of inferiority on his/her part.
• Wheelchair users have different levels of independence and
may not always need assistance, thus the importance of always
asking if they need assistance as part of our respect to their
autonomy.
• A wheelchair or any assistive device like a crutch or cane is a
part of their personal space. Do not learn or touch it without
permission.
2. Deaf Person or Hard of Hearing
DEAF person has a total hearing loss while a HARD OF HEARING person
has a partial hearing loss.
• Gestures are a universal way of conveying information to
everybody. Establish eye contact first before starting to
communicate with the deaf persons. When calling their
attention, it is either you
• wave your hand in front of them
• tap gently on the shoulder,
• tap the desk or table wherein they feel the vibration
• If there is no sign language interpreter or captioner to assist
them or you do not know how to sign, you can use pen and
paper to communicate with them.
• Use English language when writing or communicating with
them. Always use appropriate facial expressions and gestures
in order to facilitate communication.
• Always talk to Deaf or Hard of Hearing person and not to
the interpreter or companion. Speak slowly but not in an
exaggerated manner. DO NOT SHOUT!

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3. Persons with Visual Disability

A Person with Visual Disability could either be a Blind Person or with
Low Vision. Some are using cane while some are assisted by their
guardians or assistors.
• First, you tell him/her your name. Then ask if the blind person
needs your assistance or not. Let us not assume that blind
people automatically need assistance.
• Mention their name when addressing them or asking questions
to ensure they know they are being spoken to.
• When giving directions, be specific. When guiding them, use
the sighted guide technique. Tap the back of your palm to the
back of their palm, which will signal them to put their hand 2
fingerbreadths above your elbow.
• Inform the persons with a visual impairment when you are
leaving, so they remain aware of your presence.
• When guiding them to sit down to vote, place one of their hands
on the back of the chair or the armrest so they know where to
sit.
• Allow persons with visual impairment to use their mobile
devices with screen readers, as these are essential assistive
tools. Just politely remind them about best practices, such as
avoiding posting sensitive documents (e.g ballots or receipts)
on social media, as is advised for the general public.
4. With Learning, Intellectual, Mental and Psychosocial Disabilities
• Be patient and do not show frustration.
• When communicating, use simple words and visual cues,
allowing them to take their time to process and understand the
information at their own pace.
• Ensure the space includes well-chosen pictures, charts and
visual stimuli to aid understanding.
• Do not finish sentences. Allow them the time to say everything
they wish to say.

NOTE: Being aware and sensitive to the needs of persons with

disabilities will bring us a step closer to achieving a Disability-
Inclusive Elections. Each one of us must do his/her part in
realizing the advocacy.

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Senior Citizen Sensitivity

A Senior Citizen is generally defined as a person who is sixty (60) years
or older. In the context of elections, a Senior Citizen is a qualified voter
within this age group.

GUIDE ON HOW TO ASSIST A SENIOR CITIZEN ON ELECTION DAY

• Speak clearly
Hearing impairment is a common challenge faced among the
elderly. It is important to speak slowly and clearly. Adjust your
voice volume as needed, enunciate well, and avoid mumbling.
• Show respect
Always be polite and respectful in your interactions. This helps
in building trust and ensuring a positive experience for the
Senior Citizen voter.
• Be sure they understand
Avoid complicated technical terms and technical jargons when
communicating with them. Use familiar words when talking
to them. Take your time to explain things and go through
documents together to make sure they understand.
• Patience is a virtue
Senior citizens often take longer to decide, understand a
request, and respond. Electoral Board members and Support
Staff should be patient, avoid rushing them, and give them the
time they need to participate in the voting process.

Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) Sensitivity Guidelines

Why are they considered as part of the Vulnerable Sectors?
Whatever the reason for their detention, people deprived of their
liberty are considered vulnerable because they have been taken out of
their normal environment and are no longer allowed to manage their
own lives.
PDL voters tend to feel condemned, and thus, appearing to be lacking
of interest to socialize and to participate in activities such as voting
during elections.

Expected Conduct Toward PDL Voters Accommodation

• Welcome PDL voters in the Special Polling Places designated in
jail facilities or detention centers.
• Guide the PDL voters in the proper conduct of their voting by

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simplified and understandable instructions and laying down of

all essential rules in respect to the voting procedures.
• If a PDL voter is having difficulty in voting, understanding the
ballot, or in going through the election process, immediately
render assistance.
Respect
• PDL voters must be treated with respect due to their inherent
dignity and value as a human being. No prisoner shall be
subjected to, and all prisoners shall be protected from,
torture and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or
punishment, for which no circumstances whatsoever may be
invoked as a justification. The International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights mandates that all PDL shall be treated
with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the
human person.
• Creation or strengthening of ethical environment conducive
to prevent ill- treatment during the voting of PDL voters
by extending understanding towards PDL voters and not
discriminate them due to their status, hygiene and failure to
directly get the grasp of all the instructions, such as having
difficulty in voting, understanding the ballot, or going through
the election process.
Indigenous Peoples Sensitivity
A. Offer Assistance
• Help in locating their names in the voters’ list.
• Welcome and accommodate their assistor/s, if any.
• If an IP voter is having difficulty voting, understanding the
ballot, or going through the election process, immediately
render assistance and relay instructions on voting procedures.
B. Fostering Respect
• Do not discriminate.
• Do not comment on their hygiene.
• Do not shout at an IP voter.

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CONTINGENCY
PROCEDURES

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GENERAL PROCEDURES
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE EB AND
RECORDING IN THE MINUTES
To promote transparency and avoid
confusion or suspicion by voters
and watchers in the polling place,
the EB Chairperson shall announce
the problem and the contingency
procedures to be undertaken before
performing the procedures.

REMINDER: In ALL CASES, contingency measures and

procedures shall be undertaken by the EBs 1.) in the presence
of watchers, if any, and 2.) shall be noted in the Minutes.

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURE FOR THE CONDUCT OF

FINAL TESTING AND SEALING (FTS)
EMERGENCY CHANGE OF VENUE AND/OR SCHEDULE

Q: What should the EB members do in case there is a need

for an emergency change of FTS venue on the day that it is
scheduled due to security or other practical reasons?
A: The EB should immediately inform
the EO of the matter, who, in turn, shall
reset the date of the FTS the following
day, or if not possible, not later than
the day before elections. The EB should
record such incident in the Minutes.

ABSENT EB MEMBER ON FTS DAY

Q: What are the contingency measures to be observed in the
event that there is/are absent EB member/s on FTS Day?
A: In the event that there is an absent/incomplete EB on FTS
Day, the following contingency measures shall be observed:
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If only one (1) member of the EB fails to appear

during FTS, the other two (2) members of the
EB will continue with the conduct of FTS.
However, if the absent member is the Chairman,
one of the present members shall be designated
as the Acting Chairman for this purpose.
If two (2) or all of the members of the EB fail
to appear during FTS, the DESO will inform the
EO, who will determine the reason/s for their
absence.
a. If the EB has a valid reason for their
failure to appear, the FTS will be
rescheduled to another day by the
EO, subject to a 3-day notice to the
EB and other parties as provided
under Article IV, Sec. 17 of Resolution
No. 11076. Subject further to the
rule on notice within 24 hours if the
FTS will be conducted within 3 days
before election day.
b. If the EB cannot be located or has no valid reason for
their absence, EO shall proceed with the substitution of
EBs in accordance to Resolution No. 11076.

LATE ARRIVAL OF EB MEMBERS

Q: In the event that the EB members arrived late at their
designated precinct for the FTS, the following measures must
be observed?
If two (2) or more of the members of the EB
manifests their late arrival at their precinct,
this will be announced by the DESO at the
precinct and the EB shall proceed to conduct
their FTS immediately upon their arrival.

Reminder: The EB shall record such facts in the Minutes.

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FTS CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES

In the event that problems arise during the conduct of FTS in
the precinct level involving the ACM, the following measures
shall be observed:
I. NON-TECHNICAL ISSUES
A. Non-Delivery or Delay of the ACM during the FTS
PROBLEM: If there is Non-Delivery or a Delay in the Delivery of
the ACM during the FTS

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
The EB shall report this matter to the EO through the fastest
means available so that the EO can verify in his/her list the ACM
intended for the EB.
If found, the EO shall deploy the ACM to the EB.
If not found, the EO shall immediately call the Command-
Center to verify the shipment and the status of the delivery
of the ACM.
In case the Command Center confirms that there is just a delay in the
delivery of the ACM, the EO must determine if there is enough time
left to conduct the FTS within the day.
If there is, the EB shall proceed with the activity upon arrival
of the ACM and complete the same.
If there is not, EO shall reset the date of the FTS.
In either of the above scenarios, the EB, EO and the DESO shall
coordinate with each other towards the proper reporting to the
Command Center of the speedy delivery of the ACM needed or the
re-scheduling of the FTS.
The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

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B. Lacking/Missing Supplies or Items in the ACM Case during FTS Day

PROBLEM 1: FTS ballots in the ACM case are LESS THAN TEN (10)
PIECES BUT NOT LESS THAN FOUR (4) PIECES

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURE/S:
The EB shall note in the Minutes and proceed with FTS using the
available FTS ballots.

PROBLEM 2: There are less than three (3) FTS ballots in the ACM case.

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
1. The EB shall refer the matter to the DESO-TSS, who will report
the same to the NTSC.
2. The EB shall likewise inform the EO of the incident, and the EO
shall move the conduct of FTS to election day before the start
of polls.
3. If the FTS is set to be conducted on election day before the start
of polls, the EB shall conduct the FTS in accordance with the
prescribed procedure and shall utilize four (4) official ballots in
order to supplement the lacking ballots.
4. After the conduct of FTS, the EB shall retrieve all ballots from
the ballot box, mark across the face of the ballots the phrase
“FTS ballots” and place them inside the Envelope for Counted
Test Ballots, ERs and Other Reports.
5. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

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PROBLEM 3: All/Majority of EB Smartcard Security PINs/ Re-Zero

PIN are unavailable/denied.

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
1. The EB shall call the DESO – TSS, who will refer the matter to
the NTSC. The latter will then coordinate with the PMO Director
to authorize the issuance of the Smartcard Security Key PINs
within the day.
2. Once the Smartcard Security Key PINs/Re-zero PINs are issued
by the DESO – TSS, the EB shall proceed with the conduct of the
FTS. The DESO- TSS shall inform the NTSC if the newly issued
items were successfully used.
3. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

NOTE: If the new Smartcard Security Key PINs/Re-zero PIN cannot

be issued within the day, EO shall reset the date of the FTS with
notice to EB, political parties, candidates and accredited citizens’
arms as provided in Article IV, Sec. 17 of Resolution No. 11076, and
to post notice of the new schedule of the FTS within 24 hours
before its conduct.

PROBLEM 4: Smartcard Security Key/s is/are missing and/or defective.

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
1. The EB shall inform the DESO – TSS, who shall report this
incident to the NTSC and the EO as well.
2. Upon receipt of report, the NTSC shall refer the matter to the PMO
Director who shall authorize the issuance of the new Smartcard
Security Key/s to the EB.
3. The NTSC will contact the technical hub under its jurisdiction
to reconfigure the complete set of the main peripherals of the
Clustered Precinct ID.
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4. The technical hub shall perform the wipe-out process and the re-
configuration of the USB device/s and smartcard security key/s.
5. The technical hub will coordinate with the Election Officer or
any authorized representative, who will proceed to the technical
hub to retrieve newly configured smartcard security key/s as a
replacement for missing ones.
6. The technical hub shall only release the specific replacement
smartcard security key/s and turnover to the Election Officer or
his/her authorized representative.
7. The EB shall conduct the FTS upon receiving the replacements
for the missing/defective smartcard security keys.
8. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

PROBLEM 5: One or Both USB Device/s (Main or Backup) is/are

Missing

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
1. The EB shall report the matter to the DESO – TSS, who shall
coordinate with the NTSC and the EO. The NTSC shall then
determine if one or both USB/s device/s is/are missing.
If one of the USB devices is missing, the NTSC shall:
i. Determine the missing USB device and recommend to
the PMO Director the issuance of new and empty USB
device (Main or Backup)
ii. Inform the technical hub of the replacement of the
missing USB device.
iii. Confirm with the EO and the DESO - TSS on the
availability of the USB device for pick-up by the EO or his/
her authorized representative, at the technical hub.
If both USB devices (Main and Backup) are missing, The
NTSC shall:
i. Refer the matter to the PMO Director who shall authorize
the issuance of the new USB devices, ACM and its major
peripherals to the EB;
ii. Contact the technical Hub under its jurisdiction to
reconfigure the complete set of the main peripherals of
the Clustered Precinct ID;

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The EO shall:
iii. Bring all the main ACM peripherals (ACM primary, 4
smartcard security keys, 2 USB devices) to the technical
hub for the wipe-out process and reconfiguration of USB
device/s and smartcard security keys; and
iv. Turnover to the EB the new set of configured USB
devices, smartcard security keys, and wiped-out ACM.
2. The EB shall proceed with the FTS.
3. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

PROBLEM 6: Other items such as plug adapter, ACM power cord,

battery cable, rolls of thermal paper, checklist of the contents of the
ACM case, USB modem with sim cards, cleaning cloth, or marking
pens are lacking inside the ACM case

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
1. The EB shall inform the EO of the lacking item/s.
2. The PES or the EO, as the case may be, shall open one of the
contingency ACM cases in the presence of watchers, if any,
and shall get the items therein that are needed by the EB and
deliver the same to them within the day for the immediate
conduct of the FTS. The PES or the EO shall report the same to
the Command Center.
3. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

C. Discrepancy in Election Return (ER) and Manual Audit

PROBLEM: There is a discrepancy between the machine generated
Election Return and the manually prepared ERs.

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CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:

1. The EB shall sign the certification portion of both Election

Returns (ERs) and compare the results of the manually-prepared
ER with that of the machine- generated ER.
If the results of both ERs are not the same and to determine
the discrepancy, the EB shall:
a. Perform Ballot Review to re-appreciate the marks of the
scanned ballots; and
b. Manually examine the physical ballots to re-appreciate
the shaded marks, if necessary.
If the discrepancy persists, the EB shall call on the DESO -
TSS to report the discrepancy to the NTSC. The NTSC shall
determine the cause of such discrepancy based on the report
of the EB communicated through the DESO -TSS.
If the discrepancy is due to a defective ACM, the NTSC shall
recommend to the PMO Director for the replacement of the
defective ACM.
If the contingency ACM cannot be delivered to the EB on
the same day, the EO shall reset the date of the FTS on the
following day or on a date not later than the day before
election day.

NOTE: The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

D. Defective ACM/s for Reverse Logistics

PROBLEM: Reverse Logistics of Defective ACM/s

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
All ACMs that are declared defective during the FTS shall be
transported to their designated technical hubs for repair.

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II. TECHNICAL ISSUES

A. Diagnostic Test
PROBLEM: Defects or malfunction detected during the diagnostics test

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
1. The EB shall call the DESO - TSS assigned in the polling place
and shall take note of the defect or malfunction.
If the defect or malfunction cannot be resolved by the
DESO-TSS after using the troubleshooting instructions of
the NTSC, the latter shall recommend to the PMO Director
the replacement of the ACM or reconfiguration of the USB
device, as the case may be.
If the contingency ACM or reconfigured USB device cannot be
delivered to the EB on the same day, the EO shall reset the
date of the FTS on the following day, or if not possible, the FTS
shall be reset not later than the day before election day with
notice to the persons and offices concerned.
2. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

B. Corrupted or Detective USB Devices

PROBLEM: If both USB devices are corrupted or defective.

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
1. The EB shall report the matter to the DESO - TSS who shall
report this matter to the NTSC and the EO as well.
2. The NTSC shall determine if the main or backup USB device is
defective.
3. The NTSC shall recommend to the PMO Director the issuance of
a new and blank USB device (main and backup).
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4. The NTSC shall inform the technical hub of the replacement of

the defective USB device.
5. The NTSC shall confirm with the EO and the DESO – TSS on the
availability of the USB device for pick-up by the EO or his/her
authorized representative, at the technical hub.
6. The EB shall bring the defective USB device to the technical
hub and turnover said device.
7. Upon receipt of the new blank USB device provided by the
technical hub, the EB shall connect the new blank USB devices
(main and backup) to the ACM.
8. The ACM will generate a request code and will require a One-
Time PIN (OTP).
9. The EB shall inform the NTSC of the request code and the NTSC
shall provide the corresponding OTP.
10. Once the ACM validates the OTP, the ACM shall sync the data from
the ACM memory into both of the USB devices.
11. The EB shall proceed the conduct the FTS.
12. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES ON ELECTION DAY

In the event that problems arise during the conduct of FTS in the precinct
level involving the ACM, the following measures shall be observed:
I. NON-TECHNICAL ISSUES
A. Official Ballots
PROBLEM 1: Misdelivered Official Ballots

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
The EB shall:
1. Report the matter to the EO who shall inform the Treasurer’s
Office of the misdelivery of official ballots and seek assistance
to locate the correct ballots.
2. Announce the delay to the voters and watchers and proceed
with the preliminaries of voting while waiting for the arrival of
the ballots.
3. Record this matter in the Minutes.
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PROBLEM 2: Shortage of ballots in case the number of allocated

official ballots for a clustered precinct is less than the number of
registered voters in the same clustered precinct due to approved
requests for inclusion in the voters list

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
The EB shall:
1. Prepare the verified list of names of voters NOT accommodated
due to lack of official ballots.
2. Inform the DESO who shall coordinate with the EBs of the other
polling places with available ballots to allow the voters to cast
their votes.
In case of a mono-precinct barangay, the DESO/DESO
Support Staff shall confer with the EBs of polling centers in
nearby barangays under their jurisdiction.
3. Instruct said voters to vote in another polling place within the
same voting center under the guidance of the DESO/DESO
Support Staff.
In all the above scenarios, EB shall:
a. Record in the Minutes, the names of the voters; and
b. The EB with available official ballots shall also record in
the Minutes the names of the voters who were allowed to
vote in their assigned clustered precinct pursuant to this
rule and attach to the Minutes, the verified list of voters.

PROBLEM 3: Insufficient ballots delivered

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
The EB shall:
1. Report the shortage of ballots to the EO and shall proceed to
open the voting process. EO shall report the shortage of ballots
to the Command Center.
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2. Prepare the verified list of voters not accommodated due to

insufficient ballots delivered.
3. Inform the DESO who shall coordinate with the EBs of the other
polling places with available ballots to allow the voters to cast their
votes.
Depending upon the number of voters, the DESO shall distribute
them to various polling centers taking into consideration the
polling centers with expected low voter turnout.
4. Instruct the voters to vote in another polling place within the
same voting center, under the guidance of the DESO.
In all the above scenarios, the EB shall:
a. Record in the Minutes, the names of the voters; and
b. The EB with available official ballots shall also record in
the Minutes the names of the voters who were allowed to
vote in their assigned clustered precinct pursuant to this
rule and attach to the Minutes, the verified list of voters.

PROBLEM 4: There is a problem on the size/ width of the ballots, such

as the change in the size of the ballots due to weather, transport and
other conditions thereby causing issues on compatibility with the ACM.

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
The EB shall immediately report this matter to the EO, who in turn,
will contact the NTSC for guidance.

B. Missing Items in th ACM Case

PROBLEM 1: All or majority of EB Smartcard Security Key PINs are
unavailable or invalid.

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CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
1. The EB shall call the DESO – TSS who shall refer the matter to
the NTSC. The NTSC will then coordinate with the PMO Director
to authorize the issuance of the Smartcard Security Key PINs
within the day.
2. The EB shall wait for the Smartcard Security Key PINs to be
issued to them by the DESO - TSS and thereafter, shall proceed
with the conduct of the voting.
3. The DESO - TSS shall inform NTSC on the successful use of the
Smartcard Security PINs provided.
4. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

PROBLEM 2: If both USB devices are missing/defective/corrupted data.

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
1. The EB shall report the matter to the DESO - TSS who shall
report this incident to the NTSC and the EO as well.
2. The NTSC shall determine if one or both USB/s device/s is/are
missing.
2.1. If one of the USB devices is missing;
i. The NTSC shall determine the missing USB device and
recommend to the PMO Director the issuance of new
and empty USB device (Main or Backup)
ii. The NTSC shall inform the technical hub of the
replacement of the missing USB device.
iii. The NTSC shall confirm with the EO and the DESO - TSS
on the availability of the USB device for pick-up by the EO
or his/her authorized representative, at the technical hub.
2.2. If both USB devices (Main and Backup) are missing;
i. Upon receipt of report, the NTSC shall refer the matter to
the PMO Director who shall authorize the issuance of the
new USB devices, ACM and its major peripherals to the EB.
ii. The NTSC will contact the technical Hub under its
jurisdiction to reconfigure the complete set of the main
peripherals of the Clustered Precinct ID.

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iii. The Election Officer or his/her authorized representative

shall bring all the main ACM peripherals (ACM primary, 4
smartcard security keys, 2 USB devices) to the technical
hub for reconfiguration.
iv. The technical hub shall perform the wipe-out process
and the re-configuration of the USB device/s and
smartcard security keys.
v. The technical hub shall turnover the new set of
configured USB devices, smartcard security keys, and
wiped-out ACM.
vi. The EO, or his/her authorized representative, shall
turnover to the EB the new set of configured USB devices,
smartcard security keys, and wiped-out ACM.
3. The EB shall proceed to conduct the FTS.
4. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

PROBLEM 3: Missing USB Modem

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
The EB shall inform the EO and DESO - TSS of this fact. The latter
will then call the NTSC and request for issuance of the missing item.

PROBLEM 4: Other items such as plug adapter, ACM power cord,

battery cable, rolls of thermal paper, checklist of the contents of the
ACM case, USB modem, sim cards, cleaning cloth, or marking pens

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
The EB shall inform the EO of the lacking item/s. The PES or the EO,
as the case may be, shall open one of the contingency ACM cases
in the presence of watchers, if any, and shall get the items therein
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that are needed by the EB and deliver the same to them within the
day for the immediate conduct of the FTS. The PES or the EO shall
report the same to the Command Center.

C. Thermal Paper
PROBLEM: Insufficient thermal paper for vote receipts and printing
of audit logs and ERs

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
The EB shall:
1. Report this matter to the DESO who shall check with other
polling places for extra thermal paper and report the same to
the EO for reporting to the Command Center.
2. Retrieve from the contingency ACM case, the thermal paper
needed. The DESO may also.
3. Record this matter in the Minutes.

D. Marking Pens

PROBLEM: Marking pens are all out of ink or the pens are all missing

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
The EB shall:
1. Report this matter to the DESO who shall report the same to
the EO for reporting to the Command Center.
2. Use regular black ballpoint pen.
3. Record this matter in the Minutes.

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E. Fortuitous Events

SCENARIO 1: There is sabotage, explosion, equipment robbery, and

other similar circumstances

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
1. If required to leave the precinct, the EB shall report this to the
EO and immediately secure all equipment, election forms and
supplies, inform all political party representatives, citizens’ arms
and watchers present of the transfer or suspension of voting,
and then proceed with security personnel to a safer place.
2. If peace and order is restored, the EB shall conduct inventory of
all equipment, forms and election supplies. If there are missing
item/s,
3. The EB shall report to the EO and local PNP for proper
documentation and investigation. Thereafter, the EO shall call
the Command Center to inform about the missing item/s.
4. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

SCENARIO 2: There is a catastrophe like fire, flood, earthquake

and others, or by reason of emergency in the locality

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
1. If required to leave the precinct, the EB shall report this to
the EO and immediately secure all equipment, election forms

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and supplies, inform all political party representatives, citizens’

arms and watchers present of the transfer or suspension of
voting, and then proceed with security to a safer place.
2. The EO shall report this to the Command Center.
3. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

F. Absent DESO-TSS
PROBLEM: Absence of the DESO - TSS

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
The EB shall inform the DESO of the absence of the DESO – TSS,
who will inform the EO about the absence of the DESO – TSS.
The EO shall designate a substitute DESO - TSS and report this
substitution to NTSC for record purposes.

II. TECHNICAL ISSUES

A. ACM Replacement

PROBLEM 1: ACM is defective and contingency ACM at the OEO/

OPES or any spare ACM at the Technical Hub is available

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
1. The EB shall notify the DESO – TSS assigned in the polling
place and shall determine the cause of the malfunction.
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2. If the DESO - TSS cannot resolve the malfunction, he/she

shall report the same to the EO and NTSC.
3. The NTSC shall assist the DESO – TSS in troubleshooting the
ACM.
4. If after sixty (60) continued minutes of failure and non-
operation of the ACM despite assistance from the NTSC,
the latter shall recommend to the PMO Director for the
replacement of the defective ACM and authorize the EO or
the PES, as the case may be, to deploy a contingency ACM in
his/her custody for its immediate replacement. The EO, or
his/her authorized representative, shall retrieve the defective
ACM from the EB and bring the same to the technical hub for
repair.
5. Thereafter, the DESO - TSS shall perform the following
replacement procedure of the ACM:
a. Remove the 2 USB devices from the defective ACM.
b. Turnover the defective ACM to the Election Officer.
c. Once the replacement ACM is received, the EB shall
connect the 2 USB devices to the contingency ACM.
d. Turn on the ACM and resume the voting.
6. The DESO – TSS shall report to the NTSC the fact of
replacement.
7. While troubleshooting or seeking the replacement of the
ACM, the EB shall announce to the voters casting or waiting
to cast their votes that they have the following options:
To proceed in the casting of votes by shading their ballots
with waiver of their right to be issued a voter’s receipt.
In which case, these ballots shall be temporarily placed
inside the Envelope for Rejected Ballots, Half or Torn
Unused Official Ballots and Other Half of Torn Unused
Official Ballots, and Counted Official Ballots and which
shall be batch-fed by the EB before the close of the polls;
or
To wait for the ACM malfunction to be resolved or the
replacement ACM to arrive, for them to cast their votes and
personally feed the ballot in the ACM.
8. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.
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PROBLEM 2: ACM is defective and there is neither any

available contingency ACM at any OEO/OPES nor spare ACM
at the Technical Hub

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:

1. The EB shall inform the EO and DESO - TSS of this fact. The
DESO – TSS shall immediately inform the NTSC.
2. The NTSC shall instruct the EO or DESO-TSS to conduct
the basic troubleshooting procedures.
3. The DESO shall look for available ACM from other polling
place that had successfully completed all tasks in the
ACM.
4. The NTSC shall recommend to the PMO Director for the
replacement of the defective ACM using the ACM from the
other polling place. For this purpose, the EB that provided
the replacement ACM shall remove all USB devices and
place the same with the smartcard security keys and PINs
inside the envelope intended for the main USB device
(C.E. Form No. A18-B). The same EB shall make the proper
documentation of the turnover of the ACM and shall note
the same in the Minutes.
5. The NTSC shall inform the EB or the EO or his/her
authorized representative to bring the replacement and
defective ACMs including its peripherals to the technical
hub.
6. The technical hub shall turnover the functioning ACM
with the major peripherals to the Election Officer or his/
her authorized representative.
7. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

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B. Ballot Jams
PROBLEM: Ballot Jams

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
Scenario 1: If the ballot is visible in the ACM, the EB shall press the
ACM cover button (red button at the back of the ACM) and shall gently
pull out the ballot from the entry/exit slot, then close the ACM cover.
After the ACM has been cleared of the ballot jam, EB shall return the
ballot to the voter who shall re- feed the ballot to the ACM.
Scenario 2: If the ballot is rejected by reason that it has already
been counted, the EB shall open the ballot box and place the ballot
inside, in the presence of watchers.
Scenario 3: If the EB has difficulty or is unable to remove the ballot
from where it is jammed, the EB shall not force the ballot out of the
ACM but instead, call on the DESO - TSS to assist them in removing
the ballot.
Scenario 4: If the cause of the ballot jam is the improper stacking
of the ballots inside the ballot box, the EB, in the presence of the
watchers, shall open the ballot box, press the ballots in order to
make room for additional ballots, and thereafter, close the ballot box.
Reminder: In all cases, the EB shall ensure the secrecy of the ballot
and he/she must record this matter in the Minutes.

C. Rejection of Ballots after Initial Acceptance of Several Ballots

PROBLEM: Continuous Rejection of Ballots by ACM after Initial

Acceptance of Several Ballots

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CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
1. Before feeding the next ballot, the EB shall perform scanner
cleaning procedure. If after cleaning, the ACM still rejects the
ballot even after feeding in four different orientations, the
EB shall call the DESO - TSS assigned in the polling place to
determine the cause of the rejection of the ballots and perform
procedures to resolve it.
2. If the problem persists, the DESO - TSS shall report the incident
to the NTSC and seek further assistance on resolving the issue.
3. The DESO - TSS shall attempt to troubleshoot following the
instructions of NTSC.
4. If the continuous rejection of ballots by the ACM persists
despite assistance from the NTSC, the NTSC shall recommend
to the PMO Director for the replacement of the defective ACM.
The NTSC shall thereafter authorize the PES or EO, as the
case may be, to deploy a contingency ACM in his/her custody
for the immediate replacement thereof. The PES or EO or his/
her authorized representative, shall retrieve the defective ACM
from the EB which shall be brought to the technical hub.
5. Thereafter, DESO - TSS shall perform the replacement procedure
of the ACM. The DESO - TSS shall thereafter report to the NTSC
the fact of replacement. The same USB devices and smartcard
security keys shall be used
6. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

D. Hash Code
PROBLEM: The hash code of the ACM does not match the
published code based on the Final Trusted Build

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
1. The EB shall call the DESO – TSS to verify the hash code of
the ACM and compare it with what was published on the
COMELEC Website based on the Final Trusted Build.
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2. If the DESO -TSS finds out that the hash code does not match,
the incident shall be reported by the DESO – TSS to the EO and
the NTSC.
3. The NTSC shall recommend to the PMO Director for the
replacement of the ACM.
4. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

E. ACM Printer

PROBLEM: ACM Printer Issues

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
1. The EB shall call the DESO - TSS assigned in the polling place.
2. The DESO - TSS shall attempt to troubleshoot by performing
the following procedures:
Scenario 1: If the printer cutter is not in its normal position,
open the printer cover and check/adjust the placement of the
printer cutter.
Scenario 2: If the print on the thermal paper is not clear, open
the printer cover and wipe the printer head with the cleaning
cloth.
Scenario 3: If the thermal paper is not properly installed, check
the thermal paper and make sure it is aligned, and the thermal
coating of the thermal roll is facing downwards.
Scenario 4: If the problem persists, the DESO - TSS shall
report the incident to the NTSC and seek further assistance in
resolving the issue.
Scenario 5: If the ACM printer issue remains unresolved despite
assistance from the NTSC, the NTSC shall recommend to the
PMO Director the deployment of contingency ACM. The EO, or
his/her authorized representative, shall retrieve the defective
ACM which shall be brought to the technical hub.

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3. In the process of troubleshooting or the replacement of the

ACM, the EB shall announce to the voter casting or waiting to
cast their votes that they have the following options:
a. To proceed in the casting of votes by shading their ballots
with waiver of their right to be issued a voter’s receipt.
In which case, these ballots shall be temporarily placed
inside the Envelope for Rejected Ballots, Half or Torn
Unused Official Ballots and Other Half of Torn Unused
Official Ballots, and Counted Official Ballots and which shall
be batch-fed by the EB before the close of the polls; or
b. To wait for the ACM malfunction to be resolved or the
replacement ACM to arrive, for them to cast their votes and
personally feed the ballot in the ACM.
4. The DESO - TSS shall report to the NTSC and the EO of the
successful troubleshooting or replacement of the ACM.
5. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

F. Thermal Paper
PROBLEM: Thermal Paper Jam

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
The EB shall:
1. Open ACM printer cover and gently pull the thermal paper.
2. Reload the thermal paper or replace a new thermal paper
roll, if required, once the jam has been removed.
3. Call the DESO - TSS to assist in resolving the matter, if the
problem persists.
4. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

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G. ACM Screen
PROBLEM: Frozen ACM Screen

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
Scenario 1: If the screen is unresponsive to touch input or remains
static, restart the ACM by pressing and holding the power button
and wait for the ACM screen to initialize.
Scenario 2: If the ACM is still unresponsive, the DESO - TSS shall
report the same to the NTSC.
Scenario 3: The NTSC shall assist the DESO – TSS in troubleshooting
the ACM. But if the issue persists, the former shall recommend to
the PMO Director for the replacement of the ACM and authorize
the PES or the EO to deploy a contingency ACM in his/her custody
for its immediate replacement. The PES or EO, or his/her authorized
representative, shall retrieve the defective ACM from the EB which
shall be brought to the technical hub.
4. The DESO-TSS shall perform the replacement procedure of the
ACM. The DESO – TSS shall thereafter report to the NTSC the
fact of replacement.
5. In the process of troubleshooting or seeking the replacement of
the ACM, the EB shall announce to the voters casting or waiting
to cast their votes that they have the following options:
a. To proceed in the casting of votes by shading their ballots
with waiver of their right to be issued a voter’s receipt.

NOTE: These ballots shall be temporarily placed inside the

Envelope for Rejected Ballots, Half or Torn Unused Official
Ballots and Other Half of Torn Unused Official Ballots, and
Counted Official Ballots and which shall be batch-fed by the
EB before the close of the polls; or

b. To wait for the ACM malfunction to be resolved or the

replacement ACM to arrive, for them to cast their votes and
personally feed the ballot in the ACM.
6. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

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H. Power Source
PROBLEM 1: Power failure on Election Day

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
1. The EB shall ensure that the ACM is connected to the battery to
proceed with the voting.
2. The EB shall report the power failure to the DESO. The DESO
shall notify the EO who shall then report to the Command
Center of this fact.
3. The DESO shall inquire from the local electric provider on the
duration of power interruption and advise the EB on the matter.
If power cannot be restored by 5:00 o’clock in the afternoon on
election day, the EO shall provide alternative lighting provisions.
4. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

PROBLEM 2: The battery has been discharged after FTS

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:

1. The EB shall follow the instructions in connecting the ACM to

the battery and then to the electrical outlet if there is power in
the polling place.
2. In case there is no power in the polling place, the EB shall notify
the DESO - TSS who shall report the problem to NTSC and the EO.
3. The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

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I. Transmission
PROBLEM: Transmission Failure

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
1. The EB shall inform the DESO - TSS assigned in the polling place.
2. DESO - TSS shall perform the following:
Scenario 1: If the transmission media is a USB Modem:
Check if the USB Ports are working by performing USB ports
diagnostic.
Check if the USB Modem is properly connected to the USB port,
or insert the USB Modem to the other available USB port.
If transmission still fails, use the secondary sim card.
Scenario 2: If the problem is the transmission device, the EB may
use the transmission device from any of the other polling places
within the same voting center that has finished transmission and
attempt to re-transmit.
Scenario 3: If the DESO - TSS is unable to solve the transmission
failure, he/she will report the matter to the NTSC and ask for
assistance or other solutions to solve this issue.
Scenario 4: If there is weak or no signal, the EB shall perform the
following procedures:
Complete the printing of the remaining twenty-one (21)
copies of ERs and other reports.
Transport the ACM to the nearest voting center previously
determined by the EO where communication signal is strong
to attempt re-transmission.
If after three (3) unsuccessful attempts to re-transmit, the EB
shall proceed with the ballot review, printing of the audit log
and execution of the final backup function. The EB shall bring
the ACM case containing the ACM to the canvassing center. The
EB shall not remove the Main and Back up USB devices.
REMINDER: The EB shall EXPLAIN in writing to the BOC the reason
why they are not able to transmit.

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When transporting the ACM to the nearest voting center or canvassing

center, the EB shall ENSURE TRANSPARENCY in transporting the ACM.
In which case, the EB shall allow the watchers or any interested parties
to accompany the same. For security reasons, the EB may seek the
assistance of the members of the PNP and/or AFP.
The EB shall record this matter in the Minutes.

J. Execution of Final Backup

PROBLEM: Unable to execute final backup

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
The EB shall:
1. Check if one of the USB devices is a WORM capable USB, the ACM
will also display a message that the inserted USB devices are
both MAIN USB devices and the final backup will not proceed.
2. Verify if the date and/or time of the ACM is correct. If not, change
to the correct date and/or time and proceed to execute the final
backup of the ACM.
3. If the date and/or time of the ACM is correct, call the DESO -
TSS to report the problem, who in turn shall call the NTSC and
perform the procedure given by NTSC to solve this problem.
4. Record this matter in the Minutes.

K. Shutting Down the ACM

PROBLEM: The ACM does not shutdown

CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES:
The EB shall:
1. Press the power button at the back of the ACM.
2. Remove the power adaptor from the power outlet.
3. Disconnect the battery from the ACM.
4. Record this matter in the Minutes.
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