Almost 500 Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) partner-beneficiaries from the town of Liloan, Cebu, learned how to use the Automated Counting Machine (ACM) during the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) voters education roadshow held on January 18, 2025, in Barangay Tayud.
The COMELEC organized the activity in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 7 – Central Visayas, which aims to orient the 4Ps beneficiaries on the features of the ACM and to enhance their understanding of the electoral process.
The ACM has advanced features designed to improve the voting experience and voter turnout, such as an optical mark reader and direct recording electronic, more than 14 hours of battery life, a 14-inch touchscreen, faster scanning speed, automatic receipt cutting, built-in voter’s receipt compartment, and accessibility features for PWDs.
“Ang importante nga akong nakat-onan nga mahimo kitang aktibo nga botante ug magbinantayon sa tanang kalihukan sa panahon sa eleksyon. Dili pud angayan nga ibaligya ang atong boto kay ato man kini katungod nga mopili kinsay angayan nga mahimong leader sa atong komunidad o nasud (The important lesson I have learned is that we should be active voters and we should be vigilant in all activities during election period. We should not sell our vote because it is our right to choose who will lead in our community and country),” said Christine Bantiwel, a 4Ps partner-beneficiary from Brgy. Catarman, Liloan, Cebu.
Christine also shared that the voting process will now be easy through the automated counting machine, and she hopes this will entice more voters to participate in the upcoming election.
“Di baterya na ang gamit sa atong ACM para iwas brown out sa panahon sa pagbotar ug makuha dayun ang resibo niini inig human sulod sa balota (The ACM is now battery-operated and will still be functional if there will be brownout during election time and you can easily get the receipt after you put the ballot inside the machine),” added Christine Bantiwel.
Aside from Liloan, a similar roadshow was also held in Tondo, Manila City, on January 11, 2025, and in Davao City, to be conducted on January 25, 2025, targeting 4Ps partner-beneficiaries.
The COMELEC will use the ACM in the May 12, 2025, national and local elections.
DSWD Field Office 7 Assistant Regional Director for Operations Juanito Cantero, COMELEC Commissioner Socorro Inting, and other COMELEC officials attended the activity.
In the coming months, the DSWD will also implement its election-related campaign, which aims to promote and strengthen active citizenship through the 4Ps monthly Family Development Session (FDS), with the active citizenship module highlighting the “Magbantay, Maki-alam, Makilahok sa Halalan” campaign.
The 4Ps, launched in 2008 and institutionalized in 2019 through Republic Act No. 11310 or the 4Ps Act, provide subsidies to identified poor households whose children received education grants to finish elementary and senior high school, health grants, and rice subsidies. ###
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