Miru promises smooth elections despite hitches

TECHNOLOGY service provider Miru Systems vowed seamless midterm polls despite interruptions in the production of peripherals. Temporary restraining orders by the Supreme Court resulting from electoral disputes have affected the production of election peripherals, including ballots. Miru Project Managing Director Andrew Shim said the company was coordinating with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the National Printing Office (NPO) to reconfigure timelines and maintain production efficiency. The revised contract includes the deployment of four additional machines from the NPO to supplement the two advanced HP printers provided by Miru Systems. The Comelec said that with the additional equipment, all ballots would be printed by April 14, 2025. "We all share the same goal of ensuring a smooth election for the nation, and we are confident in the NPO's ability to support this endeavor with their successful track record in previous Philippine elections," said Shim. "It is vital that the ballots are printed on schedule so we can deliver all peripherals to the different regions on time," he added. The NPO aims to produce 1.5 million ballots daily, including outputs from MIRU's state-of-the-art printers. The printed ballots will be verified by 800 Comelec officers and 20 Miru technical experts. Shim said Miru participated in mock elections to test the automated system, calling it "a great opportunity to identify areas for improvement." Meanwhile, 6 million ballots printed prior to the Supreme Court's issuance of temporary restraining orders have been delivered to the Comelec's warehouse in Sta. Rosa. They would be marked with updated serial numbers to differentiate them from newly printed ballots.