Eleven additional Starlink WiFi devices and solar panels were delivered at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) – Office of the City Director in Magsaysay Park here Thursday morning.
These equipment will be distributed in the first district (one in Barangay 19-B); six in the second district (Barangays Tapak, Salapawan, Mabuhay), and four in the third district (Barangays Tamayong, Mulig, Talandang, and Ladian in Marilog).
Except for those in the second district, each of the barangays will receive one WiFi device and solar panel set.
Barangay Salapawan will receive three sets, two in Tapak, and one in Mabuhay.
Lawyer Shajani Ebrahim, Comelec third district election officer, told reporters that these equipment were sent as requested.
“Sa amin sa third district, yung nilagay namin na mga locations, ‘yun na ‘yun na siya, okay na ‘yun sa amin (For the third district, we identified the locations),” Ebrahim said.
Just in case these devices will not work due to poor signal, Ebrahim said that poll workers can always go to nearby voting centers that have a good signal.
“If they cannot be able to transmit because of a lack of signal, or weak signal, they will try to transmit for three consecutive times. If wala talaga (nothing happens), they can go to the voting center na mayroong (with) signal,” Ebrahim said.
Transported by a four-wheeler truck bearing the name of Deep Sea Transport Services OPC, a company based in Muntinlupa City, the equipment arrived at 8:50 a.m., 50 minutes late from the prior notice issued by the Comelec and its contractor, iOne Resources Joint Venture (iOne JV).
The 11 WiFi devices augmented the 37 sets earlier deployed in this city, majority in the first district.
The 37 were part of the 340 Starlink WiFi device and solar panel sets found initially stored in a private property in Dumanlas, Buhangin District here last April 5. They were to be brought to the Davao del Norte Police Office the next day for safekeeping.
Ebrahim called on the voters to properly shade their choices and not to over vote so that their ballots will not be spoiled.
Earlier, the Archdiocesan Commission on Elections Monitoring Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting here found out during a test run that the automated counting machine would behave “inconsistently” when ballots are marked with “special characters” such as a check, letter X, dot, and vertical or horizontal lines. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)
