Atty. Abigail Claire Carbero-Llacuna answers questions from the audience while Tamaraws simulate casting their votes on an automated counting machine. TAMang Boto
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC), in collaboration with Far Eastern University High School and TAMang Boto, conducted a series of events that equipped students the know-how and skills to vote in the upcoming 2025 local and national elections: the second run of the Register Anywhere Program at Nursing Building Room 101, followed by a Voter Education Seminar at FEUture Center Auditorium last Aug. 30.
The Register Anywhere Program had its first run last June 6 that allowed voting-eligible FEU students, faculty, and staff to register, and was conducted again a month before the deadline of registration for the 2025 midterm elections last Aug. 30. In the afternoon, the voter education seminar themed “Karapatang bumoto, simulan sa pagpaparehistro” allowed first-time voters to be exposed to the automated counting machines (ACMs) and become aware of what to expect during the elections.
FEU High School’s Director for Academic Affairs, Dr. Theofilo Bernardo L. Gonzales III’s opening message highlighted that voter’s education seminars are necessary to allow voters to make well-informed decisions, be aware of their rights as voters and protect these rights and be aware of the process of voting itself. “This is the focus of our session today: knowing the process, or more specifically the equipment used…so as not to void or stain your voice,” said Gonzales.
Atty. Abigail Claire Carbero-Llacuna and Atty. Joie Alphonse Geronimo—of the COMELEC’s Education and Information Department—gave a briefer on the ACMs, particularly what the key features of the current counting machines are compared to those used in the 2022 elections such as automated ballot reflection, touchscreens, camera for transparency and audit count, QR code in voter’s receipt reflecting image of ballot, voter’s receipt receptacle, and hard case for ballot box, among others.
After the discussion, the floor was opened for questions and simultaneously, Tamaraws participated in a simulation of voting using the ACMs where they shaded ballots and fed their ballots to the machine. The process of showing the results was also demonstrated.
After the demonstration, Carbero-Llacuna encouraged Tamaraws to be part of the campaign to educate voters. “We saw how enthusiastic you all were to learn about and experience using the ACMs. Hopefully, as you go home, you can help us and become—even informally—a partner of the COMELEC for our voter’s education and information campaign,” said Carbero-Llacuna in a mix of English and Filipino. “It is important that we are aware and informed so we can exercise our right to vote properly in the upcoming 2025 national and local elections.”
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