MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Philippines (PIA) – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it is ready and prepared for the conduct of elections in the Autonomous Region in Mus-lim Mindanao (ARMM) on August 8, 2011.

“As of this point in time, we could say that we are very much ready for the elections using the same technology used during the May 2010 national and local elections,” said lawyer Ray Sumalipao, director of Comelec-ARMM.

He said the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines will be re-used in the upcoming elections but with some innovations to respond to the shortcomings encountered during the May 2010 elections.

“At least now, we are aware of the problems and we already put in place the necessary measures to counter such problems come August 8,” he added.

Sumalipao cited the number of registered voters’ casting votes in one PCOS machine was one of the prominent problems during the May 10 elections.

He said that during the May 10 elections, a maximum of 1,000 regis-tered voters cast their votes in one PCOS machine, while this coming ARMM election only 600 registered voters will be casting their votes per PCOS machine.

Noting that few positions are at stake in ARMM elections, he is also confident that delays and crowding can certainly be avoided.

The Comelec-ARMM director, meanwhile, disclosed that the last day to constitute members of the board of election inspectors (BEIs) will be on May 25, 2011.

He said they will be using the same BEIs who served during the May 10 elections due to the fact that most of them or majority of them or at least two of the members in each board were already certified by the Department of Science and Technol-ogy (DoST).

“We are pretty sure that they are already knowledgeable of the operations of the PCOS machines and familiar with the technology but they will still go through the process of training and they will be certified again by the DoST,” he further said.

Meanwhile, after declaring a two-day extension in the filing of certificate of candidacy (CoC) for the August 8 elections in the ARMM, the Comelec said also yesterday it has accepted so far eight CoCs for regional governor, five for vice governor, and several others for the 24 legislative seats.

Sumalipao said the poll body has passed Resolution 9232 to extend until May 25 the five-day period for filing of CoCs to give aspirants more time to join the elections in deference to the “unique” geography of ARMM characterized by scattered islands.

Sumalipao said ARMM acting Gov. Ansaruddin Alonto Adiong was the latest to file his CoC at the Comelec regional office here Monday afternoon through lawyer Ernie Masorong, an in-cumbent ARMM Cabinet secretary.

He said seven other aspirants for ARMM governor filed CoCs earlier, namely: Rep. Balindong of Lanao del Sur; former Sultan Kudarat Gov. Pax Mangdadatu of Maguindanao; Alvarez Isnaji, Kadra Masihul, and Sahiron Salim of Sulu; and Ephraim Defino, Elsie Orejudos, and Elsie Orejudos of Maguindanao.

For ARMM vice governor, Sumali-pao said five aspirants filed CoCs. He named them as former Tarlac Gov. Margarita “Tingting” Cojuangco, Lanao del Sur former Gov. Basher Manalao, former Mayor Midpantao

Midtimbang and Shariffa Bago of Maguindanao; and Abdusakur Tan II of Sulu. (With a report from Ali G. Macabalang)