MAY POLLS. Pangasinan provincial election supervisor lawyer Ericson Oganiza in an interview with the media. Oganiza said they are all set for the May 9, 2022 polls. (PNA File Photo courtesy of Jerick James Pasiliao) MALASIQUI, Pangasinan - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Pangasinan will test and seal vote-counting machines (VCMs) on May 6 as it readies personnel and security plans in time for the May 9 elections. In a phone interview on Wednesday, provincial election supervisor lawyer Ericson Oganiza said the VCMs have arrived in the province and were stored in a secured place while they are waiting for the arrival of the contingency machines. There are a total of 3,339 VCMs for the province of Pangasinan. "There will be simultaneous nationwide final testing and sealing on May 6 for the Ilocos Region," he said. Oganiza said the electoral boards composed of teachers are also complete while they have also readied a list of substitutes in case there will be a need. "There are three electoral boards and support staff, technicians, and coordinating officers," he said. Oganiza said aside from the honoraria, transportation allowance, and communication allowance, among others, a coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) kit allowance was added to the benefits of the teachers who will serve in the elections. He reminded the public that the voting schedule will be from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Meanwhile, some 240 personnel of the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) and members of the PNP-Maritime Group have formally cast their votes during the first day of the three-day local absentee voting (LAV) on Wednesday. In an interview, PPPO director Col. Richmond Tadina said 230 Pangasinan police personnel have availed the LAV while 10 officers were from the maritime group. "Ito yung mga personnel namin na mula sa ibang mga probinsiya at bayan sa Pangasinan na naka-distino malayo kanilang lugar kung saan sila nakarehistro (These are personnel from other provinces and towns in Pangasinan who were assigned far from their polling precincts)," he said. Police officers were permitted to cast their votes earlier before the actual elections because they are the frontline security during the polls. Absentee voters cast their votes manually only for national positions: president, vice president, senators, and party list, and will turn-over over the ballots to the Comelec. The vote canvassing for the absentee voting will be done at the Comelec main office in Intramuros at 7 p.m., right after the closing of polling precincts nationwide. Aside from policemen, soldiers, some government employees, and media practitioners were allowed to participate in LAV. (PNA) }