DOST announces 94% passing rate in electoral board certification

MANILA -- Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato de la Peña on Friday announced the agency has recorded a 94.23-percent passing rate in the electoral board member certification.

"As of April 21, a total of 205,413 local electoral board members [who] will serve during the May 9 national and local elections completed the DOST electoral board certification. We recorded a 94.23 percent passing rate," he said in a taped report aired Friday afternoon.

These individuals, he said, took the theoretical and practical examinations about the parts and operation of a vote counting machine (VCM).

De la Peña also announced a 100-percent passing rate among special board of election inspectors (SBEI). There were 176 SBEIs assigned in polling precincts across the Asia Pacific, Middle East, Canada, Europe, North and Latin America, and Africa.

"They (SBEIs) have completed and passed the certification process," he said.

Meanwhile, de la Peña said the DOST will also partner with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the establishment of 84 technical hubs in provinces across the country.

Through the partnership, he said the DOST will deploy 115 IT personnel to man these hubs during the elections.

Republic Act 9369 mandates the DOST to certify electoral board members who will serve during the elections. (PNA)