Contingency

Procedures
in Connection with the
May 13, 2019 National
and Local Elections
******Resolution No. 10497******
 Section 4. General
Procedures
1. EB/BOC Chairperson shall first announce
the problem, and the contingency
procedures to be undertaken, before
performing the procedures.

2. Contingency measures and procedures

shall be undertaken by the EBs/BOCs, in
the presence of watchers, if any, and
shall be noted in the Minutes.
Section 5. Contingency Procedures
(CP) Applicable to the VCM

A. VCM box has

NOT been delivered
during the FTS
1. Verification of the shipment shall be
made by the EB —> EO (Election
Officer) —> NCC (National Command
Center).

2. NCC shall inform EO of the status of

the delivery. If VCM will NOT arrive on
the scheduled FTS, EO shall re-
schedule the FTS to a date not later
than election day with notice to EB,
political parties, candidates and
accredited citizens’ arm.
B. VCM box has
lacking items
during FTS
B.1. FTS ballots are lacking
1. EB shall note in the Minutes and
proceed with FTS using the available
FTS ballots.
 B.2. No FTS ballots in the
VCM box
1. EB shall call EO.

2. EO shall inform NCC.

3. EO shall move the conduct if FTS on

election day with notice.
 Procedures
A. FTS should be conducted at least two (2) hours
before the opening of the polls.

B. Only three (3) official ballots shall be used for the

FTS.

C. EB shall retrieve the FTS ballots from the ballot

box. Mark across the face of the ballots the
phrase “FTS ballots” and place them inside the
Envelope for Counted Test Ballots, Mrs and
Other Reports.
 B.3. All/Majority EB
PINs/Passwords are
unavailable/denied
1. EB shall inform the DESO-TSS.

2. DESO-TSS shall refer the matter to the NTSC

—> PMO Project Director to authorize the
issuance of the PINs/Passwords.

3. EB shall use the PINs/ Passwords issued.

4. DESO-TSS shall inform NTSC on the

acceptance of the PINs/ Passwords provided.
B.4. All iButtons/SD Cards or majority
of the iButtons are unavailable
1. EB shall inform the DESO-TSS.

2. DESO-TSS shall report it to the NTSC and EO.

3. NTSC shall refer it to the PMP Projector Director who

shall authorize the issuance of the iButtons/SD cards
to the EB and advise NTSC on the action taken.

4. NTSC shall inform the EO of the status of delivery of

the iButtons/SD cards. If the same will not be
delivered on the scheduled FTS, it shall advise the
EO to reschedule the FTS to a date not later than
election day with notice.
B.5. Lacking item/s inside
the VCM box
1. EB shall announce to the watchers that FTS
shall proceed.

2. EB shall inform the DESO-TSS about the

lacking item/s.

3. DESO-TSS shall report the same to the

NTSC.

4. NTSC shall advise DESO-TSS the actions to

be taken.
 C. VCM
malfunctions
1. EB shall call the DESO-TSS assigned in the polling place.

2. DESO-TSS shall determine the cause of the malfunction

and solve it.

3. If not, the DESO-TSS shall report the incident to the

NTSC and EO.

4. DESO-TSS shall attempt to troubleshoot the VCM with

the help of NTSC support personnel.

5. After sixty (60) continuous minutes of failure and non-

operation of the VCM, the NTSC shall authorize the EO or
the authorized representative concerned for the
deployment of a contingency VCM for replacement.
6. EO must retrieve the contingency VCM from the Regional Hub
or other Hubs designated by the Commission and bring it to the
polling place to replace the malfunctioned VCM.

7. DESO-TSS shall perform the replacement procedure of the

VCM.

8. While waiting, EB shall announce to the voters casting or

waiting to cast their votes that they have the option to:

1. Proceed in casting their votes by shading their ballots

which shall be batched-fed by the EB before the close of
polls. In this case the EB shall inform the voters that this
constitutes waiver if their right to be issued receipt.

2. Wait for the VCM malfunction to be resolved or the

replacement VCM to arrive.
D. Defective main
and/or back-up
SD Cards
1. EB shall call DESO-TSS assigned in the polling
place.

2. DESO-TSS shall troubleshoot the VCM.

3. If still unresolved, DESO-TSS shall contact the

NTSC which shall authorize the EO to deliver
the Contingency SD card
 Procedures
1. If Main SD card is defective: While the VCM is off, the EB shall
remove the Main SD card from slot A and replace it with
Contingency SD card.

2. If the Backup SD card is defective: While the VCM is off, the EB

shall remove the Backup SD card from slot B and replace it
with the Contingency SD card.

3. If both are defective: DESO-TSS shall report such fact to the

NTSC and the EO concerned. NTSC shall refer it to the PMO
Project Director who shall then authorize the replacement of SD
Cards, iButtons and Passwords.

4. While waiting for to be resolved, the EB shall announce that

voting shall proceed in accordance with item C.8.
E. Ballot jams
1. If the ballot is VISIBLE in the VCM entry slot, the EB, in
the presence of watchers and the voter feeding the
ballot, shall gently pull out the ballot from the ballot entry
slot and allow the voter to re-feed the ballot.

2. If the ballot is NOT VISIBLE in the VCM entry slot, the EB

shall remove the VCM from the ballot box and retrieve
from the ballot box exit slot the ballot causing the jam.

2.1. After the VCM has been cleared of the ballot jam, the
EB shall install again the VCM on top of the ballot box and
return the ballot to the voter who shall re-feed the ballot to the
VCM. If the ballot is rejected by reason that it has already been
counted, the EB shall remove the VCM form the ballot box and
place the ballot inside the ballot box. Thereafter, install the
Vcm on top of the ballot box.
3. In case the ballot jam is caused by the improper
stacking of the ballots inside the ballot box, the EB shall
remove the VCM and shake the ballot box to make room for
feeding of additional ballots.

3.1. If there is a need to open the ballot box in order to make

room for additional ballots, the EB, in the presence of
watchers, shall open the ballot box, press the ballots in
order to make room for additional ballots, and thereafter,
close the ballot box.
F. Thermal
paper jam
1. EB shall open VCM printer cover and
gently pull the thermal paper.

2. Once the jam has been removed, the EB

shall reload the thermal paper or replace a
new thermal paper roll, if required.
 G. Continuous
rejection of ballots
by VCM after
initial acceptance
of several ballots
1. Before feeding the next ballot, the EB shall perform
scanner cleaning procedure. If after cleaning, the VCM
still rejects the ballot even after feeding in four different
orientations, the EB shall call the DESO-TSS assigned.

2. DESO-TSS shall determine the cause of the failure and

solve it.

3. If still unresolved, the DESO-TSS shall report it to the

NTSC to ask for proper solution.

4. DESO-TSS shall attempt to troubleshoot the failure with

the help of NTSC support personnel.

5. While waiting, voting shall proceed in accordance with

item C.8.
H. VCM printer
malfunctions
1. EB shall call the DESO-TSS assigned in the polling place.

2. DESO-TSS shall determine the cause of the problem and solve it.

3. If still unresolved, the DESO-TSS shall report it to the NTSC to ask for
proper solution.

4. DESO-TSS shall attempt to troubleshoot the failure with the help of

NTSC support personnel.

5. If failure persists:

i. During voting - while waiting, proceed in accordance with item C.8.

ii. After voting - Use the VCM of the nearby precinct utilizing the
main/back-up SD Cards and iButtons of the VCM with defective printer for
the printing of the ERs and other reports. If not practicable, the printing
shall proceed to the canvassing venue using another VCM upon the order
of the Chairman of the BOC.
I. Misdelivered
Official Ballots
1. EB shall call the EO who shall then verify the Treasurer’s
Office about the misdelivery of ballots.

2. If the misdelivery is within the same

city/municipality/district, the EO shall direct the
city/municipal Treasurer to resolve the misdelivery. EO
shall report the matter to NCC.

3. If the misdelivered ballots belong to a different

city/municipality, the EO shall report the matter to the
NCC for proper disposition.
J. Power failure
on election day
1. EB shall ensure that the VCM is connected to the battery
and report the power failure to the EO.

2. EO shall inquire from the local electric provider on the

duration of power interruption and advise the EB on the
matter. If power cannot be restored by 5 o’clock in the
afternoon on election day, the EO shall provide lighting
facilities.
 K. Battery has
been
discharged after
FTS
1. EB shall connect the battery to the VCM to charge it if
there is power in the polling place.

2. In case there is no power in the polling place, EB shall

notify the DESO-TSS who shall report the problem to
NTSC and EO.
L. Date and/or time of
the elections as
reflected on the VCM
scree, ERs and other
reports are incorrect
1. EB shall inform watchers present of the incorrect date
and/or time of elections.

2. EB shall note in the minutes that the data and/or time are
incorrect and the watchers were duly informed thereof.
 M. Re-
transmission
failed after three
(3) attempts
1. EB shall call the DESO-TSS assigned.

2. DESO-TSS shall determine the cause of the problem, and

solve it depending on the transmission media available.

3. If still unresolved, report the incident to the NTSC to ask

for the proper solution.

4. DESO-TSS shall attempt to troubleshoot the transmission

failure with the help of NTSC support personnel.

5. If the problem is the transmission device, the EB can

request a transmission device from any of the other
polling places within the same voting center that has
finished transmission and attempt to re-transmit.
6. If the failure persists, the EB shall transport the VCM to
the nearest voting center previously determined by the EO
where the communication signal is strong, or to the
canvassing venue, as the case may be, to attempt re-
transmission.

If re-transmission in the nearest voting center fails, the EB

shall proceed to the canvassing venue for another re-
transmission. If the re-transmission still fails, the BOC
Chairperson shall manually upload the data from the main
SD card to the CCS laptop.

For this purpose, the EB shall complete first all printing and
post-election activities except the printing of audit log and
execution of “write protect” function before transporting the
VCM to the nearest Voting Center to Canvassing venue.
7. Reminder to the EBs: When transporting the VCM to the
nearest voting center or canvassing venue, the EB shall
allow the watchers to accompany the same. In no case
shall the VCM be transported without the presence of the
members of the PNP/AFP.
Q. No DESO-
TSS in place
1. EB shall inform the DESO of the absence of the DESO-
TSS.

2. DESO shall inform the EO about the absence of the

DESO-TSS.

3. The EO shall designate a substitute DESO-TSS.

Section 6. Contingency Procedures (CP)
Applicable to the
Provincial/District/City/Municipal Board
of Canvassers

A. Consolidation
and Canvassing
Systems (CCS)
malfunctions
1. BOC shall direct the CCSO to repeat the turn-off and
turn-on procedure.

2. If the problem persists, the CCSO shall call the NTSC for
authority to use the contingency CCS laptop.

3. CCSO shall take the contingency CCS laptop.

4. CCSO shall turn off the defective CSS laptop.

5. CCSO shall remove the SD card from the defective CCS

laptop.

6. CCSO shall place the contingency CCS laptop in the

designated place in the canvassing venue.
7. CCSO shall insert the SD card into the contingency CCS
laptop.

8. CCSO shall connect the contingency CCS laptop to the

main power source and turn it on.

9. CCSO shall store the defective CCS laptop in its original

packaging and turn-over to the BOC.

10. CCSO shall call NTSC and inform about the acceptance
of the contingent CCS laptop.
 B.
Brownout/Blacko
ut in the
canvassing
venue
1. BOC shall call the NCC.

2. NCC shall record the location and ask the BOC to

perform the following procedures:

i. Check the status of the generator set: gasoline level

and cable connections;

ii. Start-up the generator set: check for the activity

indicator in the generator set;

iii. Unplug the CCS laptop adaptor from the external

electricity source, and plug the same in the generator set
outlet;
 iv. Continually check status of the external electricity
source;

v. When the external electricity source is back, unplug

the CCS laptop adaptor form the generator set and connect it
to the external electricity power source;

vi. Call the NTSC indicating the status of the CCS; and

vii. Record the new status in the Minutes.