DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 4 August 2026) — Results from the first-ever Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections can be known as early as an hour after voting closes at 7:00 pm, Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said.
In a press conference at Aria Hotel and Residences on Tuesday, Garcia said winners for each parliamentary district may be identified in a “matter of one hour.”
“Even in the entirety of Bangsamoro, we can know who topped the votes for the political parties and sectoral organizations,” he said in Filipino.
COMELEC has allocated 7,000 counting machines for the 5,212 precincts, with an excess of 1,218 machines to be distributed at 10 per town.
“The machine can transmit the results in a matter of two minutes,” he said, this after the ‘crucial procedures’ have been done (namely, the destruction of the remaining unused ballots in front of poll watchdogs, representatives of political parties, and others and the 7:00 pm closing of the machines).
To support transmission, there will be one Starlink for every four precincts, Garcia said.
The Starlinks will be placed lower rather than as high satellites so data can be transmitted faster even with clouds present, Garcia said.
Garcia was earlier the keynote speaker at the 2nd Bangsamoro Parliament Speakers Bureau held in this city, where he spoke during the Training of Trainers on Bangsamoro Electoral Code.
In his speech, he said the polls will involve 5,212 precincts across BARMM. Teachers will be deployed as early as 2:00 AM to prepare for “early voting hours” from 5:00 AM to 7:00 AM, which will be exclusive for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and pregnant voters, along with their assistors.
He recalled that during these early hours in past elections, participation reached 4.3 million voters. “This is a big relief for them,” Garcia said, referring to the elderly who vote during the early hours.
Around 20,000 to 21,000 electoral board members, primarily composed of teachers, along with their principals and support staff, will undergo two weeks of training starting next week.
Three thousand police personnel from Regions 9, 11, & 12 will also be deployed and are required to be certified by Department of Science and Technology (DOST). (Razl EJ Teman/MindaNews)
