By MIKHA FLORES
PRINTING operators and Commission on Election employees arrived early at the National Printing Office (NPO) Monday for the printing of ballots that will be used in the May polls. However, they were mostly idle as the morning wait stretched into late afternoon when a single sheet was yet to be inked.
Commission on Elections Chair Sixto Brillantes Jr. said the delay in the printing of ballots was mainly due to the “preparatory testing” of ballot templates to ensure the printing will proceed smoothly.
NPO Assistant Director Raul Nagrampa said they expect to finish the printing by April 15, ten days earlier than the April 25 deadline set by Comelec. According to Nagrampa, the printer they leased can churn out one million ballots per day at a rate of 314 ballots per minute.