Comelec: DICT finalizing online precinct finder

Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez. INQUIRER.net file photo / CATHY MIRANDA

MANILA, Philippines—Four days before the May 13 elections, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is on the “final stages” of configuring the “online precinct finder,” the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Thursday.

“‘Yung precinct finder ngayon nasa final stages na siya,” Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said in a press briefing.

“Just a little bit of clarification, pagdating sa precinct finder ang sagot lang [ng] Comelec ay ang data. Pero ‘yung application manggagaling sa DICT. ‘Yan yung arrangement natin para masiguro na walang data breaches,” he added.

Jimenez said the DICT is working doubly hard to ensure that the feature will not become a “vector” for hacking the Comelec website.

The poll official is referring to the 2016 “Comeleak” data breach where the Comelec website was defaced and hacked, with sensitive voter information of over 77 million voters compromised and leaked on the Internet.

READ: Comelec to limit data on poll precinct finder to prevent another leak

Jimenez said they are hoping that the feature, which will be available at the www.comelec.gov, will go live by the end of the week.

“They [DICT] underwent testing yesterday, so may ilan pang tests na susunod. Mga dalawa pang test runs. Live na ‘yung beta pero hopefully ‘yung final version live na by Friday or Saturday,” he said. /jpv