DICT set to present new tech provider for 2022 elections

DICT Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. (Photo from his Facebook account)

MANILA, Philippines–Information Technology Secretary Eliseo Rio said on Tuesday the agency would present an alternative technology provider to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) within the month as part of the preparations for the 2022 elections.

This after President Rodrigo Duterte told Comelec to replace Smartmatic following the series of problems, including machine glitches, experienced during the midterm elections.

READ: Duterte tells Comelec: Dispose of Smartmatic

While Rio recognized Comelec as an independent body, he said that his department could still make recommendations regarding the matter.

“The President directed DICT to come up with options that can be used in future elections and of course we all know that… wag na ‘yung Smartmatic,” Rio said during a joint congressional oversight committee hearing at Senate regarding the automated elections system.

“We are going to come up with options for the consideration of Comelec so that it may be able to reach the next election. We will have options to be presented to the Comelec, this committee, and the people of the Philippines as a whole, maybe as early as before the end of this month,” Rio said.

Smartmatic is the provider of the vote counting machines (VCMs) for the Philippines’ automated elections.

Nearly 1,000 VCMs malfunctioned during the midterm polls this year while in 2016 national elections, only a total of 188 VCMs encountered problems. (Editor: Jonathan P. Vicente)

READ: 961 VCMs, 1,665 SD cards suffer glitches in 2019 polls — Comelec