1Sambayan launches HOPE app for protection of votes on May 9

Coalition 1Sambayan launches the HOPE app on Friday, April 22, 2022 (Photo from 1Sambayan)

MANILA, Philippines — Election coalition 1Sambayan on Friday launched its poll watchers’ campaign featuring a newly created mobile application that seeks to empower every Filipino voter to “guard and protect” the public’s votes.

During a media forum, the coalition introduced the HOPE (Honest Open Philippine Elections) app, which is now available for download on mobile phones for free.

“The purpose of the HOPE app is to empower every Filipino voter to protect not only his or her vote, but also the vote of all voters in his or her precinct. The voter will not only cast his or her vote, but will also ensure that all the votes cast in his or her precinct are not tampered with by hackers or cheaters,” 1Sambayan lead convenor retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said during the launch.

 “In summary, the HOPE app can make every one of the more than 64 million registered voters a guardian of the votes of all voters in his or her precinct. This, I personally believe, is a game changer in Philippine elections,” he added.

The app can be downloaded for free on both Google Play and App Store.

1Sambayan’s poll watchers’ campaign seeks to mobilize voters and volunteers to protect their votes through the app, which is developed by 1Sambayan and Cornerstone Technologies (CT).

 “The HOPE app takes advantage of a legal requirement in the Omnibus Election Code. The Code requires the third copy of the Election Return, signed by members of the Board of Election Inspectors, to be posted within the premises of the voting precinct so the public can view and take pictures of the Election Return,” Carpio went on.

 How to use

 “Once installed in a voter’s smartphone, the app is ready to be used,” Carpio said.

According to Carpio, the app can determine if the electronic transmission of election results from precincts to the local or national servers has been tampered with.

 “At the end of voting hours on election day on May 9, 2022, the voter will take a picture of the Election Return at his or her precinct – specifically the election results for the President, the Vice President and the Senators,” he explained.

 Those using the app can also take a picture of the system hash code found at the bottom of the election return, he added.

“If the System Hash Code does not appear at the bottom of the Election Return, that means the Operating System Code of the Vote Counting Machine has been tampered with. Any change in the Operating System Code, even a change in one letter or comma, will disable the System Hash Code and prevent it from appearing in the Election Return,” he said.

“The System Hash Code is the same for all vote counting machines nationwide and has already been made public by the Comelec,” Carpio added.

 The app, Carpio added, will automatically transmit all submitted pictures to the HOPE national counting center located at the iAcademy Auditorium in Makati City.

Carpio explained that pictures received from voters all over the Philippines “will be digitized automatically and the results will be counted per municipality, city, province and nationally.”

“So, the HOPE app is also a quick count app – quicker than any quick count in Philippine election history,” he added.

 Carpio noted that the results of the HOPE app quick count will be publicly available on the HOPE and 1Sambayan websites while the results are being tallied.

 “The 1Sambayan poll watchers will have these results on hand at the canvassing boards, whether at the Municipal, City or Provincial Canvassing Boards to ensure that all Certificates of Canvass issued by these boards are correct,” he said.

 “Any tampering of the electronic transmission of the Election Results from the precincts to the local or national servers will easily be discovered and exposed,” he added.

 Atty. Howard Calleja, 1Sambayan co-convenor, urged voters to install the app.

“With this app…every Filipino can be a poll watcher.”

For her part, Atty. Ria Villanueva-Dam of CT said the app will provide a comprehensive platform for voters, who want to raise their concerns during the election day.

“For the first time in Philippine history, a voter will be empowered to guard and protect his vote. For the first time, a comprehensive platform for voters, a secure communication channel supported by a full-fledged call center help line. Ready to address any issue or concern raised,” she said.

The app can be downloaded for free on both Google Play and the App Store.

gsg