Commission on Elections Chairman George Garcia (INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA)
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is planning to tap the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to certify vote counting machines an ensure their proper operation ahead of the 2025 midterm elections.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia said this is the first time that they will not just solely depend on an internal certification for the vote counting machines.
“Nakiusap po kami sa Technical Evaluation Committee kung pwede pati ang DOST ay magconduct ng test sa ating mga makina,” he said in a press briefing on Saturday.
(We asked the Technical Evaluation Committee if DOST can conduct tests on our machines.)
Section 11 of Republic Act No. 9369 or the Election Automation Law of 2007 states that the Technical Evaluation Committee shall certify through a chosen international certifying body that the automated election system “is operating properly, securely, and accurately.”
Garcia said that having DOST check the software and hardware of the machines will serve as a counterpart to the duty of the international certification entity.
“Kung ano ‘yong kakayanan ng DOST, naniniwala tayo sa kakayanan ng DOST natin na magtest ng software lalong-lalo na ang hardware. Eh baka pwedeng ma-check para kahit papaano may counterpart, countercheck ang bawat isa, hindi lang ng international certification ng isang international certifying body, kung hindi ng DOST,” he added.
(We believe in the capabilities of DOST to test the software, especially the hardware. Maybe they can check so we can have a counterpart, countercheck, not just from the international certification of an international certifying body, but also from DOST.)
Under the RA 9369, DOST trains and certifies at least one member of the Electoral Board, composed of qualified teachers from the Department of Education, to serve as the information technology-capable person in utilizing the vote counting machines.
The Technical Evaluation Committee is composed of Comelec, DOST, and the Department of Information and Communications Technology.
When asked if the committee has responded to the request in tapping DOST for the certification, Garcia said in a viber message that “[o]rally yes all of the members. And the response was positive.”