MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has reaffirmed that the 2028 national and local elections will push through despite speculations as it started drafting the terms of reference (TOR) for the automated election system (AES), particularly on the use of the automated counting machines (ACMs).
The Comelec on Tuesday held a stakeholders’ forum as it presented the draft of the TOR for the AES of the 2028 elections, such as ACMs, transmission devices, and other election materials. Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said that while it is not yet final, this initiative proves that the poll body is already preparing for the elections.
“This is our announcement to the world, to our fellow Filipinos that the 2028 elections will push through. The Comelec will not push to this extent and ask for the time of our stakeholders if we are not planning for the elections,” Garcia told reporters in an interview.
READ: Impeachment proceedings won’t affect 2028 poll preparations — Comelec
Republic Act (RA) No. 9369 or the Amendment of Automated Election System Act defines the AES as a “system using appropriate technology which has been demonstrated in the voting, counting, consolidating, canvassing, and transmission of election result, and other electoral process.”
Garcia also said that by inviting stakeholders to the forum, they will be given two weeks to submit their suggestions before the poll body finalizes the draft of the TOR. He added that political parties will also be given the opportunity to provide their comments on the said TOR.
“We don’t want anyone to doubt our process. We don’t want to be questioned by our fellow Filipinos, especially our stakeholders. We want to be as transparent as possible,” he noted.
With this, Garcia shared that the Comelec wants “heavy duty” ACMs in the elections as the poll body estimated that around 125,000 machines will be used due to increase in registered voters and contingency measures.
READ: Comelec on Sara Duterte ‘prayer’: No doubt 2028 elections will happen
He also said that the poll body is eyeing the start of the procurement process for the transmission of results and online voting and counting system (OVCS) by July this year. He pointed out that while there is a pending case of online voting before the Supreme Court, it has not yet received a temporary restraining order.
He added that it is planning to start the procurement process for the ACMs around August or September this year so they can award the bidding to the winning provider or supplier by January or February next year. He noted that this is to ensure that the machines will be made according to their terms, and will be delivered next year for them to conduct necessary tests.
South Korean-based Miru Systems secured a P17.9-billion contract with the Comelec for over 110,000 ACMs used in the 2025 midterm elections. The joint venture of Ardent Networks and iOne Resources provided the transmission services while the OVCS was awarded to the JV of SMS Global and Sequent Tech Inc. in the last elections.
In a separate interview, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICt) Secretary Henry Aguda lauded the Comelec’s early preparations.
Under RA No. 9369, the Comelec is mandated to create an advisory council, which consists of the poll body, the DICT, Department of Science and Technology, and the Department of Education.
“We will closely work together to ensure our Constitutional mandate and to make sure that the 2028 elections will push through,” Aguda said.
He noted that the agency acquired technology to protect not just the elections, but the other government infrastructures. He added that the technology provider for the 2028 elections must prove its capability, credibility, and previous experiences.
“We will continue to be vigilant in terms of looking out for new ways to improve and secure the 2028 elections. And that is also our advice to the public, because the elections are for our own sake,” Aguda added. /das
The post Comelec reaffirms: 2028 elections to push through; preps still ongoing appeared first on Inquirer.net.
