VOTING MACHINES | COMELEC picks South Korea-based firm to provide election system in 2025 polls

February 22, 2024 , 09:20 PM

By Clarist Zablan

(February 22, 2024) – The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) awarded an P18-billion peso contract to a joint venture led by a South Korea-based electronic voting system firm and three local partners to provide the automated election system in the upcoming 2025 national and local elections.

The poll body’s bids and awards committee has chosen a South Korean company, Miru Systems Company Limited, to supply the vote counting machines in next year’s elections. The award was confirmed by the Comelec in an em banc session.

Three Filipino companies – Integrated Computer Systems, Saint Timothy Construction Corporation, and Centerpoint Solutions Technologies, Incorporated – were part of the joint venture.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the award includes the lease of 110,000 machines and peripherals such as ballot boxes, laptops, and printing requirements for the upcoming elections. But the contract did not cover the transmission, which will be awarded separately, he said.

“After po kasi ng resolusyon, maglalabas po ang inyong lingkod ng tinatawag na notice of award na kinakailangan matanggap ng mismong Miru System at ng kanyang ka-JV or ka-joint venture na partner,” Garcia told reporters.

“Pagkatapos po noon magkakaroon pa ng – naku, mahaba ang balitaktakan – na tinatawag na contract negotiation.

Makikipag-negotiate po kami sa kontrata, ‘yung terms na nakalagay sa kontrata, mas mas maprotektahan ang interers ng sambayanan at yung kagustuhan ng Commision on Elections para sa maayos na halalan.”

Reacting to the Comelec’s move, Miru Systems assured the public that it will provide quality machines as the poll body inspects the mass production of their election systems.

“We also look forward to showing more members of the Filipino public how our solutions can help elevate the country’s democratic processes,” the company said in a statement.

Miru Systems was left as the lone bidder for the automated election systems after other potential bidders backed out and Smartmatic, which previously provided the automated election system in the Philippines’ past national and local elections, was disqualified by the poll body.

Local election watchdogs have expressed concerns over the controversies that have hounded Miru, which was reportedly linked to technical problems that caused delays in election processes in countries such as Iraq and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Miru, in media reports, have refuted the allegations against them.

(MM | With reports from Mon Gualvez, News5)

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