Comelec discusses 2025 poll protocols with IT experts
MANILA, Philippines — The on Friday met with IT experts to set protocols for the conduct of the 2025midterm elections.
Comelec held a closed door meeting with the IT experts from media entities, election watchdogs, and majority and minority parties at the poll body’s Data Center 3 in Makati City.
According to Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia, the protocols are part of the election preparation once technical issues related to transmission of votes arise on election day.
“Maganda na may protocol tayo, para hindi magkakalituhan at hindi misinformed ang kababayan natin. Hindi nagkakaroon ng fake news o kulang pala yung binobroadcast o nilalabas,” Garcia told reporters in an interview.
(It is good that we have a protocol, for us to not be confused and misinformed. There will be no fake news or lack of information broadcast.)
Garcia said that the Comelec conducted a briefing on the new automated election system and other new features for the elections.
“Inannounce din natin sa kanila na ang Comelec ay magkakaroon ng sariling operations center with the results dyan sa mismong Chairman’s hall sa araw ng eleksyon upang maipakita natin yung tinatanggap na result mula sa presinto at yung update ng mga botong natatanggap mula sa presinto,” Garcia added.
(We also announced to them that Comelec will have its own operation center with the results at the Chairman’s hall on election day. It is to show the results and updates received from precincts.)
Garcia also explained that the automated counting machines (ACMs) will print nine election returns (ERs). After the last ER is posted outside the polling precinct, a dangle will be inserted to the ACMs to transmit results automatically.
The precincts will then send results to all the servers.
(Photo by Keith Clores/黑料社 trainee.)
Dominant majority and minority parties, accredited election watchdogs and media will have their own transparency servers for the 2025 elections.
The Data Center 3 houses the transparency servers of the dominant majority and minority parties, two accredited election watchdogs, and the media.
The servers will receive the electronically transmitted precinct results from the ACMs.
Garcia noted that the results are machine-readable only and the media, dominant parties, and citizens’ arms will need a program to convert the results into a human-readable one.
“Lahat ng mga server na tinatawag, mga box box po yan na mga machine, ay nakakulong sa parang hawla. Naka-lock, hindi pwedeng magalaw, walang pwedeng lumapit. Walang pwedeng magtouch sa server kapag siya ay inooperate,” Garcia said.
(All the servers, box-like machines, are stored in a cage-like container. It is locked and no one can go near them. The servers cannot be touched while they are operating.)
He added that only Comelec-accredited IT teams are allowed entry into the data center by presenting their end-user pass.
