THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, declared its readiness to protect the automated election system (AES) to be used in the forthcoming May 2025 polls against potential cyberattacks from foreign entities.
In a statement, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said they are ready to prevent possible foreign interference in the next national and local elections, as warned by the National Security Council (NSC) by having adequate features in the AES.
"The features and the wish lists that we included in the hardware, software, and transmission ensure the protection against any cyber attack," said Garcia.
Aside from having a secured system, he said they opted to have early preparations for the May 2025 polls in order to put in place enough time to test the technology.
"The reason why the preparation is early. Procurement is timely. This ensures that the system is tested and all security measures are put in place," the poll chief said.
He added they are also ensuring that Comelec personnel will be well-equipped to handle any potential issues they may encounter.
"The readiness of our IT personnel matters much coupled with our learnings from the past," said Garcia.
Nevertheless, he called on all election stakeholders to continue helping the Comelec secure the next electoral exercise.
"Most important of all is the support of all stakeholders in the electoral process and the critical collaboration with the electorate. Vigilance is therefore crucial," said Garcia.
The statement of the Comelec was issued after the NSC sounded the alarm over possible foreign interference during the 2025 midterm elections.
The Comelec is set to use for the first time the Full Automation System with Transparency Audit and Count (FASTrAC).
South Korean firm Miru Systems and its partner firms are set to be the AES service provider of the Comelec. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)