AHEAD of the September 14 Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has secured the required certification for its automated election system (AES) from the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC).
In an interview, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the commission secured the TEC certification last week, as mandated by Republic Act 9369, or the Poll Automation Law.
“We have already received the certification from the Technical Evaluation Committee. Some may forget that this is an automated election,” Garcia said.
“The machines and system we used in the May 2025 polls still require certification by the Technical Evaluation Committee. The TEC issued this certification last week,” he added.
Under the law, the TEC must certify and categorically state that the AES, including its hardware and software components, is “operating properly, securely, and accurately” in accordance with the provisions of RA 9369.
The Comelec is set to use the same automated counting machines (ACMs) used in the May 2025 midterm polls, numbering 6,440 units, for the BPE.
With the TEC certification, the poll chief said the commission is prepared to hold the BPE on September 14.
“It means just one thing: the Comelec is fully prepared (for the BPE),” Garcia said.
Proof of this, he said, is the prepositioning of the voting machines for the BPE.
“They are already at the provincial hubs. Before the month ends, all election documents and paraphernalia will be distributed to the municipalities,” Garcia said. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)
