Commission on Elections (COMELEC) – Page 4

COMELEC claims that Miru Systems is ready to deliver 110,000 automated counting machines for 2025 national & local elections

June 19, 2024June 13, 2024carlocarrasco

With the 2025 national and local elections happening less than a year from now, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced that the contracted provider Miru Systems is ready to deliver more than one hundred thousand automated counting machines (ACM) for the said polls, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Garcia on Wednesday said the Miru Systems is ready to deliver the 110,000 automated counting machines (ACMs) for the 2025 mid-term elections.

Garcia made the remark after he and other Comelec officials visited on Monday the facilities of Miru, a South Korean firm contracted to provide the automated technology for next year’s polls.

“Kuntento at satisfied ang Comelec sa nakikita namin so far. Hindi po tayo nagkamali nung nabigay natin ang award kay Miru (The Comelec is satisfied with what we see so far. We did not make a mistake when we gave the award to Miru),” Garcia said in a statement.

Last Feb. 22, the Comelec awarded the full automation system with transparency audit/count (FASTrAC) project to the joint venture of Miru Systems Co. Ltd., Integrated Computer Systems, St. Timothy Construction Corporation, and Centerpoint Solutions Technologies, Inc. (MIRU-ICS-STCC-CPSTI).

Garcia thanked the South Korean company for showing the Comelec team how the manufacturing will be done. Miru Systems was the lone bidder for the lease of FASTrAC project worth PHP17.9 billion.

“Napatunayan natin na ang Miru talaga ay isang manufacturing company ng mga automated counting machines dahil nakita natin lahat ng mga makina na ginawa nila at ginamit para sa ibang bansa (We have proven that Miru is actually a manufacturing company of automated counting machines because we have seen all the machines they made and use for other countries),” he said.

“Nakita din namin na handang-handa sila na talagang ideliver sa atin yung 110,000 machines na kakailanganin natin sapagkat on-time at yung timeline nila ay sadyang sinusunod. Nakita din natin kung gaano kagaling ang kanilang mga technicians at engineers habang ginagawa nila ang makina (We also saw that they are ready to actually deliver to us the 110,000 machines that we will need because they are on-time and their timeline is being followed. We also saw how good their technicians and engineers are while they are building the machine),” he added.

Miru officials headed by chief executive officer Jin-Bok Chung and vice president for Overseas Sales Ken Cho welcomed the Comelec officials and other stakeholders.

“We are honored to welcome Comelec Chair George Garcia, Commissioners Nelson Celis and Aimee Ferolino, and all other important stakeholders from the Philippines to oversee these early stages of production,” Cho said.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for us to show the status of the ongoing customization of the machines according to the needs of the Filipino people to all stakeholders, including the Philippine Computer Society, KBP (Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas), and other media friends,” he added.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think Miru Systems will be able to deliver all the ACMs needed for the 2025 national and local elections?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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COMELEC-led plebiscite in Las Piñas City set for June 29, 2024

June 9, 2024June 9, 2024carlocarrasco

Residents of the City of Las Piñas will be voting in a plebiscite – to be conducted by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) – to approve or reject an ordinance that will set the territorial boundaries of all barangays on June 29, 2024, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. Voting hours will be from 7AM to 3PM.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will conduct a plebiscite to allow Las Piñas City residents to vote for or against an ordinance that sets the territorial boundaries of the 20 barangays in the city on June 29.

City Ordinance No. 1941-23 Series of 2023 delineates the territorial boundaries of the 20 barangays in the city in accordance with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) cadastral survey that was completed in March 2015.

The ordinance states that since the creation of the barangays in 1978, “the territorial metes and bounds of the said barangays have not been properly identified such that there are barangays whose land areas are not contiguous and/or overlapping with another barangay.”

“Moreover, confusion in the territorial boundaries of the barangays is being encountered which could cause disputes, or be subject of disputes, especially since the cadastral mapping in 1980 for the barangays conflicted with the boundaries as set forth in the Presidential Decrees,” the ordinance states.

The local government offices in Las Piñas and several national government agencies such the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Budget and Management, Philippine Statistics Authority, and the Comelec will be given three years from the ordinance’s ratification to make appropriate changes in their respective records to conform with the new boundaries and jurisdictions of the barangays.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Were you able to check if your name was included in the official list of voters for the plebiscite? Will you be voting on June 29?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

COMELEC eyes prohibition on the use of AI and deepfake technology during 2025 election campaign period

June 5, 2024May 29, 2024carlocarrasco

With the next local and national elections set for May 2025, local authorities will have to work harder to preserve election integrity and Philippine democracy itself as more people and even companies are using artificial intelligence (AI) and deepfake technology on their projects. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is eyeing a ban on AI and deepfake technology, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is looking into prohibiting the use of deepfake technology and artificial Intelligence (AI) during the campaign period for the May 2025 midterm polls.

In an interview Wednesday, Comelec chairman George Garcia said the measure is timely as these technologies might create confusion among voters.

“Maganda mapag-usapan na kung dapat ipagbawal ang paggamit ng AI or deepfakes sa kampanya. Dapat ‘yung makatotohanan na kampanya. Kukumbinsihin ko ang ating Commission en banc na ipagbawal namin sa campaign ang paggamit ng deepfakes at Al sapagkat madami po ang nalilito, misrepresentation, madaming hindi makatotohanan na nangyayari kapag ginagamit po ‘yan (It would be good if we can tackle the ban on the use of AI or deepfakes in election campaign. Campaign should be realistic. I would convince our Commission en bacn to ban the use of deepfakes and AI in election campaign because many are being confused and it can cause misrepresentation. We are veering away from reality if we use these),” he said.

Deepfakes are an advanced form of digital content manipulation through generative AI, where a person in an image or video is swapped with another person’s likeness.

Garcia said personal interactions between poll bets and the electorate is much better than communicating using new techonologies.

“Alam po natin ang (We are aware of) modern technology. Bakit ba hindi? Subalit dapat po, kapag kampanya, ikaw mismo ang nakikita ng sambayanan. Ikaw mismo ang nanliligaw sa kanila. (Why not? But during campaign period, you the candidate should be visible to the people. You should court them personally),” he said.

Garcia, however, said he is open to the ideas of other members of the en banc who would like to allow AI use during campaign.

”Kaya lang sa ating palagay, masyado itong threat sa ating demokrasya, sa tunay na dapat ginagawa kapag halalan at may kampanya (But in my view, this is a big threat to our democracy, to the reality of what should be done during elections and campaign),” he said.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you concerned that AI and deepfake technology will be abused by people who have cruel intentions to ruin Philippine democracy as we know it? Do you think antagonistic forces like China (which has been in conflict with the Philippines on the sea west of our country) will use AI and deepfake technology to mess with future elections in our country? Are you aware that AI has no soul? Would you vote for candidates who use deepfake technology during the election campaign period?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Over 4 million voters delisted by COMELEC

May 28, 2024May 17, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced that more than four million voters were removed from the official record of voters which is the result of voters failing to vote in two successive elections or for other reasons, according to a GMA Network news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA news report. Some parts in boldface…

Some 4.2 million names have been removed from the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) official list of voters, Unang Balita reported on Friday.

Most of those delisted were from Region IV-A (Calabarzon).

Reasons for the delisting were failure to vote in two successive preceding regular elections, by court order, loss of Filipino citizenship, and having non-valid documents.

Comelec earlier said that as of May 5, 2024, more than 2.5 million new voters were already registered for the 2025 national and local elections, nearing the three million target set by the poll body.

The voter registration period for the May 2025 midterm polls started on February 12, and will end on September 30, 2024.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you anyone in your local community who got delisted by the COMELEC? Are many members of your local community aware of the ongoing voters registration process? Do you find it surprising that most of the 4.2 million voters who were taken off the official list were from the CALABARZON region?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Almost 2.5 million voter registrants for 2025 elections counted by COMELEC

May 13, 2024May 1, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced that almost 2.5 million people submitted applications as registered voters for the next national and local elections of 2025, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. People still have until September 30, 2024 to register.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

Over 2.4 million Filipinos have already submitted applications as registered voters for the May 2025 midterm polls.

Latest data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) showed there are now 2,473,922 individuals who filed their applications since the start of the resumption of registration activities last Feb. 12 until April 29.

In an interview Tuesday, Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said these figures indicate they are “on the right track” in achieving their target of 3 million voter registrants.

He attributed the high number of applicants to Filipinos who would like to exercise their right to suffrage.

“Each Filipino now values the importance of voting more than ever,” Laudiangco said.

Of the number, Region 4-A (Calabarzon) still has the most number of applicants with 454,313; followed by the National Capital Region with 367,869; and Region 3 (Central Luzon) with 286,190.

Meanwhile, Region 7 (Central Visayas) has 176,584; Region 11 (Davao Region), 135,654; Region 6 (Western Visayas), 129,711; Region 10 (Northern Mindanao), 121,982; Region 5 (Bicol Region), 103,399; and Region 12 (Soccsksargen), 102,598 were the other areas with more than 100,000 applicants.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are there many young adults or adults in your local community who intend to get registered with the COMELEC but have yet to do so?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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COMELEC wants credible 2025 National and Local Elections, will enforce law against those who commit poll sabotage

March 20, 2024March 11, 2024carlocarrasco

Now that the P17.99 billion contract with new provider Miru Systems has been signed, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced that it aims to ensure the integrity of the 2025 National and Local Elections and they will not hesitate to apply the full extent of the law against those who intend to commit irregularities and poll sabotage, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news report. Some parts in boldface…

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday warned it would not hesitate to apply the full extent of the law to those who are out to jeopardize the country’s electoral process.

Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia issued the warning during the signing of the contract for the Full Automation System with Transparency Audit/Count (FASTrAC) project with officials of South Korean firm Miru Systems Inc., headed by president Jinbok Chung, its service provider for the next polls.

Garcia said electoral sabotage is a non-bailable offense and can be meted with a penalty of life imprisonment under Republic Act 9369 or the Election Automation Law of 2007.

He also warned Miru and its Filipino partners against politicians and political parties who might approach them to rig the polls.

“Inemphasize ko sa kanila, kung kaya nyo gawin yan, huwag na huwag nyo gawin yan under the present leadership of this Commission. We want ang pinaka maayos na elections, credible, pinaka pinagkakatiwalaan election ng 2025. Sabi ko kung gusto nyo pa mag participate sa mga susunod na procurement ng Comelec, ayusin nyo 2025 elections (I emphasized to them ‘if you can do that, never do that under the present leadership of the commission. We want the 2025 elections to be most organized, credible and reliable. I told them, ‘if your want to participate in future procurements of the Comelec, make sure that the 2025 elections would be smooth),” he added on the sidelines of the signing rites.

The poll body chief also said Miru must prove to Filipinos that it deserves to bag the poll automation deal by establishing a highly credible and transparent system.

At the same time, Garcia acknowledged the support of the South Korean government for the poll automation project.

“We are pleased with the presence of the South Korean ambassador (Lee Sang-hwa) because it proves that he is supportive of this endeavor and we can trust the company that we have as partners simply because the government of Korea is very supportive of this endeavor,” he said.

Hackers – Garcia, meanwhile, said they are coordinating with law enforcement authorities against hackers who might manipulate the polls.

“Sumulat na kami sa National Bureau of Investigation asking for assistance para maaresto or mapigilan mga taong ito. So siguro napreempt na kanilang plano (We have sent a request to the NBI asking them to arrest or prevent these people from carrying out their illegal acts. I think their plans were preempted),” he said.

The poll body is looking to start the customization of the automated counting machines (ACMs) next month. Garcia said this customization process usually takes six months.

“If we can have it shortened, it would be better. But in our experience, it’s really six months. If we start by April, six months from April. We have two months for international certification and one month for source code review,” he added.

Meanwhile, Chung vowed they would comply with the rules set by the Philippine government.

“Our goal is also to build up our company and to expand and we’re looking towards the future. We will not do anything that will jeopardize our future and also the election process of the Philippines. We promise, we can guarantee that we will be transparent all throughout the process. We will abide by the rules of the Comelec, of this nation,” Chung said in Korean and was translated to English by Miru overseas sales representative Jason Lee.

Under the contract, the joint venture (JV) of Miru Systems Co Ltd, Integrated Computer Systems, St. Timothy Construction Corporation, and Centerpoint Solutions Technologies, Inc. (MIRU-ICS-STCC-CPSTI) will provide 110,000 ACMs, ballot boxes; laptop and printer; and ballots.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction about this recent development? Do you think Miru Systems will remain laser focused on doing its part in the contract and help the COMELEC preserve the integrity of the 2025 National and Local Elections? Do you think Miru Systems will do a better and more efficient job than Smartmatic?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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COMELEC and Miru Systems sign P17.99 billion contract for 2025 automated poll system

March 19, 2024March 11, 2024carlocarrasco

Once the 2025 National and Local Elections here in the Philippines finally happen, expect to see some differences when voting as the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and new provider Miru Systems Company Limited signed the P17.99 billion contract for the procurement of a new automated election system (AES) related to the said polls, according to a GMA Network news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA Network news report. Some parts in boldface…

The Commission on Elections and South Korean company Miru Systems Company Limited on Monday signed the contract for the procurement of a new automated election system (AES) for the 2025 national and local elections.

The P17.99-billion contract will cover around 110,000 machines and peripherals including ballot boxes, laptops, and other printing requirements for the 2025 elections.

Miru is joined by Integrated Computer Systems and St. Timothy Construction Corporation and Centerpoint Solutions Technologies, Inc. in the joint venture for the Comelec procurement.

The signing was led by Comelec Chairman George Garcia, Comelec Commissioner Rey Bulay, and Miru President Chung Jin Bok.

This came more than two weeks after Comelec announced that it awarded the contract to Miru, the lone bidder for the procurement.

Lawmakers, election watchdogs, and other groups earlier expressed concern and called on the Comelec to stay vigilant and review Miru’s track record.

But, Miru Systems said the allegations of election failures due to its technology were false.

For perspective about allegations of Miru Systems, click here. The company itself has stated that allegations against them related to elections in Iraq and Congo were false and you can read about that by clicking here.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction about this recent development? Do you think Miru Systems will live up to the requirements of the contract and prove helpful in the 2025 National and Local Elections?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Less than 500 registered at COMELEC – Muntinlupa City office on first day of voter registration

February 19, 2024February 13, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in the progressive City of Muntinlupa, less than five hundred people went to Muntinlupa City office of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) inside South Park Center mall during the first day of the voter registration process, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The current process will last until September 2024.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

Registrants flocked to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Muntinlupa on the first day of voter’s registration on Monday, Feb. 12.

According to Comelec-Muntinlupa Election Officer Kim Alzate-Cu, a total of 479 people registered on Feb. 12 for the 2025 national and local elections.

As of August last year, there were 319,654 registered voters in Muntinlupa.

The voter registration, which will accommodate new voters and transferees, will run from Feb. 12 to Sept. 30 this year from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Comelec-Muntinlupa office on the Fourth Level of the South Park Center in Barangay Alabang.

It will be held from Monday to Saturday, including holidays, unless the Comelec declares no registration for a specific date.

No voter registration will be held on March 28, 29, and 30, which are Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Black Saturday, respectively.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you planning to avail of COMELEC services during the voter registration processes any time soon?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Filinvest Malls and COMELEC sign MOA enhancing voter accessibility, Festival Mall to have official registration site

February 10, 2024February 7, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in the progressive City of Muntinlupa, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed by officials of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and Filinvest Malls inside Festival Mall in Filinvest City which should enhance voter accessibility through the local implementation of the Register Anywhere Program (RAP), according to a social media post by Festival Mall dated February 7, 2024.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the social media post of Festival Mall. Some parts in boldface…

In a move to enhance voter accessibility, Filinvest Malls becomes the first mall chain to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), launching the Register Anywhere Program (RAP) during a contract signing ceremony at Festival Mall on February 7, 2024. Tristan Las Marias, President & CEO of Filinvest Land, Inc., and COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Garcia, solidified their commitment to RAP during the ceremony.

Operational from February 12 to September 30, 2024, RAP will establish registration sites in key Filinvest Mall locations, including Festival Mall (Alabang), Main Square (Bacoor), Fora Mall (Tagaytay), and IL Corso (Cebu). This initiative seeks to enhance the efficiency of the voter registration process, prioritizing accessibility and community involvement. These locations have been strategically selected to ensure easy access for diverse communities.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City who happens to need voter-related registration soon, would you avail of the RAP service at Festival Mall? Do you think the agreement between Filinvest Malls and COMELEC will make a huge impact with current voters as well as aspiring voters?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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COMELEC’s Register Anywhere Program (RAP) to be implemented on February 12, 2024 nationwide

January 17, 2024January 11, 2024carlocarrasco

In relation to the resumption of the voter registration process set for February 12, 2024, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced that its Register Anywhere Program (RAP) will be implemented nationwide on the same date, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to implement nationwide its Register Anywhere Program (RAP) when the voter registration period resumes on Feb. 12.

In a statement Thursday, the poll body said the RAP would accept applications in all capital cities and towns and highly urbanized cities (HUCs).

“RAP registration sites will be set up in malls, universities, or government offices/agencies in all capital cities and towns and HUCs nationwide. RAP has now been institutionalized in the Commission as a program owing to its favorable turnout and positive reception by the general public and other stakeholders,” the Comelec added.

In 2022, the poll body held a pilot testing of the RAP in selected areas, including malls and government agencies.

The initial testing was held in SM Fairview, Robinsons Place Manila, SM Sucat, Robinsons Galleria, SM Mall of Asia, Robinsons Tacloban, SM City Legazpi and Robinsons Naga.

Aside from these venues, the Comelec said the program will also be held in select church organizations, private establishments, government agencies and educational institutions.

The RAP’s nationwide implementation aims to provide additional avenues and opportunities for voter registration in places of higher concentration of people traffic and congregation of persons of voting age.

“This move will maximize efforts to register workers, employees, and students with limited time and opportunity to register, for them to become voters for the 2025 National and Local Elections,” it said.

Under the RAP, a registrant will be allowed to file his/her application wherever there is a designated RAP registration site regardless of his/her place of residence.

Other applications that will be accepted in RAP sites include new registration, transfer of registration from another city/municipality/district, transfer of registration from overseas to local, correction of entries or change of status, and reactivation.

The RAP will be available until Aug. 31.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are there many members of your local community who intend to avail of COMELEC’s RAP?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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