Voter registration resumes at the COMELEC office in Manila on June 4, 2022. Registration resumes in preparation for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) on Dec. 5. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File
MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to implement major changes during the midterm elections in 2025.
Surigao del Norte Rep. Francisco Jose Bingo Matugas II, sponsor of the poll body's 2024 budget, explained during the House plenary debates that Comelec will no longer set up a transparency server.
"Magiging bago na po ang sistema in the coming 2025 election. First of all, wala na pong transparency server this coming 2025 election para wala na po yung issue doon sa IP address, it will be direct from the precinct, diretso na po sa main server ang ating resulta," Matigas said.
Matugas said this would eliminate questions on transmission logs.
Media organizations and other election watchdogs were given access to the transparency server, which mirrors the election results from the poll body's central server.
Comelec chairman George Garcia was behind Matugas during the debates.
Meanwhile, Comelec will also allow the "virtual counting" of votes at the precinct level during Halalan 2025.
"Magkakaroon na po tayo ng precinct level sort of virtual counting, para 'di na ma-question ng mga kandidato kung yung boto ng kandidato pareho ba sa resulta na prin-print sa election return," Matugas said.
"Magkakaroon po ng opportunity ang mga watchers na tingnan yung ballots na na-feed doon sa machine for this coming 2025 election. Mapi-picture-an nila yung mga balota and then they can count it manually doon mismo sa presinto bago i-print yung election return so that they can compare," Matugas added.
Matugas II also explained that the poll body will tap blockchain technology to secure the transmission of vote results.
"Gagamit na po ng blockchain technology ang ating Comelec para maging secure ang ating transmission. For those who are not familiar with blockchain technology, that will assure na mahirap, close to none yung tampering or hacking na mangyayari because of its characteristic of immutable recording process ng isang blockchain technology," Matugas said.
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