The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is confident in Korean firm Miru Systems' ability to deliver as a service provider for the Philippines' 2025 midterm elections.
In an interview with DZRH, COMELEC Chairperson Atty. George Garcia praised the company's competence, as observed in their meticulous assembly process of vote-counting machines (VCM) to the success of the environment-based simulation test they had run.
"Tayo po'y natuwa at satisfied po tayo sa nasaksihan natin sa pagkakita natin 'yung kahandaan nung kumpanya. Talagang siya pala ay manufacturer nga, napatunayan natin. At sa pagkumpuni hanggang sa pinakamaliliit na piraso ng mismong makina, hanggang sa mabuo 'yung makina, hanggang sa i-test siya, 'yung makina, doon sa environment o doon sa kondisyon na para sa Pilipinas na medyo mainit, ay nasaksihan po natin lahat-lahat ng mga iyan," Garcia said.
(We are pleased and satisfied at what we have witnessed as the company's preparedness. They really are actually manufacturers, which we have verified. And from piecing the machine together to its smallest component, up to the completion of its build, up to its testing in an environment or condition suited for the Philippines, which is quite hot, we witnessed all these.)
With the help of customization, Garcia allayed public fears concerning the camera which would have been installed atop the machines. It was thought that the camera might capture identifiable images of voters.
"Nailagay na po siya [the cameras] sa ilalim, doon po sa kung saan pinapasok 'yung balota," Garcia announced. "Kasi po, kailangan 'yung mismong camera upang ma-capture ... 'yung mismong resibo."
(The cameras have been placed underneath, where the ballot is inserted. The camera is needed to capture the receipt itself.)
Garcia added that the receipts will feature QR codes, which will allow other electoral watchdogs and major and minority parties alike to produce results themselves.
"'Yun pong resibo natin, mayroon po siyang QR code for the first time. At 'yan po'y papayagan natin ang PPCRV [Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting], NAMFREL [National Citizen's Movement for Free Elections], majority party, at minority party na ma-capture 'yung mismong QR code upang sila mismo ay makapag-transmit din ng kanilang result immediately na hindi kailangang hintayin yung hardcopy ng results sa bawat balota."
(Our receipt has a QR code for the first time. And we will allow the PPCRV, NAMFREL, major party, and minority party to capture the QR code itself so they themselves will be able to transmit their result immediately, without having to wait for the hardcopy of results for every ballot.)
It was ensured that chances of "dagdag-bawas" incidents, or the padding and slashing of votes, would be low in the upcoming polls. Aside from the security and accuracy QR codes offer, poll watchers will have access to the images of the ballots put into the machines.
Scheduled to arrive in batches, 110,000 new Miru Systems VCMs will start coming in this August. The month will see 20,000 units, and in September, October, and November, 30,000 each.
Miru Systems has replaced Smartmatic after nearly a decade of service.
