The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has recently awarded a P17.9-billion leasing contract to the joint venture led by Miru Systems of South Korea. This contract is for the procurement of 110,000 automated counting machines (ACMs) that will be used in the 2025 elections. Miru Systems emerged as the lone bidder and was unanimously chosen by the Comelec en banc.
In addition to the ACMs, the contract also includes the provision of 104,345 ballot boxes, 2,200 laptops and printers, the necessary paper for printing 73,881,894 ballots, and a system for ballot verification. Miru Systems showcased its ACM, consolidation and canvassing system (CCS), and election management system (EMS) to members of the Comelec en banc, citizens’ arms representatives, stakeholders, and other observers before being awarded the contract.
The project, known as the Full Automation System with Transparency Audit/Count (FASTrAC), was first unveiled on May 4, 2023. FASTrAC is an upgraded optical mark reader (OMR) paper-based automated elections system with Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) capabilities. It introduces the ACM, which will replace the outdated vote-counting machines (VCMs) used in the previous elections.
FASTrAC utilizes a precinct-based upgraded paper-based system with DRE capabilities, allowing election results to be transmitted directly from the ACM to the dominant majority party, dominant minority party, and citizens’ arms. Each ballot will be scanned at a speed of at least 200 millimeters per second, with a resolution of 300 dots per inch (DPI) and at least an 8-bit JPEG image. The ACM will feature a larger screen display of at least 132 inches diagonal, enabling each ballot to be displayed onscreen and the total votes of each candidate to be automatically tallied.
In a related development, the Comelec has declared the bidding for its P465.8-million Online Voting and Counting System (OVCS) for overseas Filipinos in 2025 as a failure. Chairman George Erwin Garcia stated that the two bidders, Indra Soluciones Technoligias De La Information, S.L.U. (Indra), and We are I.T. Philippines, Inc., were deemed ineligible by the Comelec Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC). Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco confirmed that neither of the bidders met the requirements but added that they could still participate in the second round of bidding.
The awarding of the leasing contract to Miru Systems marks a significant step towards modernizing and enhancing the electoral process in the Philippines. The introduction of the ACMs and the FASTrAC system aims to improve efficiency, accuracy, and transparency in the counting and canvassing of votes. With the use of advanced technology, the Comelec is taking strides to ensure fair and credible elections in the future.
Source: The Manila Times
