The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it will upgrade its transmission system for the 2025 polls with a new system will have a “sent-to-all” feature, as the poll regulator retires its previous transparency server.
The transparency server—which was accessed by media organizations and poll watchdogs–mirrored results from Comelec’s central server during the previous elections.
Comelec chair George Garcia, quoted by ABS-CBN News, said for the upcoming polls, election results from the precinct level would be simultaneously sent to the media, election watchdogs, majority and minority political parties, and city and municipal board of canvassers.
“Meaning to say, they will be able to counter-check each and every precinct being sent to their servers,” Garcia said.
He said poll watchdogs such as the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections and Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting could “immediately conduct a quick count” using QR codes from the election receipts.
The new election transmission system also allows the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) “to have a mirror” of the results sent to the Comelec data center, the official said.
The Comelec hopes that the new system will be more transparent than the previous one, which faced allegations of a so-called middleman that were disproven later on, Garcia said.
The poll body is set to award the P1.4-billion transmission contract for next year’s polls to the joint venture of Filipino companies iOne Resources, Inc. and Ardent Networks, Inc.
Earlier, the Comelec said nearly 2 million new registered voters have registered for the 2025 national and local elections as of the first week of April.
The Comelec said it may also exceed its 3 million target before the September deadline.
The Comelec said the total number of voter applicants reached a total of 1,920,887 as of April 9, 2024.
“It appears that our projection of 3 million will be exceeded, especially with Sept. 30 still far off. It looks like we will exceed and reach probably 3.4 (million) to 3.5 million,” Garcia said.
Voter registration activities for the 2025 midterm polls kicked off on Feb. 12.
Calabarzon (Region 4-A) still has the most number of applicants with 350,923, followed by the National Capital Region with 284,921.
Garcia urged new voters to apply early to avoid inconvenience and hassle during the last day of application.
Earlier, the Comelec said only 14 party-lists have so far been accredited to participate in the forthcoming 2025 national and local elections.
Garcia did not disclose the names of the organizations, but said they expect more to be accredited before the start this coming October of the filing of candidacy for the 2025 midterm polls.
“We only accredited about 14 party-list organizations, compared to 70 groups in 2022,” Garcia said.
“We are currently screening more than 100 of the party-list organizations and we’re hoping that at least 130 party-list organizations will be participating under the party list system in the coming 2025 elections,” Garcia added.