Comelec: TEC issued certification for 2025 AES

The technical evaluation committee (TEC) has issued the certification for the 2025 automated election system (AES) ahead of the May 12 polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Monday.

Poll chief George Erwin Garcia said the TEC granted the certification — which states that the AES for Eleksyon 2025 are operating properly — to the Comelec on April 30, still earlier than the previous issuances during the 2019 and 2022 elections.

“Nagpapasalamat tayo sa TEC sapagkat nakuha na ng Comelec noong April 30 ang amin pong certification nang lahat ng sistema,” said Garcia.

(We are thankful for the TEC for their issuance of the certification last April 30.)

“Mas maaga ito di hamak noong 2019 and 2022 elections. There is no more doubt that the systems na gagamitin natin — transmission, FasTrac, ang ating ginagamit sa internet voting — ay gagana nang maayos sa araw ng elections,” he said.

(This is earlier than the 2019 and 2022 elections. There is no more doubt that the systems were going to use — transmission, FasTrac, and OVCS — will work properly.)

Section 11 of RA No. 9369 stipulates the TEC “shall certify, through an established international certification entity to be chosen by the Commission from the recommendations of the Advisory Council, not later than three months before the date of the electoral exercises, categorically stating that the AES, including its hardware and software components, is operating properly, securely, and accurately.”

According to Garcia, the release of the certification “took a long time” due to the new online voting and counting system (OVCS) for internet voting but it was still earlier than previous schedules.

“Kahit tatlo ang sistema mas maaga ito nang di hamak noon 2019 and 2022. With this, we are going to submit to our Senate at House of Representatives itong naging certification ng TEC,” he added.

(We had three systems but the certificate was issued earlier than previous schedules. We’re going to submit this to the Senate and House of Representatives.)

In its certification, the TEC declared the 2025 AES can “operate properly, securely, and accurately.”

“Now, therefore, the TEC resolves, as it hereby resolves, to issue this Certification, that based on the recommendation from Pro V&V, together with the documented results, considering the extent the sub-systems were evaluated, the AES can operate properly, securely, and accurately,” it said. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News

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