Comelec to ensure security measures for 2025 overseas internet voting

Commission on Elections. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson George Garcia said on Wednesday that the commission will implement security measures for its planned internet voting in the 2025 midterm elections for overseas Filipinos.

According to Garcia in an ANC interview, the Comelec will take the biometrics of the registered voters before they can vote to ensure security.

READ: Comelec: Overseas voting via internet to improve turnout, cost

“That’s the number one priority: to ensure the security of the results meaning to say ‘yan po yung tinitingnan, remember ma’am tayo nga po ngayon, meron tayong internet hacking, meron tayong payment using the internet yung mga utilities natin d’on po, bago sila makaboto we will ensure that biometrics will be taken. The facial recognition, iris, the fingerprints, so before they can vote, naka-enroll lahat yun, and garantisado na sila yung makakaboto,” Garcia said.

(That’s the number one priority: to ensure the security of the results, meaning to say, that is what we are looking at. Remember ma’am, now we have internet hacking, we have internet payment of our facilities, so before they can vote, we will ensure that biometrics will be taken. The facial recognition, iris, the fingerprints, so before they can vote, those are enrolled, and it’s guaranteed that they will be the ones to vote.)

Garcia said that the Comelec is set to implement internet voting for the first time to increase voter turnout among overseas Filipinos.

“For the first time we’re going to conduct internet voting for overseas Filipinos. We’re hoping that we increase the number of registered voters, unfortunately mababa po kasi, ang baba rin ng voting turnout, 40.59 percent during the 2022 elections, so for the first time we’re going to conduct internet voting they can vote using their cellphones, iPads, and laptops,” Garcia said.

(For the first time, we’re going to conduct internet voting for overseas Filipinos. We’re hoping that we’ll increase the number of registered voters. Unfortunately, the number of voters is low, as is the voting turnout, which was 40.59 percent during the 2022 elections. They can vote using their cellphones, iPads, and laptops.)

READ: Comelec receives 1.9 million new voter registrations out of 3 million target

“During the last election we had 1.697 million registered voters abroad and sa 1.697 million, 59 percent voted, the highest in the history of voting, that’s only about 600,000, simply because we have two modes in the 2022 election,” he said.

(During the last election we had 1.697 million registered voters abroad and among the 1.697 million, 59 percent voted, the highest in the history of voting, that’s only about 600,000, simply because we have two modes in the 2022 election.)

Overseas Filipinos have two options for voting: in person at the embassy or consulate or by mailing their ballots.

However, Garcia said that for mail voting, some voters did not return their ballots despite the free postage.

Voting registration for the 2025 midterm elections will be until September 30, 2024.