The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) have completed the deposit of the Final Trusted Build Source Codes for the upcoming national and local elections on May 12. The deposit, done on March 24 at the BSP Head Office in Manila, follows the requirements of the Automated Elections System Act.
Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia and BSP Officer-in-Charge Elmore Capule led the deposit, alongside Comelec Commissioners Rey Bulay and Nelson Celis and BSP Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat. Representatives from election watchdogs and the media also witnessed the event.
The stored source codes include those for the Automated Counting Machine (ACM), the Consolidation and Canvassing System (CCS), the Election Management System (EMS), the Secure Electronic Transmission System (SETS), and the Online Voting and Counting System (OVCS). These systems work together to ensure the automated election process runs smoothly.
Before the deposit, Comelec and BSP signed an escrow agreement. The source codes, stored in digital media, have passed international certification and a local review. These codes are key to ensuring the accuracy, transparency, and security of electronic processes, including vote counting, results transmission, and overall election management.
The BSP continues to store the source codes of past elections from 2010 to 2022, reinforcing its role in safeguarding the integrity of the country’s electoral system.