Filipinos must register gadgets for online voting

REGISTERED overseas Filipino voters will have to enroll their cellular phones or similar electronic gadgets as a requirement to qualify them to vote in the first-ever internet or online voting, which the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will implement in the 2025 midterm polls.

Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said on Wednesday that the move is part of the security requirements, similar to the ones used by banks for online transactions, to protect the integrity of the election.

He said the Comelec will announce the date for the registration of gadgets later, as the poll body is still in the process of procuring the Overseas Voting and Counting System (OVCS) that would be used in the 2025 polls.

On Tuesday, Comelec's Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) conducted the second round of bidding for its OVCS procurement, which has a budget of P465.8 million.

The joint venture of US-based company Sequent Tech and local firm SMS Global Technologies advanced to the post-qualification stage of the procurement process with the lowest calculated bid of P112 million, besting three other bidders.

The second-lowest bidder was the joint venture of Voatz Inc., EPLDT Inc. and Ebizolution Inc., with a bid of P435 million.

The two other bidders were Indra Soluciones Tecnologías de la Information, SLU, and the joint venture of AMA group, Dasan and Kevoting.

Laudiangco said that JV Global Technology will undergo a post-qualification evaluation before the poll body declares it the lowest bidder.

Once its submissions are found in order, a notice of award (NOA) will be issued, as well as a notice to proceed.

The Comelec earlier said internet voting will not be implemented in 12 countries because of security protocols.

These are China, Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, Turkey, Russia, Nigeria, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iran and Libya.