Comelec conducts test for OVCS’ trusted build for May 2025 polls
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Saturday conducted a test on the trusted build for the overseas voting and counting system (OVCS) for the 2025 elections.
According to Comelec chair George Erwin Garcia, the trusted build is the last stage where the source code of the automated election system (AES) will be considered final and secured.
“Nangangahulugan na after nito, ang susunod na, ay ’yung tinatawag na certification, kung sakali. ’Yung tinatawag na final trusted build na sine-certify na napatunayan na, na okay naman ’yung sistemang gagamitin,” Garcia told reporters in an interview.
(This means that after this, the certification will be the next step. The trusted build will be certified to see if the system works properly.)
Trusted build refers to the process of assembling the overall program that will govern the entire AES. Meanwhile, Garcia previously described source code as the “brain” that will check if the system will function accurately on counting and transmitting votes.
READ: Comelec on track to obtain certification for automated poll system
Garcia also reiterated that for the first time, the poll body will be using three systems: for the automated counting machines (ACMs), transmission of votes, and the OVCS.
He noted that the trusted build is the last component that Pro V&V, the international certifying body, has to accomplish before it is submitted to the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC). The TEC is an independent body composed of the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Information and Communications Technology, and the Comelec.
“’Yan ’yung kailangan nating makuhang certification na ’yung tatlong sistemang gagamitin natin ay functioning as one, bilang iisa,” Garcia added.
(That is the certification that we need to obtain, that the three systems we are using are functioning as one.)
Under the Election Automation Law of 2007, the TEC, through Pro V&V, is mandated to certify if the AES is “operating properly, securely, and accurately.”
Garcia noted that Jack Cobb, Laboratory Director of Pro V&V, will visit the poll body on Monday to check if there are other questions on the trusted build.
READ: Pre-enrollment period for overseas online voting revised; March 20-May 7
Further, the Comelec chief also reminded the 1.3 million registered overseas Filipino voters to register in the pre-enrollment for online voting. He said that this process is crucial to secure a password that will be used to vote.
Meanwhile, election watchdog National Citizens’ Movement for Free Election Chairperson Lito Averia Jr. said that they will continue to observe security concerns of the trusted build for the OVCS.
“Ididiscuss pa rin namin ’yung source code ng OVCS. Kaunting review na lang kasi alam na namin ’yung kabuuan ng OVCS. May testing period pa kahit may trusted build na,” Averia told reporters in a separate interview.
(We will still discuss the source code of the OVCS. It only needs a little review because we know the entirety of the OVCS. There will be a testing period even if there is already a trusted build.)
