May poll vote-count software system ready

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday said it has completed the consolidation of the software for its automated election system (AES) it will use for the 2019 polls. The poll body presented to the public the so-called trusted build, which is the consolidated verified source code for its vote counting machines (VCM) and canvassing and consolidation system (CCS).

Last month the poll body finalized the trusted build of its election management system (EMS).

With the completion of the three components of the AES, Comelec Spokesman James B. Jimenez said it is now ready to be subjected to the battery of test to ensure it will function correctly come the May 13 polls.

“We could say we finally competed our software preparations once it passed all the necessary tests,” Jimenez said.

The trusted builds will be then installed to the AES before the day of the election.

Jimenez said the public could verify if the trusted builds were used in their VCMs and servers through its respective hash codes, which serves as its “digital finger print.”

The Comelec also announced that the copies of the trusted builds of the AES will soon be deposited to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas [BSP] as mandated by law.

“We are just waiting for the approval of the [BSP] Monetary Board [for the exact date],” Jimenez said.

He said they are targeting to complete the transaction within the month.