MANILA - After more than a month of post-qualification evaluation, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has declared the joint venture of South Korean firm Miru Systems Company Ltd., as the winning bidder of the P18.8 billion FASTrAC project for the May 2025 automated elections.
 
Under the FASTrAC or Full Automation System with Transparency Audit/Count, the joint venture will supply the hardware, which includes 110,000 automated counting machines, laptops, ballot boxes and ballots, the software or the Consolidation and Canvassing System, and the Election Management System.
 
“Nagdesisyon ang Commission en Banc unanimous po kami, inadopt namin ‘yung recommendation ng aming Special Bids and Awards Committee at ‘yung mga findings ng TWG (technical working group), aming din pong inadopt at sinasabi na dapat maibigay ang award sa MIRU system at ang kanyang joint venture,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia said in an interview.
 
The three Filipino companies that make up the joint venture are Integrated Computer Systems, Inc., Saint Timothy Construction Corporation, and Centerpoint Solutions Technologies, Inc. They are the lone bidder for FASTrAC.
 
With the joint venture’s bid amounting to just P17.9 billion, Comelec said it will be able to save around P800 million. 

Carcia said a huge factor in favoring Miru was its compliance with the wish list of Comelec such as faster feeding of ballots to machines; what used to take seven to nine seconds will now just be two to three seconds.
 
The machines will also have a 13-inch screen for voters to check if they record the right names, and an attached receptacle for election receipts.
 
During the demonstration of Miru on February 21, the poll chief said it was also able to show its capability in transmitting election results to various stakeholders.
 
“Nagulat kami talaga sapagkat hindi namin ine-expect na ‘yung lahat nang nirequire namin o nirequest namin sa aming wish list sa terms of reference na nilabas namin nung nakaraang taon pa ay eksakto po nakuha nitong Miru,” Garcia said.
 
He clarified that they will only lease the automated counting machines miad the fast changes in technology, as well as reduce cost in warehouses.
 
Garcia said the Comelec investigated allegations of problematic elections conducted by Miru in Iraq and the Democratic Republic of Congo and received certification from these countries.
 
“Nagsasabi ‘yung mga pinuno po ng election management bodies na ito na naging maayos ‘yung kanilang halalan. Contrary po doon sa mga nai-report. So kung mismo ang pinuno katulad ko po ay nagsasabing maayos ‘yung halalan namin, walang naging problema at hanggang ngayon naman wala tayo nakikita naging problema doon sa bansang ‘yun, so parang medyo mali po siguro yung kumalat na balita,” Garcia explained.
 
Asked if the May 2025 elections will be smoother with a new elections technology provider, Garcia said it will still depend on other issues such as vote-buying and the presence of armed groups that threaten voters and teachers.
 
He said that after the notice of award, Comelec and the joint venture will still undergo a contract negotiation before signing a notice to proceed.
 
Miru will then produce the automated counting machines within six months, which will have to undergo tests and international certification.
 
There will also be a local review of Miru’s source code.
 
MIRU THANKS COMELEC
 
In a statement, Miru expressed its gratitude to Comelec.
 
“We are grateful to the Special Bids and Awards Committee and the members of the Comelec en Banc for thoroughly evaluating our bid for the 2025 midterm elections. We are proud to have shown the efficiency and sophistication of our voting machines during the bidding process, which was conducted with utmost transparency and fairness,” the company said. 

“We are committed to further proving the quality of our machines and manufacturing processes as the Comelec continues to inspect the mass production of our systems according to the poll body’s specifications and needs,” it added.
 

• Comelec tests ballot boxes of Miru, lone bidder for 2025 polls