Philippines’ Election Tech Woes Spark Concern

 

The Philippines, long regarded as a regional pioneer in election modernization, is now in the midst of a crisis that threatens to unravel years of progress. The 2025 national elections—plagued by widespread technical failures—have cast a shadow over the country’s hard-earned reputation.

The breakdown began at the very start of election day, when President Bongbong Marcos himself struggled to cast his vote as the automated counting machine repeatedly failed to scan his ballot. This scenario—machines rejecting ballots, malfunctioning printers, and stalled voting lines—was not an isolated case. As widely reported, similar incidents unfolded in thousands of precincts nationwide.

Local election watchdogs like LENTE and the PPCRV warned that the problems were not merely technical hiccups but signs of deeper systemic failures. Overvoting occurred on a large scale due to low-quality paper ballots and substandard pens that caused ink to bleed and marks to be misread. Many voters also reported discrepancies between their selections and the printed voter receipts (VVPATs).

As voting ended and vote-counting machines began transmitting results, media tech teams discovered that thousands of vote transmissions had been duplicated—corresponding to nearly five million votes. COMELEC later claimed it had corrected the issue in the early hours of the morning, but the lack of transparency around the fix only deepened public distrust.

The magnitude of these glitches is difficult to overstate. They have cast a dark cloud over the credibility of the electoral process and triggered widespread public outcry. What’s worse, this is not the first time Miru Systems—the technology provider responsible for this year’s infrastructure—has been implicated in election failures. In Iraq’s 2018 parliamentary elections, Miru’s technology failed so catastrophically that the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) was forced to mandate a full nationwide recount. Today, echoes of that episode are reverberating in the Philippines, where some public officials, civil society organizations, and voters alike are starting to demand a similar audit.

Filipinos waited for hours under the punishing heat, queuing with hope and conviction that their vote would count. That trust now hangs in the balance. A transparent manual recount—as already requested by the PPCRV—is essential not only to confirm who truly won and lost, but also to begin restoring public faith in the democratic process. In parallel, election data must be made fully accessible to independent auditors.

The Philippines stands at a crossroads. The world is watching. These elections can still be redeemed—not through spin or silence, but through truth, transparency, and accountability. Without that, the country’s proud legacy of electoral innovation may be lost. But with courage and reform, it can emerge stronger—and once again lead by example.

Philippine lawmakers grill Miru over controversies surrounding the bidding process and its spotty track record

South Korean voting firm Miru Systems is grappling with mounting controversy following a recent $322 million contract with the Philippines’ Commission on Elections (Comelec) – the nation’s largest-ever polling deal.

The contract has triggered a series of investigations by both houses of Congress, prompted by vocal concerns from election oversight bodies and civil society organizations. These groups have highlighted numerous alleged irregularities within the procurement process, notably that Miru was the only company to submit a bid, supported by the Comelec's previous actions to evade competitors.

Central to the dispute is Miru’s proposition of a prototype voting machine, a submission that Philippine law prohibits. Critics have raised concerns over a potential contravention of the Automated Election Law, which mandates the deployment of systems with a demonstrated track record of success in previous elections. There is unease surrounding Miru's technology, as it amalgamates Optical Mark Reader (OMR) and Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) components, which have not been jointly utilized in past elections, casting doubts on their reliability and legality.

Furthermore, international reports have surfaced detailing issues with Miru’s technology in other countries. Incidences such as faulty voter ID cards disrupting elections in Congo and significant machine malfunctions reported in both Congo and Iraq have only fueled skepticism.

Miru contracts in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been under increased scrutiny after a report by the Center for Research in Public Finance and Local Development, funded by the European Union, revealed malpractices linked to the Congo's Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) and Miru Systems, including corruption and signs of money laundering. The report highlighted that Miru secured nine contracts in the DR Congo worth over $321 million, with just one undergoing a competitive tender. Notably, the electoral commission procured excess voter cards and ballots and prematurely classified functional voter registration kits as obsolete, leading to unnecessary increased procurement costs and casting doubt on the integrity of contract allocations.

Even worst, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned three senior CENI officials ‘following persistent corruption’. According to the US Treasury Office, Congolese election officials inflated by as much as $100 million the costs for the electronic voting machine contract (signed with Miru) with the intent to use surplus funds for personal enrichment, bribes, and campaign costs to fund the election campaign of Kabila's candidate.

“(…) CENI officials, awarded an election-related contract and doubled the award amount on the understanding that the winning company [Miru] would award the extra funds to a DRC company controlled by CENI leadership.”

As the Philippine Congress delves into the depths of Miru Systems' controversial multi-million dollar contract and the company's questionable track record, concerns raised by both domestic and international entities cast a long shadow over the upcoming 2025 elections. These findings underscore the critical need for transparency, due diligence, and adherence to the rule of law in election-related procurements—a call echoed by vigilant lawmakers and committed civil society advocates. The journey towards a free, fair, and credible election stands at a crossroads, with the integrity of democratic processes in the Philippines, and potentially in other nations, hinging on the outcomes of these rigorous investigations.

Philippine Commission on Elections Strikes Historic P17.99 Billion Automation Deal with South Korean Firm

The evolution of election processes in the Philippines has reached a new milestone as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) inks a groundbreaking P17.99 billion deal with South Korea-based Miru Systems Co. Ltd. for the automation of the 2025 midterm elections. This partnership signifies the Philippines' continued commitment to strengthening the democratic process through technological enhancements.

As the sole bidder, Miru Systems has clinched the contract to provide a Full Automation System with Transparency Audit/Count (Fastrac) to Comelec. The deal will encompass the lease of 110,000 automated counting machines, complete election management systems, consolidation and canvassing systems, in addition to delivering ballot printing services, ballot boxes and other necessary peripherals.

Reminiscing on the past electoral journey, the Philippines automated its elections in 2010, pioneering a transformative leap in its democratic processes. Since this pivotal change, the country has smoothly conducted five national elections, witnessing substantial improvements across all key performance indicators following each election cycle. A testament to the technological leap is the significant surge in trust among the populace; from a mere 30% confidence level in manual elections, trust has soared above 80% after embracing election technology.

In 2022, a poll by Pulse Asia underscored the public's overwhelming support for the automated system, revealing that an impressive 90% of Filipino citizens advocate for the continued use of technology in the archipelago's electoral system.

As part of this deal, Miru Systems is set to provide not just hardware, but also customizable systems and specialized software aimed at ensuring the transparency and security of the voting process. Furthermore, the firm will offer comprehensive technical support for the leased machines and systems, showing a full spectrum of support for the election's success.

Despite its innovative prospects, the awarded contract has not been without dissent. Several watchdog groups have voiced concerns over past controversies surrounding Miru Systems's involvement in elections across various countries including Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Russia.

In response, Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia has given his reassurance, stating the poll body’s Special Bids and Awards Committee took cognizance of the allegations but nevertheless advocated for the South Korean firm based on its merit. Supporting their decision, Comelec was equipped with positive certifications from the electoral bodies of Congo and Iraq.

This strategic partnership between Comelec and Miru Systems is poised to usher in a new era for the Philippine elections, empowering the democratic voice of its people with precision, transparency, and unwavering trust in their electoral system.

Chaos in DR Congo: Tech Glitches, Violence, and Poor Logistics Taint Elections

Voters had to wait for hours outside polling centers

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) pursuit of democratic consolidation faced a significant setback in the 2023 presidential elections. This high-stakes election, which had the potential to mark the second peaceful civilian-to-civilian transition since the country’s independence in 1960, wound up marred by violence, logistical challenges, and widespread malfunctioning of election technology provided by Miru Systems.

Election technology, central to the electoral proceedings, were expected to streamline and secure the vote. However, the CENCO-ECC observation mission’s report starkly highlighted that nearly 45.1% of polling stations faced technical issues with these devices. Reports from the media detailed numerous equipment breakdowns and technical glitches that caused substantial delays and voter confusion, directly impacting the credibility and smooth conduct of the polls.

With the essential act of voting compromised, election authorities were compelled to extend the electoral process by an additional day, attempting to mitigate the disenfranchisement of voters who faced disruptions. However, this extension was not enough to quell the rising discontent. Five presidential candidates have called into question the integrity of the elections, demanding that the process be nullified and redone.

A pre-election report by the Carter Center, issued weeks prior to the election day, had already flagged serious issues with the registration kits also provided by Miru Systems. Voter cards, necessary for casting ballots, were found to have smudged information due to faulty thermal printers included in the kits, which led to unreadable cards. Inefficient voter identification processes frequently result in protracted queues and can lead to disenfranchisement of voters.

Adding to the list of technological calamities, the durability and reliability of voter data on the newly issued ID cards were also in doubt. In some troubling instances, as reported by Africa News, personal information vanished from the voter ID cards, raising concerns over voter disenfranchisement and data security. These cards, which are vital for the identification of eligible voters, were also supplied by Miru Systems.

Despite the shortcomings, authorities have been resolute in their plan to announce preliminary results by December 31, with official results expected by January 10 at the latest. The inauguration of the new president is to follow ten days after the official results are made public.

Iraq's Election Integrity in Question After Widespread Technology Failures

Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) is struggling to tabulate election results after a major technology failure during the special voting phase of the Provincial Council Elections held on December 16.

The Alliance of Networks and National Organizations for Monitoring Elections (ANNOME), a local institution overseeing the election reported that electronic counting devices failed to transmit results in 70% of voting stations.

The issue forced the IHEC to manually count and sort ballots after transferring the ballot boxes to central audit centers in the governorates. Meanwhile, officials are urging the public to maintain peace and patience as they work diligently to sort and confirm the election results.

Miru Systems, the technology provider headquartered in South Korea, admitted to the glitches affecting the election's integrity. In an email communication with Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission, the company stated, “Our company would like to show that there was a technical defect in sending a number of special voting stations.”

ANNOME also reported that the region of Kurdistan experienced one of the highest malfunction rates where more than 75% of the electronic devices failed. The problem was not isolated there; it also spread to other regions including Wasit, Maysan, Kirkuk, Nineveh, Baghdad, and Sulaymaniyah.

Sajjad Salem, a member of the Iraqi Parliament, revealed that warnings about the electronic devices' functionality had already surfaced in the months leading up to the election, specifically since the previous September. The election commission dismissed the warnings and assured that those glitches had been resolved.

Miru Systems faced similar problems in Iraq five years ago when authorities had to annul votes from 1,000 polling stations in 2018.

This election chaos highlights an urgent need for stringent oversight and failsafe procedures to safeguard the electoral integrity in Iraq's democratic process. The election is scheduled to resume on Monday, December 18.

Corruption scandal tarnishes A-WEB

Last April, former President Park Geun-hye, the first woman president of South Korea, was sentenced to 24 years in prison after having been found guilty of abuse of power. But the ex-ruler is far from being the only figure involved in this type of controversy. This year, South Korea has been the scene of major corruption scandals, which also include Kim-Yong Hi, current Secretary General of the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB), who is under police investigation for electoral corruption.

Kim-Yong Hi is being accused of exclusively favoring local firm Miru Systems Co., Ltd. in electoral assistance agreements signed by A-WEB under alleged "international cooperation". 

According to Kwon Mi-hyuk, representative of the Democratic Party of Korea, A-WEB and Miru System signed an illicit agreement to assist the official foreign aid projects from 2015 to 2017, when supposedly a public bidding process was to be held. However, the general secretary of A-WEB said the firm was the only one with the technical capacity to offer electoral technology in the region.

In addition to allegations of bribery, Miru is being questioned about the malfunctioning of its electronic voting devices. Their recent experience in Iraq, where the firm exported electronic voting equipment worth 135 million Dollars, ended in accusations of fraud and allegations related to flaws in the voting machines. Authorities were forced to carry out manual tallies in some areas of the country.

If that wasn’t enough, things keep getting worse for the Korean tech company. The scandal caused by the participation of Miru Systems in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) elections -held on December 30- forced the former secretary of the South Korean National Electoral Commission, Kim Dai-Nyeon, to resign. In a press release he urged Kim Yong-Hi to also resign and blamed him for favoring the firm Miru Systems. 

Image by The Western Star. The DRC's Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) showed off the device from Miru System to reporters on Feb 21.

At the beginning of November, press articles began to circulate stating that the Blue House had recommended appointing Kim-Yong Hi as a permanent member of the National Election Commission. Being a permanent member of the Commission gives the authority to determine what is right or wrong within the NEC. As a result, several representatives of both opposition parties and the government itself have been actively demanding an official explanation from the Blue House, and questioning the reasons that led it to ignore the police investigations in which the current secretary of A-WEB is involved.

Accordingly, the A-WEB office is inactive, after its budget of 4 million dollars was slashed to little less than 2 million after a NEC decision. Some representatives of the governing party have asked A-WEB's general secretary to accept his responsibility for his faults, and allow the organization to continue working, as since that budget cut many young people working for the organization were left unemployed.

Only time will tell what the future holds for A-WEB.

Congolese elections surrounded by controversy

Congo is scheduled to hold elections on December 23. However, the results of the election are already the source of much controversy. 

For months, activists, international observers and even the government of the United States have warned that the election system to be deployed for the first time can be manipulated. Recent corruption scandals involving the vendor who provided the voting machines (Miru Systems), a fire that incinerated some voting machines, in addition to activist protesting against the use of the technology have increased tensions ahead of the polls. 

Security experts have voiced their concern surrounding the more than 100 thousand machines that will be deployed on the day of the election. A report from the Sentry published in June revealed "potential threats to the secrecy of the ballot and manipulation of results." The Sentry is a surveillance group that investigates corruption and problems in Africa.

Lorenzo Hall, Chief technologist at the Washington-based Center for Democracy & Technology, stated in the Sentry report: “QR codes may store more information than simply a voter’s ballot selections, potentially including the time a person voted, their place in line and other voter-specific or ballotspecific identifiers. This information can be used to correlate the contents of a ballot to a specific voter’s identity, violating ballot secrecy.”

Recently, a fire in Congo’s capital destroyed nearly 80 percent of the capital city’s voting machines just 10 days before the presidential election. Officials claimed that the blaze, which burned nearly 8,000 of the capital’s 10,368 voting, appeared to be criminal but vowed that it would not disrupt the vote. 

Adding to the controversy, Miru System, the company that provided the voting machines has been embroiled in corruption scandals in South Korea. Authorities in the Asian country are investigating whether or not A-WEB, an Association of World Election Bodies funded by the South Korean government, used its influence to help Miru Systems sign multi-million dollar deals in Congo and elsewhere. 

Congolese activists who live in Korea have asked the Korean government to ban Miru Systems from supplying the machines to his country. Although their voices have not been heard, both A-WEB and the South Korean government have issued statements distancing themselves from Miru Systems and the Congolese election.