COMELEC, BSP Secure 2025 Election Software in Escrow

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Monday completed the official deposit of critical election software — known as source codes — in escrow, marking a major step toward ensuring the integrity of the upcoming May 2025 National and Local Elections.

The move, conducted at the BSP Head Office in Manila, complies with the Automated Elections System Act (Republic Act No. 8436 as amended by RA 9369), which mandates the escrow of the final versions of the software used in the country’s automated voting systems.

In simple terms, source codes are the instructions that tell election machines how to operate — how to count votes, manage data, and transmit results. Depositing these codes in a secure, third-party location like the BSP guarantees transparency and trust in the system.

“The escrow process safeguards the authenticity and reliability of our elections,” said COMELEC Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia, who led the event alongside BSP Officer-in-Charge Elmore O. Capule. COMELEC Commissioners Rey E. Bulay and Nelson J. Celis and BSP Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat were also present, along with representatives from election watchdogs and the media.

Before the actual handover, the two institutions signed an official escrow agreement — a legal document that formalizes the custody of the software.

The source codes deposited included the final versions of five major software systems:

• Automated Counting Machine (ACM): Tallying votes at precinct level
• Consolidation and Canvassing System (CCS): Compiling and verifying results from across regions
• Election Management System (EMS): Overseeing the overall electoral process
• Secure Electronic Transmission System (SETS): Sending results securely over networks
• Online Voting and Counting System (OVCS): Managing and tallying digital votes

These digital components form the backbone of the country’s automated election process. They were stored on encrypted digital media after undergoing rigorous international certification and local review to ensure they function correctly and cannot be tampered with.

“These systems help guarantee accurate vote counting, secure result transmission, and transparent election management,” COMELEC said in a statement.

The BSP has also kept the source codes from previous elections — 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2022 — in its vaults as part of its ongoing role in protecting the integrity of Philippine elections.

Election watchdogs, including the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and the National Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), witnessed the deposit to promote public confidence.

The escrow deposit ensures that, should disputes arise, the original software used during elections is available for audit and verification.