Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials visited on Monday the facilities of Miru Systems, the South Korean company contracted to provide automated technology for the Philippines’ 2025 midterm elections.

During a press briefing in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Comelec Chairperson George Garcia expressed confidence in the preparedness of Miru Systems to deliver the necessary equipment.

“We have verified and seen the machines that they used in different countries. We also saw that they are ready to really deliver to us the 110,000 machines that we will need because their timeline is being followed,” Garcia stated.

Garcia noted that the Comelec is awaiting the delivery of the source code, which he referred to as ‘the very brain of the machine.’

He highlighted the competence of the company’s technicians and engineers, noting their skill in building the machines and demonstrating their accuracy in counting votes.

“Miru Systems showed us how to test the machine to see if it can count correctly,” Garcia added.

Miru Systems provided an overview of their step-by-step production process for the automated counting machines (ACMs) that will be utilized in the upcoming Philippine elections.

Garcia noted that the Comelec is awaiting the delivery of the source code, which he referred to as “the very brain of the machine.”

“Your Commission on Elections will still wait for the source code because that is the brain, the thinking of the machine,” he explained. “Therefore, it must first pass the international certification and must also pass the source code review that will be done by our IT personnel in our country.”

During the visit, Comelec requested three specific adjustments to the ACMs: The removal of the option for voters to repeat or revise their votes, the inclusion of the recipient’s name on printed election returns, and the creation of individual QR codes for candidates.

In February, Comelec awarded the contract for the 2025 midterm elections’ vote-counting machines to Miru Systems. The contract, valued at P17.9 billion, is below the allocated budget of P18.8 billion.

The agreement includes the provision of 110,000 automated counting machines, 104,345 ballot boxes, 2,200 consolidation and canvassing system servers/laptops and printers, and the printing of 73,851,934 ballots and related materials.