[Exclusive] COMELEC Conducts Session Exploring Blockchain Use in Automated Election

With additional reporting from Michael Mislos. This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.

First updated 15:15 with additional photos.

The Election Commission of the Philippines (COMELEC) is taking a step forward to explore the use of blockchain technology in automated elections. As part of the three-day National Election Summit, which took place from March 8 to 10, 2023, the agency held a groundbreaking session titled “Use of Blockchain Technology in Automated Election Systems”.

The theme of the National Election Summit

The theme of this year’s summit, “Pagtutulungan sa Makabagong Halalan” (Working together for modern elections), highlighted the importance of collaboration between stakeholders to modernize the country’s electoral process.

Expected summit attendees include Senator Imee Marcos and Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

Local Blockchain Leaders Come

Among the speakers during the session were Paul Soliman, CEO of Bayanichain, a blockchain and digital asset adoption company, and Kenneth Stern, General Manager of Binance Philippines.

“While blockchain is not a silver bullet to solve all challenges in the electoral system, it offers a promising approach to increase transparency, security and trust in the electoral process,” said Soliman during the breakout session. Soliman will also release papers on the use of NFTs and blockchain at elections next week.

While blockchain-based voting has been explored by various entities for years, the idea of ​​adopting such a system in the Philippines has yet to gain significant traction. However, the benefits of this technology include increased transparency, immutability, and reaffirmed integrity, which can help tackle vote fraud and fraud. (Read More: Three Reasons Why Blockchain Can Prevent Election Fraud)

Blockchain-Based Election Discussions Since 2017

Intelligent

The use of blockchain in elections has been a topic explored in BitPinas publications since 2017, with Smartmatic Philippines, the country’s provider of electronic voting systems, looking to blockchain technology to facilitate future elections. The technology is said to improve elections by stopping vote rigging and fraud, with features such as transparency, immutability, and integrity being reasserted.

2018

In 2018, Ann Cuisia, CEO of Traxion, also expressed confidence in the country’s readiness for blockchain-based elections, provided the government works with the right providers and consultants.

Apart from the breakout sessions on using blockchain, other simultaneous sessions included the COMELEC Online Registration System and “Road Towards Digitization and Administrative and Electoral Processes”.

In addition, Emerson Fonseca from NEM Philippines said at the time: “If you will vote for someone, then we can see it in real time, the tally will be recorded in the blockchain in real time, and anyone can access it. There is no way for them to edit.”

It should be noted that in April 2022, then-COMELEC spokesman James Arthur B. Jimenez warned against using cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and other electronic payments for vote buying because it is a crime.

Furthermore, in a written article on BitPinas, Tetrix CEO Emman Navalan argues that several countries, including Palau, Singapore, India, and South Korea, have already integrated blockchain technology into their ID systems. Several technology companies have also proposed similar solutions to the Philippine government, making the technology a viable option for the country’s National ID system.

This is an evolving story.

This article was published on BitPinas: COMELEC Conducts Session Exploring Blockchain Use in Automated Elections

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