The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) of the reactionary Philippine state has recently introduced the Full Automation System with Transparency Count/Audit (FASTrAC), claiming it will modernize the electoral process in the country for the upcoming 2025 mid-term elections. A closer examination reveals that this system is less about transparency and more about perpetuating foreign and elite control over the country’s election results.
The FASTrAC system permits foreign and private corporations to intervene in and control critical aspects of the electoral process. By outsourcing election management to entities with no accountability to the Filipino people, the reactionary state has opened the door for intensified electoral cheating. History has shown that when corporations hold the reins, their technology is prone to manipulation, serving the interests of their clients rather than the voting population.
Since being enacted in 1998, the Automated Election System (AES) law has cemented US imperialist influence over the Philippine elections. Since its implementation, the US has controlled the supply, administration and oversight of the technology used in the elections.
The FASTrAC system is riddled with potential vulnerabilities to fraud at every stage of the process, starting with the proprietary nature of the codes used, which prevents public scrutiny, to the transmission of results, where tampering can occur through hacking, interception, or manipulation, compounded by the lack of transparency and auditable paper trails that make it nearly impossible to verify the integrity of the final count. For instance, the US-Marcos regime has chosen Miru Systems Co. Ltd., a South Korean company with known ties to US imperialism, to supply the technology for the 2025 elections under a Php18 billion (about 307 million USD) contract. Adding to this, the COMELEC has engaged i-One Resources with a Php1.4 billion (about 23 million USD) contract to manage the electronic transmission of electoral results using technology used by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and other US military institutions.
This partnership raises red flags. In 2018, Miru Systems played a controversial role in Iraq’s national elections, where 70% of its machines experienced technical failures, leading to widespread public distrust. Similarly, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Miru’s systems were involved in numerous irregularities, further eroding confidence in the electoral process. These precedents expose Miru’s vulnerabilities and the potential for such flaws to be exploited in the Philippines, further manipulating the results of the upcoming elections.
The introduction of FASTrAC does little to alleviate the persistent commission of electoral fraud. Despite its promises of transparency, the technology and methodology remain opaque, replicating the same flaws as seen in previous automated elections. The secrecy surrounding the proprietary systems ensures that the electoral counting system remains a black box, inaccessible for independent audits or scrutiny.
The rise of widespread disinformation further exacerbates the situation. Traditional politicians and political dynasties have weaponized fake news and online trolls to spread disinformation, discredit the progressive opposition and manipulate public opinion. By spreading lies and half-truths, they bolster their position in the polls while undermining the credibility of their opponents and of progressive candidates.
It is evident that the Philippine electoral system cannot serve as a vehicle neither for regime nor social change. Indeed, no genuinely democratic elections can ever take place in a semicolonial and semifeudal society. So long as US imperialism and its local feudal and comprador agents control the political and economic system, they ensure that elections remain tools for the ruling classes to maintain their power. For the Filipino masses, revolution remains the only viable recourse to genuine change.
The organs of political power established by the revolutionary movement in the countryside offer a stark contrast to the corrupt and violent practices of reactionary elections. Guided by the policy of three-thirds (3/3) – one third representation each from the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the basic masses, and other progressive sectors – this system of representation ensures democratic participation and accountability. Elections within these revolutionary structures are peaceful, orderly, and devoid of fraud or intimidation. Leaders are chosen based on their commitment to serve the people, not through wealth or coercion.
As the 2025 mid-term elections approach, the Filipino people must remain vigilant against the machinations of the US-Marcos regime. Beyond resistance to electoral fraud, the revolutionary movement must continue building organs of political power in the countryside in recognition of the fact that liberation will not come from the ballot box but from the collective strength of the masses.
