Starlink to be used in 2025 elections in the Philippines

The Philippines’ Commission on Elections (COMELEC) will use SpaceX’s Starlink internet services during the upcoming 2025 midterm elections. 

“Our instructions from the Information Technology Department (ITD) and Project Management Office (PMO) [are] we have to adopt the highest quality standard because we deserve no less,” commented COMELEC Chairman George Erwin. 

According to COMELEC spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco, Starlink services will be used to report results in “far-flung” areas of the Philippines, where internet signal is an issue. 

On Wednesday, September 11, 2024, COMELEC started conducting hardware accepted tests (HAT) on Starlink terminals and automated counting machines (ACMs) for the election. 

“The conduct of the HAT is for quality assurance purposes, as the COMELEC will not formally accept a machine if any of its parts fail the test, and MIRU is under obligation to repair, replace the defective parts or machines,” stated Laudiangco.

The COMELEC spokesperson shared that 80 Starlink terminals have successfully completed HAT tests. The Philippines will test 2,000 Starlink terminals out of 7,000 units expected to be delivered by iONE. 

The 2025 midterm elections in the Philippines is expected to have at least 500,000 candidates running for over 18,000 national and local posts. 

The Philippines’ trust in Elon Musk’s Starlink services starkly contrasts Brazil, where the internet provider has received sanctions. In Brazil, Starlink has been caught in a disagreement over X.

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