Private firm Mega Data Corp. announced it is willing to donate to the government a software that it says can automate the country’s national elections. The system, however, cannot be deployed unless Congress amends a law that specifies the type of technology the Commission on Elections (Comelec) can use.

Called “Botong Pinoy,” the system promises a user-friendly interface and incorporates biometric technology to generate a voter database.

Mega Data said it is handing over the software to the Philippine Computer Society, an industry group of ICT professionals.

“We began work with this system in 2003 when we thought something had to be done about the country’s election system,” said Rafael Garcia III, chairman and chief executive officer of Mega Data, in a press briefing Wednesday.

According to Garcia, the system has a graphical interface that allows users to cast their votes by pointing at the picture of their chosen candidates, making it possible for the illiterate to vote without assistance. A voice-generated feature, which can be customized to speak in English and 10 local dialects, can also be used to guide voters.

The system can be set to instantly generate a printed copy of a voter’s ballot. Through biometric registration, the system captures individual facial and fingerprint information and collect these into a single database, allowing for verification of registered voters.

The software can likewise transmit election results to a central system, ideally handled by Comelec, allowing for instantaneous tabulation of votes and results within a few hours after the elections.

Minimum requirements

Mega Data, which maintains mobile kiosks operated by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for offsite renewal of clearances and driver licenses, proposed Botong Pinoy to the Comelec months prior to the 2004 elections.

Republic Act 8346, however, specifies that the Commission can only use Optical Mark Reader (OMR) technology. But with the yet unresolved controversy surrounding the purchase of counting machines through Comelec’s P1.3 billion modernization project, Mega Data officials are hoping the law can be amended to permit alternative systems.

Jose Avedillo, Mega Data vice president, noted that the software can run on minimum hardware requirements.

He added the government can purchase Pentium-powered PCs, which can then be donated to public schools after the elections. Or existing PCs in public schools can be used since elections are normally held during the summer school break.

In terms of security, Avedillo said the software can be distributed to precincts nationwide through encrypted CDs, each containing a precinct-specific database and copy of the software that can be set to run only during the election period.

“Although the list of national candidates will remain consistent in every CD, the list of local candidates will be very specific to every precinct,” he added.

According to Mega Data officials, the total costs spent in developing Botong Pinoy amount to P10 billion.

However, this scenario will depend on whether Congress amends RA 8346.

“The government can only be a very interested observer right now,” said Commission on ICT commissioner Tim Diaz de Rivera.

Meanwhile, PCS president Bing Van Tooren estimates it will take at least 18 months to have the system in place nationwide, well short of the forthcoming May 2007 national elections.

Augusto Lagman, a former PCS president and outspoken Comelec critic, remains optimistic the system can be put in place in time for the 2010 presidential elections.

“We will be late to do it on a nationwide basis next year but we are hoping that we would at least have a few pilots in key cities, so that by 2010 we can have it at the national level,” he said.