Tech repurposed: DepEd to get Starlink units used for May 12 elections

MANILA, Philippines — Starlink devices used by the Commission on Elections to transmit results during the May 12 polls will be donated to the Department of Education, Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said.

Garcia in a forum on Wednesday, May 21, confirmed the poll body's donation of the high-speed connectivity devices to schools, which he says is the Comelec's way of thanking teachers who served as poll workers.

The Comelec chairperson said all of the Starlink units — around 8,000 of which were used for the elections — will be given to DepEd. He did not specify how many will go to which regions.  

The units were initially given to the Comelec with the expectation that they'd be returned after the polls. 

But Garcia said he spoke to iOne Resources Inc., Starlink's local distributor, and they agreed to the plan to let schools have them instead.

Most of these Starlink devices were installed in precincts located in areas where internet signals are weak prior to the elections. 

"Our plan is to donate to the entire DepEd all the Starlinks that were used throughout the Philippines so they can be used by our students and teachers," Garcia said in mixed English and Filipino in an earlier May 16 press conference. "Total, naikabit na sa mga paaralan (Anyway, these have been installed in schools)."

Garcia said the donation is in acknowledgment of the services rendered by DepEd's teaching personnel on May 12, which saw the highest voter turnout in the history of all midterm polls.

An estimated 758,549 teachers served as poll workers on May 12, according to the Comelec. 

"Students can use these [Starlink units,] especially now when many educational resources are based on what they can watch online," Garcia said.

— Cristina Chi