The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is working on a plan to donate around 8,000 Starlink satellite units, previously used in the 2025 midterm elections, to public schools across the country.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia said that while the units are officially owned by iOne Resources, Inc. — the distributor tapped to handle the transmission of election results — the company is now looking to donate the devices. Comelec will assist in the handover process.
The Starlink units were originally deployed in areas with poor internet connectivity to ensure smooth data transmission during the elections.
“All units are currently being retrieved from schools where they were installed, usually on rooftops, to prevent loss or damage,” Garcia said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum. “We discussed it just yesterday, and the donation seems to be pushing through.”
Garcia emphasized that the Department of Education (DepEd) will benefit from this donation, especially in schools located in remote or Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs). He also suggested that some units could be allocated to municipal canvassing boards in areas without stable signals.
“We’re fully supportive of the donation. There are only a few Comelec offices, but many schools and municipalities still lack internet access,” he added.