THE COMMISSION on Elections is donating its used Starlink satellite internet units to the Department of Education (DepEd) to improve internet access in public schools nationwide.

COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Garcia announced that coordination has already been made with IOne Resources Inc., the provider of the Starlink units, for the formal turnover.

Garcia said that roughly 8,000 Starlink units were deployed in public schools across the country for election purposes. Rather than remove them post-election, the agency opted to repurpose the equipment to benefit students and teachers, especially in far-flung areas with poor connectivity.

“These Starlink units are already installed in schools, so we thought, why not let teachers and students benefit from them as well?” Garcia said.

The move reflects COMELEC’s broader commitment to public service beyond electoral activities and provides long-term value to communities that hosted election operations.