Why Source Code Deserves More Than a Bank Vault: A Technology Escrow Perspective on the Philippines’ 2025 Election Preparations

/ SaaS Escrow, Software Escrow, Source Code Escrow, Technology Escrow / By

The recent move by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the Philippines to deposit the Final Trusted Build Source Codes for the 2025 elections with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) shows a strong commitment to transparency and election software integrity. In an era of digital trust and cybersecurity risks, documenting the status of election software is crucial.

At PRAXIS Technology Escrow, we applaud this initiative—but as specialists in software escrow and source code protection, we believe there’s a significantly better way to safeguard critical technology assets.

What Is Software Escrow?

Software escrow is a service where a neutral third party securely stores a vendor’s source code and documentation, and releases it under predefined conditions—often if the vendor goes out of business or fails to meet contractual obligations. This ensures that the end user can continue to use and support the software even in a worst-case scenario.

What Is Technical Verification?

Technical verification ensures that the escrowed materials are complete, functional, and usable. A professional technology escrow agent will compile the source code, check dependencies, validate documentation, and confirm that the application works. This provides confidence that if the code is ever released, it can actually be used.

Why Bank Vaults Aren’t Enough

While the central bank offers physical security, it is not equipped to handle the complexities of technology escrow services. Here’s a comparison:

  • Expertise

    • Bank: Financial professionals

    • Technology Escrow Agent: Software engineers and IT specialists

  • Facilities

    • Bank: Physical vaults for cash, gold, and papers

    • Escrow Agent: Secure digital repositories for software and source code

  • Verification Services

    • Bank: No software testing

    • Escrow Agent: End-to-end technical verification and code testing

  • Security Standards

    • Bank: Traditional financial security

    • Escrow Agent: SOC 2 certified digital infrastructure

  • Insurance

    • Bank: Not designed for software risk

    • Escrow Agent: Carries professional liability and E&O insurance

  • Automation and Audits

    • Bank: Manual deposit only

    • Escrow Agent: GitHub/Bitbucket integrations, deposit history, audit trail

A Better Future for Election Software Security

The Philippines’ use of source code escrow is a great first step. But for mission-critical technology like election systems, we need modern safeguards. A professional technology escrow partner offers not just storage, but assurance—through SOC 2 compliance, technical verification, and tailored service contracts that ensure election systems are secure, supported, and survivable.

At PRAXIS, we believe in going beyond storage—we deliver trust, transparency, and continuity.