PCOS machines are tamper-free - DOST

LEGAZPI CITY, April 8 (PIA) -- The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) regional office here dispels rumors and doubts by the public that the Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS) machine can be tampered or manipulated.

“The PCOS machines are very reliable and accurate that give us an assurance of a credible and honest elections,” DOST 5 regional director Tomas Brinas said during the “Hatol ng Bayan” television program aired over PTV-8 Legaspi last week.

Brinas assured the public that speculations on possibilities of jamming the operations of PCOS during the election on May 13 are baseless.

“We have already proven the reliability of the PCOS during the previous election in the same manner that it was proven in the US and other countries that used the same machines,” Brinas said.

The COMELEC started to use the PCOS machines last 2010 elections to replace the snail-paced manual counting to modernize the election process and prevent the occurrence of the typical cheating and tampering of ballots committed in the past.

Brinas also explained the security features of the PCOS.

“It has a source code that cannot be replaced and it will take sometime to decode it considering a million of possible combinations,” Brinas said.

With numerous PCOS machines scattered throughout the country on election day, it needs so much resources to launch massive manipulation of the PCOS, Brinas said.

“The machine is set to zero upon initialization and if it malfunctions, it will be detected with the usual diagnostics and will be immediately replaced with a ready back-up,” Brinas said.

Absence of electricity or power failure is also not a problem for PCOS with its direct current back-up battery that is capable to power the machine for a maximum of 12 hours.

“It automatically switches on during power failure and can outlast the duration of voting hours and the counting process,” Brinas said.

“Fake ballots will also not work on the PCOS. The official ballot has security features and fake ballots will not be read or it will even be rejected by the machine,” Brinas said.

He also reminded the voters to properly fill-out the ballots by proper shading and observing the required number of votes per position.

“Votes exceeding the required number of candidate or candidates in a certain position will be invalidated by the machine,” Brinas said.

However, the entire ballot will still be read by the machine and the other votes properly accomplished will be counted by the PCOS, Brinas said.

The DOST is the government agency that is responsible for accreditation of PCOS machine operators for the elections on May this year. (by Joseph John J. Perez/MAL/PIA5)


DSWD to launch “Anti-EPAL” Campaign in Sorsogon

By Benilda A. Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, April 8 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will launch "Bawal ang EPAL Dito" on April 11, 10am-12nn at the Paradise Resort in Brgy. Pangpang, this city.

The campaign is part of an effort to ward off confusion among beneficiaries of government programs especially of the “Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program” (4Ps) and put a stop to politicians who are using the 4Ps in their political propaganda.

DSWD Bicol Regional Director Arnel B. Garcia said that due to various reports that the 4Ps are being used by politicians and their supporters for campaign purposes, the information campaign was conceptualized to eliminate the "epal" in the implementation of the government programs.

“The launching is part of the DSWD’s effort to facilitate the implementation of the 4Ps during the 2013 National and Local Election period free of political influence and manipulation while safeguarding the rights of the beneficiaries for free and honest election,” Garcia said.

He also added that the “Pantawid Pamilya” Program is a rights-based program implemented by the national government and not by any individual or political party.

The "Bawal ang Epal" campaign aims to empower the beneficiaries with the knowledge that "No one has the right to delist a beneficiary. Only the DSWD Regional and National Office are authorized and have the right to delist a beneficiary if s/he will not comply with the conditions of the program".

“This will also strengthen the identity of the Pantawid Pamilya that it is not merely a dole-out program of the national government,” Garcia said.

Following the delivery of key messages from the DSWD and invited speakers, an open forum and a covenant signing with the media, parent leaders and partner agencies will be conducted.

Meanwhile, the DSWD Bicol has conducted earlier on, some activities in Sorsogon that would further intensify their Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaign by way of distributing “Anti-Epal” flyers, reading materials, and a regular radio program aired every Friday at Radyo Natin Sorsogon, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon hosted by Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program Information Officer Agnes Mayor and staff. The program can also be heard in Masbate, Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte.

“Epal” is a Filipino short term for “ma-papel” or “pumapel” (a street lingo for credit grabber). It applies for politicians who personally claim for successes of government programs.

The popularity of the term’s usage in government can perhaps be attributed to Senator Miriam Santiago who filed in 2011 an “Anti-Epal Bill” that would penalize public officials who attach their names to roads or bridges being built. The bill would mete out six months’ to a year’s imprisonment to any public official caught advertising his picture or name alongside public works projects. (MAL/BAR/PIA5)


More police forces deployed in Masbate; security of vital communication installations assured

By Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, April 8 (PIA) -- The Police Regional Office in Bicol has deployed additional policemen to augment the current police force in the island province of Masbate to ensure that the campaign and actual election period will go on smoothly and free from violence.

Police regional director CSupt. Clarence Guinto said during an interview in the "Hatol ng Bayan" TV program at PTV Legazpi that the measure intend to protect communities from lawless elements who intends to sow terror in the island province of Bicol.

Guinto, in the same interview, said the regional police office office has recently deployed 126 policemen to complement the hundreds of police officers assigned at the Regional Special Operation Task Group whose duty is to maintain peace and order in the province.

Members of the special police force dispatched to Masbate include 69 from the Regional Public Safety Batallion, 46 from the special counter-operating unit, five police investigators and six deputized agents of the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

The LTO-deputized policemen will assist in manning checkpoints set up in various areas to carry out the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gun ban campaign.

Guinto furthered that the additional policemen have undergone specialized training on various fields of police operation.

The deployment of additional policemen in Masbate has clearance from the Comelec Bicol.

Masbate has been tagged as among the country’s election hot spots due to a long history of election-related violence since the Martial Law days.

Guinto meanwhile assured the public in the same interview that police and military forces will join forces in ensuring security of vital communication installations in the region to ensure that the elections, in the wake of the automated processing system, will be carried out without delay. (MAL-PIA5/Albay)


DSWD to launch 'Bawal Ang Epal Dito' campaign in Camarines Sur

By Analiza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, April 8 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) regional office will launch in Camarines Sur its “Bawal ang Epal Dito” campaign come April 10 at Jardin Del Rio, Dayandang, this city.

The campaign aims to advise the public, particularly the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) that only DSWD has the sole authority to remove from the list any member who are non-compliant to the regulations stipulated under the Conditional Cash Transfer imperatives.

DSWD Bicol public affairs chief Agnes Mayor said the ampaign is being simultaneously launched in various parts of the country to ensure that the beneficiaries will not be swayed to vote a certain candidate on the ground and belief that they can be removed from the list if they fail to do so.

The anti EPAL campaign also stands as an advocacy of DSWD to enlighten the beneficiaries that the politicians coercing votes from the 4Ps beneficiaries cannot use the government’s program to advance their personal campaign.

This, after DSWD received alarming reports that there are politicians, most of them incumbent, are threatening the beneficiaries that their names will be removed from the list and will not get their benefits if they are not going to cast their votes in favor of the said candidate.

“We also wish to invite members of the media who have been our partners ever since in disseminating this information like this. We hope to cover a large number, if not all our beneficiaries so that they will be aware that no politician can do the delisting except one from the DSWD,” Mayor said in an interview.

The beneficiaries of the 4Ps were chosen through the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR). The list had been validated and continues to undergo innovations to ensure that only indigent and deserving families will be covered by the program.

The Anti Epal provincial launch will be personally graced by DSWD Bicol regional director Arnel B. Garcia. CESO III. Also coming during the event is DILG Camarines Sur Provincial Director Arnel Madrideo.

“EPAL” is a street lingo meant to describe credit-stealers or those owning something which should not be credited to them.(MAL/LSM/PIA5)


DENR provincial office to conduct 'Operation Baklas'


By Analiza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, April 8 (PIA) -- The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is now keeping a close watch over illegally placed posters and campaign materials in various sites, specifically spots prohibited under the election provisions.

Among the partner agencies of the COMELEC, various offices of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in different municipalities are also mandated to check on the trees which are favorite hanging areas of most of the candidate’s tarpaulins and campaign paraphernalia.

PENRO Camarines Sur Spokesperson Maria Rossana Concepcion said that they will be extra vigilant for these sightings especially now that the local campaign sorties have already kicked off.

“We are mandated to remove posters which will be hanged and nailed on the trees for these do not belong to the specified common areas cited under the COMELEC provisions. We have already solicited the help of other government and non-government agencies, including private entities to help us in this campaign,” Concepcion said in an interview.

Concepcion further said that while posters on the trees along the national roads diminished as compared last year, there is a notable increase on the municipal roads.

In line with this, the DENR Provincial office here will conduct the first wave of “Operation Baklas” on April 9. This endeavors to send a message to the candidates and to their supporters that the government is bent on pursuing its campaign that trees should be spared and cared for.

The said act is also pursuant to Presidential Decree 953 banning posters and campaign materials on trees.

Also in support of this provision, PENRO has inked a memorandum of understanding with partner agencies to help them disseminate the information and join them in their activities of sparing the trees from being tattered with candidate’s posters.

Participating agencies include the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters sa Pilipinas (KBP)-Camarines Sur Chapter, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Philippine National Police (PNP) Philippine Army (PA) and the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).

Camarines Sur PENRO Atty. Arnel Rodriguez also conveyed his plea for support on this campaign.

“ The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office here in Camarines Sur, through the supervision of our PENRO wish to enjoin everyone to be vigilant and help us save the trees by reminding the candidates and their supporters for the strict compliance of PD 953,” Concepcion added. (MAL/LSM/PIA5)



DILG, COMELEC join DSWD in Anti-Epal campaign in Bicol

By Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, April 8 (PIA) -- Credit-grabbing politicians commonly known as “Epal” (short for ‘nagpapapel’) will be exposed in a shame campaign being led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The campaign is fully supported by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

“I will personally go to different provinces to lead the campaign,” DSWD Bicol regional director Arnel Garcia said during the grand launching of “Bawal Ang Epal Dito” campaign here last week.

DSWD is set to launch the same campaign in Camarines Norte April 5, Camarines Sur on April 10, Sorsogon on April 11, Catanduanes on April 19 and Masbate on April 24.

“The role of media is very vital in this campaign for its persuasive influence in shaping public opinion,” Garcia said.

DSWD received reports and complaints that some incumbent politicians are threatening the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program popularly known as 4Ps that they will delist them from the rolls if they will not vote for them.

“Government projects come from the peoples taxes and ‘Epal’ politicians must not claim it as if coming from their own pockets,” DILG Bicol regional director Blandino Maceda said.

Maceda said that DILG issued a policy on good governance addressed to the local chief executives prohibiting them from putting their pictures, names and other similar images government projects billboards, signs, including service vehicles.

“We are one on this fight when we started the same advocacy in 2010 with the call of President Aquino,” Maceda said.

“This is a big leap and inspiration for the youth and precious legacy which we can be proud to give them,” Comelec lawyer Analyn Chavez said.

She also encouraged the public to file formal complaints to Comelec on violations on the provisions of the Omnibus Election Code particularly on the illegal campaign materials.

“Formal complaints are vital for us to take proper action against the politicians who violated the omnibus election code,” Chavez said.

“The public may course through their complaints to the media so that they will not be afraid (to come out in the open),” Garcia said. The media can inform the public on the Epal campaign so that they will know the prohibited acts for the politicians and report them to authorities, Garcia said.

According to Garcia, they already received complaints from Camarines Norte, Masbate and Sorsogon.

“We are already investigating a complaint in Sorsogon on a certain candidate that used 4Ps as his nickname in a sample ballot,” Garcia said. “What is important is conscientization of the people through awareness campaign so that we can stop Epal acts and raise the integrity of government service,” Garcia said.

Aside from DILG and COMELEC, various government agencies joined and committed support to DSWD among them the Philippine National Police, Department of Health, Land Transportation Office, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Education, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Philippine Information Agency, Bicol University, The Social Action Center of the Diocese of Legaspi and the local media among them are ABS-CBN Bicol, PTV-8 Legaspi, DWRL, Bombo Radyo, Radyo Veritas, Hot FM and Radyo Siram. (MAL/JJP/PIA5)