PPCRV activates roving teams for May polls

Wary of brownout-related glitches that may mar the country’s first nationwide automated elections on May 10, a poll watchdog has activated roving teams to check for possible problems in polling precincts. The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting said its five-member “Special Witnesses Attesting Truth (SWAT)" teams will provide regular incident reports that will be relayed to the proper authorities. "Ito ay roving team of five (members). Ito ay magbibigay ng incident report, kahit one week before elections updated na (It will be a roving team of five members each, and will provide regular incident reports up to a week before the election)," PPCRV chairperson Henrietta de Villa said in an interview on dzXL radio Wednesday. But de Villa also called on big business firms to provide lighting systems for schools that will be used as precincts, especially in the provinces. She said that even if precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines have batteries and backup power systems, they may still be stolen if the school is hit by a brownout. "I strongly suggest and recommend at dapat magkaroon ng bawa’t voting center ng provision ... Kahit gumagana ang makina puro dilim ang kapaligiran mahirap ang mangyari, baka mawala ang makina. Kailangan gumawa tayo ng self-help remedies (I strongly recommend all voting centers have backup provisions. Even if the machines continue to work, they may be stolen in a brownout. We need self-help remedies)," she said. She reiterated her call to the PPCRV’s poll watchers to bring flashlights to augment their cell phone flashlights. "Ang polling center, go the extra mile, maglagay ng lighting devices. Kung walang kuryente may substitute. Ang malaking kumpanya magtulungan, mag-donate ng malaking ilaw (Polling centers should go the extra mile and set up lighting devices. They should substitute electric lights. Big companies should donate these systems)," she said. "Yung syudad they can provide for themselves, may facilities pero ang lugar na malayo magmagandang loob ang malaking kumpanya (Cities can provide for themselves but we should prioritize far-flung areas)," she added. - RSJ, GMANews.TV