Hatol ng Bayan 2016 : Cebu Information Officers volted in for election coverage

Using all that technology has to offer, the Cebu Association of City and Municipal Public Information Officers (CAOCAMPIO) were unified, giving updates and situation reports in today's coverage of the 2016 elections.

In the Facebook chat thread solely for members of CAOCAMPIO, updates on election preparations were already shared.

Location for EMAC (Election Monitoring Action Center) in Danao City has not been finalized pa. For augmentation force: We have 63 PNP personnl, 7 NUP, 30 PNP from dffrnt offces (LCPO, MCPO, CCPO, RHQ) , 25 AFP, 30 CAA and 5 civilian employees. (SPO2 HAZEL GONZALES- PCR PNCO)--Michelle Mondigo, Danao City IO

Other than locations of the Election Monitoring Action Centers, they gave out presence of augmenting security personnel, emergency and medical response teams, power interruption contingencies and other situationers.

During election day, the information officers gave reports on preparation of polling precincts, testing of Voters Counting Machine and whether these started on time and experiencing a few glitches.

Jane Louise Cabangal, designated IO of northern  City of Bogo Cebu first made an update on the presence of EMAC and augmentation forces.

Other participants include Michelle Mondigo of Danao City, Rowenia Bornia of Tuburan town, Giles Anthony Villamor of Medellin, Chanda Romo of Daanbantayan, Fe Lawas of Compostela, Fe Cristobal of Ginatilan, RG Cacdac of Consolacion town, Fritz Menguito of Lapulapu City and Candice Acuna of Carcar City, Mercedette Toling of Tabogon town, Ethel Natera of the Cebu Provincial Information Office

Even cancer survivor Emmylou Cabonillas, gave reports on the Facebook thread and on text message about her town which was included in the Election Watch list.

The FB thread was abuzz until the closing of the polling places until the partial canvassing of votes down to the proclamation.

The same thread is also used when there are typhoons, weather disturbances and other calamities.

It is also an avenue where the information officers asks and share insights in matters relating to the info job or any other local government duty.

The information officers are designated by the local chief executives to speak for the municipality or city when it comes to issues, promotions, activities and even marketing of features included in the tourism and development plan.

The Philippine Information Agency (PIA)- Cebu acts as the Secretariat of CAOCAMPIO and capacitates its members with workshops in all matters related to information and communication.

HATOL NG BAYAN 2016 : Voting suspended in 4 precincts in Cordova, Cebu

CEBU, May 9 -- Voting has been suspended this morning in four precincts in Brgy. Gabi, Cordova town after one vote-counting machine (VCM) was found to contain ballots for another town.

 Ralph Gaihe, VCM technician in Brgy. Gabi, in an interview with Philippine Information Agency, said they suspended voting after one VCM was discovered to contain ballots for Dalaguete town.

 Gaihe said they have reported the incident to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and they are currently waiting for feedback on how to proceed.

 Voting has been suspended in the affected precincts 76a, 76b, 74a, and 74b.

There are a total of 772 voters in said four precincts, said Gaihe.

Cordova Municipal Police Station Officer in Charge Police Senior Inspector Zosimo Ceniza Jabas, Jr. said that despite the incident, no untoward incidents have been reported and voting has been smooth in other precincts in Cordova town. (Rachelle M. Nessia, PIA Cebu ICM)

More updates over www.pia.gov.ph and over Twitter and Facebook accounts.