The 19th of March is not just an ordinary Friday, where one is excited for because it serves as a cue to end work days prepping for weekend, a time to rest and special time spent for loved-ones and family.
At this very day, marks the grand launch of One Vote PH and the Keystrat Campaign Hub a central command located at the 29th floor, One Corporate Center in Julia Vargas Corner in Meralco Avenue in Ortigas, Pasig City.
Several friends from the media came in to witness this very much anticipated and monumental event of the year.
We have the following visitors from the Department of Education (DepEd), representatives from the QC-LGU IT department, guests from the multimedia office, Philippine Star Global, and Fundnest.
ONE VOTE PH ANSWERS QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME ACCUSATIONS, THE AGENCY ADVOCACY, TOOLS, CANDIDATE SUPPORTS, ON ABSENTEE VOTING, ACCREDITATIONS, AND MORE
Mitch Isip, The Chief Executive Officer, denies accusations that One Vote PH is competing with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and reiterated that the agency, do exist to provide help for the Filipino voters.
“We are helping the COMELEC and not competing with them. Even with a disclaimer, we are really here to help.”
On the other hand, Mr. Christian Gabriel C. Cruz, spokesperson of One Vote PH, said that it was established to provide an advocacy and to educate more the Filipino people on election matters.
Cruz in his recorded interview said,
"It’s more on advocacy po eh para maging active para ma-educate.
Meron na po kasing tayong mga area leaders and coordinators.
Meron po kasi talagang mga taong hindi alam kung paano magparehistro, hindi nila alam ang kanilang gagawin. Pati rin po yung mga dokumentong hindi nila alam na ipi-present para magparehistro.
So doon po papasok ang One Vote PH. We inform and at the same time, kami na rin po ang nagbabantay na rin po. Wala pa naman pong election process pero yun pre- election po natin.”
One of the invited press that attended the said launching was Ric Ryan L. De Leon, a representative from Department of Education (DepEd). De Leon asked a question particularly on how One Vote PH escalate calls regarding election related concerns.
“Di ba tumatangap kayo ng calls? Paano i-escalate ang mga concerns regarding sa mga concerns sa election?”
Mitch Isip, CEO for One Vote PH, answered the question by giving an emphasis on the help of the call center that offers helpful hotline numbers that will soon to be released before the end of March 2021.
Isip said,
“Actually may call center na kami we have hotline numbers na ipo-post na namin siguro before the end of the month. So yung mga ganung concerns po ibabato po namin lahat yan sa COMELEC with documentations.
Since, recorded naman yung bawat tawag, yung nga recordings na yun pwede naming ibigay kay COMELEC. At the same time, kapag nakita nila yung mga pages namin, meron ding mga email addresses.”
“We want to make sure that everything is documented. Ito yung complaint ng isang netizen na ipapasa namin lahat kay COMELEC.
Dahil ayaw naman naming sabihin nila na gawa-gawa lang namin, sinisiraan namin sila. Talagang kami, we wanted to make sure that everything is well-documented and well-recorded,” Isip added.
Meanwhile, Cruz also gave an emphasis on the active and passive role of One Vote PH.
Cruz said,
“Mino-monitor po natin and at the same time dini-disseminate din natin yung information. Yung active role po natin is to disseminate. Yung passive role naman po natin is to monitor naman po.”
We also have visitors who came in from the IT department of the Quezon City Government namely; Mr. Roberto M. Germio and Mr. Edmund F. De Guzman.
One of them was then curious if One Vote PH has a master list copy of Voters in the Philippines.
“Do you have master list of our voters?”
Cruz, said that One Vote PH are gathering a nationwide information with the help of “Area Leaders,” including “Area Coordinators.”
“Sa ngayon po ay we are gathering the masterlist of our voters through our area leaders which is really reported na po sa mga area coordinators natin. This is a nationwide campaign naman po siya.
Isip also clarified that most of the information the agency is getting was from the COMELEC that became available as public documents. And reiterated that immediately after the erection of the call center “AADI,” comes the launching of One Vote PH’s mobile app.
Isip said, "Most of the information naman ay nanggaling sa COMELEC kasi it’s a public document din naman. Though, hinihingi din po namin yung mga nag-parehistro para po in case na may magtanong sa amin. Kasi po, after ng call center we're going to launch our mobile app na rin po natin. In case, mga press finders. Dahil ang kumpleto may listahan ng mga voters ay si COMELEC lang naman po. So we are still requesting it with them. And also yung updated one. Kasi what we have is baka hindi na rin updated. Usually may mga nire-remove at may mga bagong mga voters.
The QC-LGU visitors did a follow-up question and asked on how far the agency will go when it comes to election-related concerns regarding the COMELEC.
“Yung tolerance o length ng pakikialaman ng One Vote PH?
Cruz said, "Lahat po pwede po nating pakielaman since independent po tayo."
Another question from the QC-LGU was if the agency was allowed to have someone trending? Which particularly pertains on giving a support on election candidate/s.
Cruz said,
"For that particular matter po, I think hindi po dahil non-partisan po tayo. Though kung lahatan po, I think pwede po iyon.
Most likely naman po pagdating ng election, nakalatag na po ang lahat ng kandidato diyan. Sa part po ng One Vote PH kung lahat po ng available na kandidato nakapost sa atin. Wala naman pong nakikitang masama doon.”
Isip gave concerns and emphasis on this very important question and answered it as…
"Wala tayong ipo-promote na kandidato. Even in our call center that's our requirement. Kung meron silang nabanggit na kung sino ang iboboto nila, it’s really a prompt for termination. That's how we keep the integrity of One Vote PH.
Naka-disclaimer naman even sa aming mga area coordinators na kapag tumanggap sila ng kahit candy, and everyone can report from us naman po, we can definitely terminate them and also they are legally bounded with us.”
"Actually wala naman pong perfect na system, the good thing with us since nakita na namin ang mga mali at kakulangan ng mga nauna sa amin, yun ang inipon namin.
And kung ano naman po ang nakita naming maganda sa mga nauna sa amin ina-adopt namin at ini-improve namin. Kasi iba na po yung mundo natin ngayon eh.”
One Vote PH team was also prompted with a question if it has a stand-alone watcher when the election officially begins?
“Pagdating ng botohan may sariling watcher si One Vote PH?”
Cruz said it comprises mainly with area leaders and area coordinators and that it will soon launch satellite offices in several regions in the Philippines.
“Yung ating area leaders and area coordinators, nagsisilbing parang training nila pagdating ng election.
After a hard work and busy schedule launching AADI call center, One Vote PH will soon launch satellite offices from Region 1 to ARMM.”
The challenging question thrown so far by the press people was knowing the limitations of the agency as to how far it can go?
“Hanggang saan ang One Vote PH?”
"Siyempre po ayaw naman nating direktang makialam kay COMELEC, hindi na tayo non- partisan kung ganun. Nangingialam kami. Nawawala po tayo sa mission and vision ng organization.
“Monitoring, reporting, siyempre po to the proper authorities po. Since hindi naman po tayo endorsed o directly under ng COMELEC wala po tayong jurisdiction na pakielaman o i-enforce na nandaya ka, ganito ka, hindi po kasi namin pwedeng gawin yun.”
Pero at least, may nakakakita rin at nakakapanood kaya supported din siya ng documents. Kasi may mga previous na tanong diyan na mayroon daw pong pulitiko na na nagpo-post na po ng mga banners, is that considered campaign na po ba?
Sa election code po kasi natin ang isang kandidato, considered na kandidato kapag nakapag-file na po ng certificate of candidacy. Habang wala pa pong certificate of candidacy, isang normal na citizen lang po yun. Gray area po, sa kabilang kampo po eh nagpapakilala na, sa kabilang kampo ay may nagsasabing...
Ganundin yung mga nagbibigay ng pagkain, namimigay ng relief goods. COVID ho naman ngayon baka gusto lang tumulong, on the other side po, nagpapakilala po. Depende po eh sa mga makukuha nating mga evidence.”
Cruz also added…
“Sa absentee voting naman po may toll free numbers naman tayo. Sa ngayon po wala tayong area leaders at area coordinators abroad. May campaign naman tayo via social media, dun po sa Facebook. Meron din tayo sa website natin na pwede naman po silang maglog-in doon at magcheck kung ano ang mga info na kailangan nila."
So far, according to Cruz, he explained the current status of its accreditation that was placed on hold due to the wide-spread of COVID-19.
“Boss Mitch (referring to Mitch Isip as the CEO), is still meeting with the COMELEC. As of today, everything is placed on hold due to the recent developments in the cases of the covid virus.
Rest assured, we will comply with all the mandatory requirements needed by One Vote PH to function independently in the upcoming elections.”
The election period is very near now, in a couple of months and after 2021, marks the official year where we get to know candidates who would want to serve our country.
Like any other organizations and agencies, One Vote PH will be playing a very special role in helping Filipinos here and abroad to know about the latest information on the progress of the election in the Philippines. Be it good or bad, whatever information the agency will gather, it will be following the strictest rule implemented as non-partisan and independent body.
As it can be recalled with the strongest battle cry, “One Voice, One Vote, One Nation!”
One Vote PH related information:
https://onevoteph.wordpress.com/
https://www.instagram.com/itrustonevoteph/
https://www.facebook.com/onevoteph/
