Caritas Caceres holds CHAMP Elections Orientation

Around 200 PPCRV volunteers from different parishes of the Archdiocese of Caceres attended the whole day orientation on the C.H.A.M.P Elections 2019, an advocacy of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. Held on March 30, at the Ateneo de Naga University, the activity was organized by Caritas Caceres headed by Rev. Fr. Marc Real.

C.H.A.M.P. stands for Clean, Honest, Accurate, Meaningful, and Peaceful. The orientation aimed for volunteers to better understand their duties in the coming elections on May 13, 2019.

Caceres Archbishop Rolando Octavus J. Tria Tirona, OCD, DD, in his message, called the volunteers as “vanguards of the citizenry” and “agents of the church’s social teachings.”

Alexander Marpuri, Camarines Sur COMELEC Spokesperson, explained election provisions and policies, and the use of the vote counting machine (VCM). Using one VCM, he presented the machine’s functionalities and conducted hands-on demonstration. Further, he assured that PPCRV poll watchers would be given priority in the precincts, a privilege granted to PPCRV for having been accredited as COMELEC’s citizens’ arm.

Maria Luisa Cernero, coordinator of Upholding Life and Nature (ULAN) discussed COMELEC Resolution 10486. The resolution created the Emergency Accessible Polling Places (EAPP) for Senior Citizens and PWDs. A video was presented to guide volunteers in assisting PWDs in voting.

The afternoon session focused on the structure of PPCRV in the parishes. Presented as reference was the structure in the St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish in Pili, Camarines Sur. Mr. Elmer Sto. Domingo, Director of Ateneo de Naga University’s Center for Community Development, shared the scenario of the 2019 elections and explained how the PPCRV volunteers could help in the parallel counting.

Rev. Fr. Marc Real thanked the participants and requested them to uphold PPCRV’s credibility as many voters rely on its volunteers. (Geraldine Albina)