STAR partners with Globe, ABS-CBN for poll coverage

The Philippine STAR has joined forces with Globe Telecom, ABS-CBN television network and several other partners for a comprehensive coverage of the May 14 midterm elections.

STAR board member Kevin Belmonte participated in brief ceremonies at the Rockwell Center Thursday afternoon that formally launched the election coverage project, "Halalan ‘07." Belmonte is also the president of philstar.com.

The other partners are STI, Bayantel, Uniherb and BusinessMirror while the advocacy partners are Nescafé, Universal Motors Corp., St. Luke’s Medical Center, Institute for Popular Democracy (IPD), Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting and Pulse Asia.

The coverage will combine reports from broadcast, print, and online media partners that will be complemented by information and research from IPD.

STI will provide the expertise for a quick count, and Pulse Asia will conduct surveys during the campaign period and an exit poll on Election Day itself.

Concerned citizens are encouraged to use their multimedia messaging system or MMS-capable or 3G cellular phones to send information to "Boto Mo, I-Patrol Mo" hotline 2366.

ABS-CBN officials said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) passed a special resolution allowing ANC, the network’s news channel, to carry three times a week a special program featuring all senatorial candidates in a debate format.

The network’s news website, www.abs-cbnnews,com, now carries a microsite that features election-related articles and materials, an election blog and opinion pieces from its media partners.

The microsite also carries the Comelec’s calendar for the upcoming polls and election-related surveys by Pulse Asia and the Social Weather Stations.