STAR partners with ABS-CBN's 'vote watch'

 Manila, Philippines - ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs has signed an agreement with government agencies, leading universities, companies, newspapers and non-government organizations to push for citizen empowerment and clean elections through its “Bayan Mo, iPatrol Mo: Tayo Na” campaign.

ABS-CBN president and CEO Gabby Lopez and ABS-CBN news and current affairs head Ging Reyes attended the signing ceremony held at Hotel Sofitel Philippine Plaza Tuesday night. Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Sixto Brillantes and Department of Foreign Affairs overseas absentee voting secretariat chairman Undersec. Jose Brillantes Jr. also attended the ceremony.

The chairs of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting and Pulse Asia Inc., which will serve as the network’s election partners, and officials of Globe Telecom, STI College, Universal Motors Corp. and MyPhone’s Solid Group Inc. expressed their support for the campaign.

“BMPM: Tayo Na” has tapped The Philippine STAR, BusinessWorld, Manila Bulletin and BusinessMirror as its print partners. Fully Abled Nation, the Management Association of the Philippines, YouthVote Philippines and Alternative Law Groups are cause partners.

La Consolacion College, University of Sto. Tomas, the National College of Public Administration and Governance of the University of the Philippines, Ateneo School of Government, La Salle Institute of Governance and the UP Student Council also pledged their support for the program.

“We gather here tonight to recognize the involvement of citizens in the crusade for change. We believe that vigilance is important to eradicate electoral anomalies. However, we also believe that many Filipinos today understand that heroism is contagious and that long-term solutions are more important to solve the country’s problems. Beyond Halalan 2013, beyond elections – this is what ‘Bayan Mo, iPatrol Mo: Tayo Na’ is all about,” said Reyes.