Cebu Citizens-Press Council

The “Cebu Media and Elections 2013? project was launched today with the view to having government and private stakeholders in the 2013 elections coordinate with Cebu media for a better flow of information to the public and improved news coverage.

Started in the 2010 elections by the Cebu Citizens-Press Council, the Philippine National Police-Police Regional Office (PRO) 7, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) 7, and the poll watchdog Cebu-Citizens’ Involvement and Maturation in People’s Empowerment and Liberation (C-Cimpel), the project now counts the Dilaab Foundation Inc. among its convenors.

The project involves a media center to provide a centralized site for the flow of information, dialogues between the media and the Comelec and police on election coverage concerns, and voters? literacy programs.

The Elections Media Center (EMC) is at the PRO 7 compound on Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City. It will be the site for joint press conferences held by the convenors particularly on the crucial days of May 12-14, which includes the day of the elections.

Smart Communications will provide the EMC with wireless Internet connectivity, while the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. will provide two telephone landlines, three TV sets and four laptops for use by the media, as well as backup wireless connectivity for those three days. The Visayan Electric Co. will provide the snacks at the center.

The first of the project’s dialogues immediately followed the project launch at the MBF Cebu Press Center. It featured Comelec 7 Director Temie Lambino, who addressed questions ranging from the rule on interviews and advertisements, to the grant of the right of reply, journalist security, the procedure for the filing of complaints and the Comelec’s capability to enforce the provisions of the Fair Election Act.

The dialogue with the police and the discussion on the recommendations of C-Cimpel on voters’ education and of Dilaab on voters’ values will take place in April.