SAVE THE ELECTION AUTOMATION PROJECT
“We will be asking Comelec to look for ways, if there’s any possibility to salvage the automation project.” This was the statement of Msgr. Pedro Quitorio, spokesperson of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) at The Forum in Intramuros, Manila, a regular media forum organized by the CBCP and CMN.
Msgr. Quitorio called on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to look for ways to salvage the election automation project by considering other options, including the Open Election System (OES), being pushed by some Catholic prelates led by CBCP National Secretariat for Social Action Justice & Peace Chairman and Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo.
the OES had already been ruled out repeatedly by the Comelec saying it would be against the law to fully automate the election process from voting, counting, transmission, and canvassing. “This can be one of the options. If we are facing a blank wall, we can look at some other alternatives that we can do, “Quitorio added.

DSWD and PNRC
Internally displaced families in Mindanao were no longer housed in school classrooms but the situation remains serious with almost 300,000 families still displaced.
“DSWD ensures that there is no shortage of food in the evacuation centers, “said Ruel G. Lucentales, DZWD Assistant Secretary for Visayas and Mindanao Cluster.
Lucentares said that aside from the delivery of basic services like food, shelter and clothing, the DSWD has a play therapy for children and psycho social activity for mothers to participate in while at the evacuation center (EC).\DSWD provides space where children, especially the victims of armed conflict can interact and apply psychological, emotional, and therapeutic sessions through playing.
Mothers will receive psychological social intervention from development workers who will teach them how to handle their children at a time of crisis when they, themselves, feel so depressed and stressed out.\On the other hand, Red Cross continues to provide humanitarian and rehabilitation assistance to the displaced families in Mindanao.
PNRC Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang said “Red Cross is always there to help and support displaced families in Mindanao”. PNRC provides livelihood programs for them and helps them get back to their feet again after the conflict, “Red Cross does not encourage displaced families to go to the evacuation centers but we are not closing the doors for them,” Pang added