Long term monitoring of Philippine elections development.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

How can bloggers participate effectively in the 2010 Elections?

This is a draft concept paper that I just gave to the University of the Philippines College of Law Internet Society Program for project consideration. It is hope that more established interest groups will join and collaborate to make this project concept a reality. Note that this concept paper may be subject to change.

Here's a copy of the presentation material I discussed last November 24.

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Project: Blogging and 2010 Elections Program

Goal:

  • Discuss issues of importance that will assist voters in deciding on who to vote for by 2010.
  • Get in-depth 2010 election coverage on both national and local level
  • Have a facility where Filipinos can discuss, compare party platform, and go beyond motherhood statements.
Why do it?
  • There's no website or blog online at the moment where issues in relation to the election can be discussed ahead of time. This lack of information makes it hard to decide on who to vote for during elections.
  • Numerous election monitoring groups have personnel and volunteers capable to blog.
    • A lot of them have websites or blogs and recognize its usefulness. But most were late in setting up to maximize it.
  • Get more Filipinos involved worldwide concern about the future of the country and discuss issues of importance for the 2010 elections.
  • Spark interest of Filipinos in the election process.
Target audience:
  • Political parties
  • Media
  • COMELEC
  • Election monitoring groups
  • Independent / volunteer citizen bloggers
  • Voters
Proposed role of UP-ISP
  • Training resource
    • Organize forums from 2008 to 2010 that shall ramp up participation of bloggers in the 2010 elections
  • Aggregator
    • Create a blog site that shall receive feeds from bloggers who have joined or volunteered.
  • Tap “wisdom of the crowd”
    • Work with various interest group to help make this collaborative project a success.
Execution details
  • Blog site (2007-2010)
    • Set-up blog site
      • Add Philippines election content to mapping applications (e.g. Google Maps).
        • Find electorate
        • Read Congressional seat profile
        • Polling booth
      • View candidates (wiki)
        • Follow candidates
        • Financial info
      • Election videos / podcast by party
      • Issues monitor
        • What candidates have said on critical issues? Where do they stand? Where does their party stand? What do they intend to do?
        • Comparative analysis of solutions and financial data.
        • Broad-idea based subjects (technology, financial aid, democracy, ethics, etc.)
        • Election-related news
          • Follow candidates
        • Organize live chat sessions with candidates independent and working with media networks.
      • Polling
        • Share your polling experience.
    • Call for nationwide participation
      • Anyone can join.

  • Bloggers Forum (5 major training events from 2008 to 2010)
    • Election Coverage 101
      • journalistic guidance: research, fact-checking
    • Bloggers + Elections Handbook
    • Politicians, Platform, Parties
    • 2010 Election critical issues
    • Technologies / Tools for Election Coverage
    • Country case studies (lessons learned)
  • Through various interest and election monitoring groups, explore recognition of bloggers for election coverage and gain access to materials from:
    • COMELEC
    • Political Parties / Conventions
Benefits
  • Transparency
    • Read full raw report from bloggers
    • Balance as different perspectives can be read
      • inspire discussion
      • commitment to facts
    • Citizen and grassroots empowerment
Success criteria
  • Get volunteer bloggers to cover election related developments from 131 cities, 1,497 municipalities, and 41,994 barangays.
  • Get funding sponsors to fully carry out the project. (December 2007 to July 2010)
    • website manager
    • content manager
    • project manager
    • trainings (minimum of 5)
    • Bloggers + Election Handbook
  • Get partners to carry out and conduct the trainings in the provinces.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Janette! I would like to help out with this if possible. :)

Janette Toral said...

Thanks Ria. That will be great. Will keep you posted once approval is in. Cheers!

Unknown said...

Hi Jannette,

Count me in.

I have blogged about this year's midterm elections here: http://migs.wordpress.com/?s=%22pinoy+vote%22

Anonymous said...

Hello,

The takeup of this activity will be dependent on politicians perception of its impact on their candidacy. For national candidates, I guess they will be interested. But for local candidates, I have my doubt if they will share more than 1% of their advertising and promo budget to Internet and mobile related activities. These local guys are more after "voting conversion". So budget is allocated more to buy votes, modify the vote or the canvassing. You may have influenced the voter via Internet or mobile but at the "POV" (point of voting), the vote may change to who has better representation at that point.

Regards,
Elmar

Blog Author said...

Hello,

This is a great idea. Did your proposal get approved?

I'm a programmer, but if I'm able to help in some way, I'd like to.

jun2x said...

Nais ko lang pong ireport ang pagtrato ng mga taga “Comelec sa Mandaue City Cebu” sa amin, 1st time po naming magparehistro sa comelec at mga estudyante po kami na ngayong summer lang ang pagkakataon na makapagrehistro kasi busy na kami ngayong Klasi, tatlo po kaming puro mga estudyante na pumunta doon, sa halip na irehistro po kami, tinanggihan po kami at sa halip ay pinababalik kami sa August 15, 2009, 3 months from now, eh napakatagal pa po noon, para bang may ipinahihiwatig na bayad para maipadali ang pagpaparehistro, kasi meron kasi akung kakilala doon, na madali lang daw silang inirehistro. so meaning may favoritism na nangyayari. sana ho maaksyunan nyo po ito. Sana Maimbistigahan po ito ng kinauukulan, kasi ang laki po ng pundong ibinigay sa Comelec, Bakit napakahina ng COMELEC sa Mandaue City, Cebu. akala ko prioridad kaming mga kababataan ngayon ng COMELEC? parang itinataboy kami ng COMELEC sa Mandaue?