Pinoy Voters' Academy
The anchor of the political education work is the PPCRV's Pinoy Voters' Academy (PVA) which was developed in close partnership with the Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan of the Jesuit Philippine Province. The PVA is a participative process of political education leading to action-planning by local communities.
Bantay Pangako
VforCE also aims to deepen political education and involvement through Bantay Pangako which builds on the covenants signed between the candidates and communities to create mechanisms for monitoring campaign promises and demanding accountability after the elections, This project is inspired by the Silingan Ka experience in Ipil Prelature, Zamboanga-Sibugay. Organizations like the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), NASSA, Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan (SLB), the Ateneo School of Government and Office for Social Concern and Involvement are working on this front. It also aims to draw in various organizations involved in direct community development work, including CODE-NGO, Gawad Kalinga and different religious communities, social involvement offices and socially oriented organizations in various schools and parishes across the country.
Bantay Pulitiko/Agenda Candidates' Forums and Profiles
A central component of political education is the holding of candidates' forums. The Union of Catholic Student Councils sponsored a senatorial candidates' forum at St. Scholastica's College last March 9. Various schools, communities and civic organizations have also been holding candidates forums and debates. The COMELEC, PPCRV and ABS-CBN have an ongoing senatorial candidates forum televised live over ANC on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 6 pm (and replayed at various times and channels) as a central part of voters' education.
Also part of the effort to provide voters' education are websites that provide candidates' profiles to help voters make informed choices: www.youvote2007.com (De La Salle University), www.simbahanglinkod.multiply.com/journal/item/11 (SLB), www.ivote.ph (a project of Ateneo alumni and current Law and Political Science students) and www.mbc.com.ph/congresswatch (Makati Business Club).
Voter and Volunteer Information Call Center
As the main secretariat for VforCE, the Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan, in cooperation with the Ateneo School of Government and Pugadlawin will operate a call center which will help in volunteer recruitment, deployment and coordination, and answer election-related inquiries from voters around the country and even from overseas. Please contact: vforce2007@gmail.com (email); 09263041826 (mobile); 4265968 (fax); 4266101 ext. 3440/3441 (landline).
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