Volunteers partake in PPCRV refresher coursePPCRV refresher course

Of fighting against misinformation amidst 2022 polls

Volunteers partake in PPCRV refresher coursePPCRV refresher course

Story by: Benedict Kerstan G. Lagrimas and Monina Claire V. Luzon

GET SET. A team from Caritas-Caceres Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) volunteers teaches other volunteers from 11 different parishes from the province of Camarines about the Parish PPCRV Organizational Structure and the Moving Forward Action Plan at Holy Cross Parish on April 2, 2022.

Last April 2, 2022, the three-part program organized by the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) reached its end with the slogan, “PPCRV, Handa na ba Lahat”. The sole objective of the event was to help condition eager volunteers from parishes all over the region as the election nears. Volunteers from 11 different parishes from Camarines Sur took part in the program.

The opening went underway with the arrival and registration of the volunteers, with volunteers from the Holy Cross handling said formality. This was followed by an opening prayer and the singing of the national anthem, led by CARITES CACERES ED Michael Ramos, then proceeded with welcoming remarks from Fr. Albert S. Orillo, the Host Parish Priest. The opening ended with the overview of the activity.

The first session started with the topic of CHAMP and CARTE advocacy, restating to the volunteers the importance of a clean and peaceful election and the dos and don’ts as a volunteer in the upcoming election. The second session covered AMVATT or Accounts Materials Verifiable Audit Trail Team who are also responsible for monitoring and safeguarding all VCM machines, election paraphernalias and accountable materials. Session 3 covered the duties and responsibilities of poll watchers and all the prohibitions in voting. Session 4 was when the VASK app was presented to the volunteers, introduced as one of the tools that will help the volunteers during their endeavor. The next session talked about the importance of parallel counting and BantayBayan, which is an online web-based system for recording and canvassing of poll results.

The last session of the orientation taught the volunteers about the Parish PPCRV Organizational Structure and the Moving Forward Action Plan, which stated future plans such as an Organizational Meeting and future orientations and activities such as the sendoff of the volunteers. The orientation ended there with the closing message from a Vicar Forane and a prayer and blessing which led the orientation to a close.

In an interview about the purpose of the orientation, Caritas Caceres ED Michael Ramos says, ‘Aside from voters education, we expect for the volunteers present here to share what they have learned to their respective parishes, so that they can establish the PPCRV per parishes, consisting of volunteers they have trained themselves.’