Filipinos are being called upon to serve as citizen journalists and report on election-related anomalies for the 2013 midterm elections by using the Bayan Mo, iPatrol Mo: Tayo Na (BMPM) reporting mechanism in ABS-CBN News’ apps.
ABS-CBN started the citizen journalism movement in 2005 to help ordinary Filipinos patrol their votes and report wrongdoing in their districts. It first started out through texts and phone calls, and later expanded to email and social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.
The BMPM feature in ABS-CBN News’ mobile apps can help Filipinos serve as watchdogs during the elections, with the ability to report election-related violations such as posting campaign materials on unauthorized areas, vote buying, and the carrying or use of firearms by private individuals during the gun ban, which lasts until June 12.
BMPM has helped report events such as the Maguindanao Massacre of November 2009, when the first photo from the crime scene was sent to BMPM only minutes after the crime, and the 2007 burning of a poll precinct in Batangas, which claimed two lives. BMPM has also won awards from local and international award-giving bodies such as the International Gold Quill Awards, Asia Pacific PR Awards, the Philippine Quill Awards, the Anvil Awards, and the Tambuli Awards.
You can download the ABS-CBN News and COMELEC Halalan 2013 apps on any iOS or Android device to join in the effort. Additionally, you can call 412-3781, tweet @bayanmo on Twitter, go to the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/bayanmoipatrolmo.akoangsimula, and email [email protected].