TV5 launches 'Bilang Pilipino 2016', Fastest, deepest Philippines election coverage over all platforms

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ABC TV5 launched its election coverage campaign, promising unparalleled engagement with Filipino voters via data-driven content pushed over broadcast, digital, mobile and social platforms.

“There will be a 360-coverage as only the Kapatid Network can deliver,” TV5 President and CEO Noel Lorenzana said at the launch held at Marriott Grand Ballroom as he raised the curtains on “Bilang Pilipino 2016,” the official handle of the network’s election coverage.

“In partnership with PLDT, Smart, Cignal, Philippine Star, Business World, Radyo Singko, InterAksyon.com, and Bloomberg Philippines, Bilang Pilipino will deliver news, information, opinion, and insights about the elections wherever and however Filipinos consume content. BIlang Pilipino will be on TV, radio, cable, your phones, computers, tablets, and – thanks to Philippine Star and BusinessWorld, even on newspapers. It will engage with everyone over social media.

Date-Driven

News5 Head Luchi Cruz Valdes promised “the fastest, deepest, and most credible election coverage” leveraging not only off the multi-platform distribution capacities of the PLDT Group of which TV5 is a member, but also off strategic partnership forged with government, civil society, the academe, and the private sector. 

Bilang Pilipino 2016 will be mounted in cooperation with, among others: Comelec, Namfrel, PPCRV, CBCP, KBP; academic communities of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Ateneo, UP, FEU, UST; the Social Weather Stations, Makati Business Club, Philippine Business for Social Progress, Philippine Chamber of Business Commerce and Industry. TV5 will also have as technology partners PLDT Alpha, Voyager, and Talas. 

‘As Filipinos…’

“Bilang’ means a number of things, and ‘Bilang Pilipino’ signals three things about our coverage,” Valdes explained. 

- “First, it speaks to our content: It will be heavy not just with facts, but with numbers. ‘Bilang’ commits us to data-driven content so we can assure our audience of reliable information and insights. 

- Second, “Bilang Pilipino’ speaks to our mission: in an election, every vote, every voter, every Filipino counts. 

- Finally, “Bilang Pilipino’ is a call to action. In English, it literally also means ‘As Filipinos…’ Thus, Bilang Pilipino, as Filipinos, we are all called to be responsible, to take these elections seriously, to think beyond the elections for the betterment of our nation. ‘Bilang Pilipino’ carries this promise: We will deliver not only as professional journalists, but as proud citizens of a hopeful Philippines.”

Rich Content, Widest Reach

Lorenzana said TV5 will have seamless content partnership with Philippine Star, the country’s leading broadsheet daily, BusinessWorld, the Philippines’ leading business newspaper, Radyo Singko, the No. 1 all-news FM station, InterAksyon.com, which, given its phenomenal growth was recently announced to be spun off from TV5 as a standalone digital news platform, and Bloomberg Philippines, instantly a game-changer in business news coverage in the cable industry dominated by Cignal TV. “This wide and deep partnership for content will be amplified by the unparalleled reach afforded by our technology and platform partners,” he said.

“Beyond the broadcast audience of TV5 and Radyo Singko, we will reach more than 75M PLDT, Smart, Sun and TnT subscribers, more than 11.2 million combined fans and followers on Facebook and Twitter, the millions of registered mobile users empowered over Voyager’s free-data Safezone community.”

Pope Francis arrives in Manila

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Pope Francis arrived in the Philippines, on Thursday afternoon, the second and last stop in his week-long Asia tour for a state and pastoral visit from January 15 to 19 amid one of the biggest security operations in the country's history.

His Holiness Pope Francis visit to the Philippines is to send a message of mercy and compassion to millions of poor Filipinos, including those hit by one of the strongest typhoons to ever hit land.

Here are the beautiful photos I saw in many facebook pages, and some I screenshot in TV coverages during Pope Francis arrival. 

(Photo by Robert Viñas/ Malacañang Photo Bureau)

Pope Francis arrives at Villamor Airbase in Pasay City. 

(Photo by Robert Viñas/ Malacañang Photo Bureau)

All people cheered excitedly as the 78-year-old pontiff Pope Francis peered out several times from the window of a plane that brought him to Villamor Air Base in the Philippines.

Upon arrival, he was received by President Benigno S. Aquino III, and a papal delegation. (via @govPH)

The Pope was all smiles even as the wind blew away his skullcap after he stepped out of the plane.

(Photo by Robert Viñas/ Malacañang Photo Bureau)

(Photo by Robert Viñas/ Malacañang Photo Bureau)

President Benigno Aquino III personally welcomed the Pope.

The two then stood on the ceremonial dais for the papal anthem and the Philippine national anthem.

His Holiness Pope Francis, accompanied by President Benigno S. Aquino III, receives a bouquet of flowers during the arrival ceremony at the 250th PAW of the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City for the State Visit and Apostolic Journey to the Republic of the Philippines on Thursday afternoon (January 15, 2015). (Photo by Robert Viñas/ Malacañang Photo Bureau)

After the playing of the Philippine and Vatican national anthems, the Pope greeted by 10-year-old orphan Mark Angelo Balbero and Lanie Ortilla, 9, Francis hugged hugged and blessed the two children, who gave him bouquets of white and yellow flowers.

Church officials, Cabinet members and two children were among the first people to greet Pope Francis upon his arrival in the Philippines Thursday.

Pope Francis shook hands with 12 members of the Aquino Cabinet and 12 leaders of the Catholic Church.

The Pope gladly meeting again, hugged and exchanged pleasantries with Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle who was part of the conclave that elected him Pope.

(Photo by Robert Viñas/ Malacañang Photo Bureau)

More than 1,200 devotees from the Diocese of Paranaque dancing outside the plane, and around 1,500 schoolchildren welcomed the Pope with lively dances, waving white cloths, and red, white and blue umbrellas to form the Philippine flag. Their shirts were printed with the message "Mabuhay (Welcome) Pope Francis!"

Pope Francis boards the "Popemobile." January 15, 2015 

His Holiness Pope Francis takes leave of President Benigno S. Aquino III and boards the Papal Mobile after the arrival ceremony at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City for the State Visit and Apostolic Journey to the Republic of the Philippines on Thursday afternoon (January 15, 2015). (Photo by Lauro Montellano Jr./ Malacañang Photo Bureau)

The Nunciature where Pope Francis will be staying during his trip to Manila. (Photo by Jim Guiao Punzalan, Manila Bulletin)

Thousands of people lined the streets of the Manila on Thursday, waving flags, cheering, jumped, clapped and singing, greeted shout, cheer, shed tears of joy to welcome Pope Francis on his first visit to Asia's largest Catholic nation.

The Pope will bring a message of compassion to millions of poor Filipinos suffering from the effects of corruption and decades-old insurgencies, as well as the problems faced by millions of impoverished and the families of the 10 million-12 million Filipino migrant workers overseas.

He will visit the central province of Leyte, which is still struggling to recover from Typhoon Haiyan that killed 6,300 people in 2013. 

About two million people are expected to attend an open-air mass on Saturday at Tacloban City airport, almost completely destroyed by Haiyan.

On His first day here in the country, watching the TV coverages and seeing him smile and greet people, I feel the spirit of the Lord, I feel Jesus in Him - a true servant , with Mercy and Compassion.

Photo by Gil Nartea/ Malacañang Photo Bureau)

Hail to Pope Francis for giving the Philippines his utmost attention!

DOTC Ready To Defend Public Interest, Need For Additional MRT-3 Coaches

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The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is ready to defend public interest and argue its case on the need to add forty-eight (48) new Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) to the Metro Rail Transit III (MRT-3)system at 2:00pm today, before the Regional Trial Court of Makati. 

Acting on a petition filed by Metro Rail Transit Holdings II, Inc., the court issued a 20-day Temporary Order of Protection on 30 January 2014, preventing the transport agency from going ahead with the Project. 

While having no contractual relationship, the DOTC says that MRT Holdings II should be held accountable for Metro Rail Transit Corporation’s (MRTC) failure to add much-needed train coaches to the rail line, after it claimed to own 100% of MRTC. 

“Passenger safety and convenience demand that the project proceed immediately. MRTC has received over P 35.2 Billion in equity rental payments since 2000. Yet it has added zero LRVs, knowing full well that MRT-3 has been operating beyond capacity for years. MRT Holdings II must answer the obvious question: why hasn’t it added LRVs to MRT-3 all this time?” said DOTC Spokesperson Michael Arthur Sagcal. 

The rail transit line has an original design capacity of only 350,000 passengers per day. According to current MRT-3 data, it is already averaging 560,000 passengers daily, and its highest recorded number of single-day riders has reached 620,000. 

Government has made the following equity rental payments to MRTC since 2000, pursuant to the Build-Lease-Transfer (BLT) agreement:

YEAR	PAYMENT IN US DOLLARS	PH PESO EQUIVALENT		YEAR	PAYMENT IN US DOLLARS	PH PESO EQUIVALENT
2000	9,166,665	448,515,054.70		2007	39,999,996	1,754,820,860.36
2001	9,999,996	519,220,323.88		2008	39,999,996	1,844,433,054.49
2002	9,999,996	520,304,865.70		2009	44,583,333	2,108,191,434.15
2003	19,166,670	1,064,526,731.07		2010	118,333,337	5,255,041,829.44
2004	20,000,004	1,121,338,123.04		2011	129,583,330	5,620,838,651.65
2005	38,333,330	2,005,689,396.15		2012	129,999,996	5,482,319,022.33
2006	39,999,996	1,877,620,456.23		2013	129,999,996	5,580,144,026.22

These payments total USD 779,166,641.00 or P 35,203,003,829.41. 

“Those are the numbers: P 35.2 Billion paid to MRTC; more than 560,000 passengers daily; zero trains added to the system. Despite all of this, MRT Holdings II is asking the court to stop the DOTC from improving MRT-3’s services,” Sagcal added. 

To end government’s obligation to continue making equity rental payments to MRTC until 2025 while the latter effectively blocks efforts to improve MRT-3 services, an Equity Value Buy-Out of MRTC is already being prepared by the Department of Finance pursuant to Executive Order No. 126, series of 2013. 

As to the maintenance of the MRT-3 system, it is MRTC’s obligation under the BLT agreement to provide such services. However, MRTC allowed its previous contract with maintenance provider Sumitomo of Japan to lapse in 2010, after which it engaged Sumitomo’s services with short-term contracts only. 

The DOTC acted promptly and stepped in to ensure the safety of the riding public, by first engaging a maintenance provider through an emergency procurement, followed by the regular procurement of a longer-term maintenance service provider last year.

Source: http://www.dotc.gov.ph/

A simple step-by-step guide on how to vote this May 13, 2013

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INFOGRAPHIC: How to vote on May 13

Involving young and old people in election-related learning, activities and discussion can have an impact on the person’s household and communities, increasing the likelihood that others in the household and communities will vote. Be wise and be informed. 

This May 13, 2013 for all voters, this is a simple step-by-step guide on how to vote.

Visit  abs-cbnnews.com for more information and updates.
Source: INFOGRAPHIC BY FRANCIN CRUZ 

Latest Pulse Asia survey: Villar Ranks No. 4

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The managing director of the Villar Foundation, Cynthia Villar has been addressing the concerns of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) for the past 20 years.  Being the three-time congresswoman, she also has gained the moniker “Misis Hanep Buhay” due to her programs giving jobs to poor Filipinos through her livelihood projects, was also No. 4 in the SWS survey last February 15 to 17. 

In the latest Pulse Asia survey covering the period of February 24 to February 28, 2013, TEAM PNoy senatorial candidate, former Las Pinas Rep. Cynthia Villar Ranks No. 4.

She obtained 44.0 percent of votes in the latest Pulse Asia survey. The results of various election surveys where she consistently belonged to the Top 12, Villar said, inspires her to work harder to convey her message to the people.

She thanked the Filipino people for their continuous support and trust and confidence in her programs and advocacies that she wants to bring on a national scope. The wife of former House Speaker and Senate President, Senator Manny Villar, assured to diligently do her ‘mandated’ duties if she becomes senator while strictly adhering to President Noynoy Aquino’s righteous path.

“Taos puso po akong nagpapasalamat sa inyong lahat, una-unang sa ating Panginoon sa patuloy na paggabay sa akin at sa lahat ng sumusuporta upang manatili ako sa Magic 12. Makaaasa po kayong lalo kong pagsusumikapang maiparating ang aking mensahe sa buong kapuluan,” stressed Villar who disclosed she feels very happy with the survey results. 

Citizen journalism right at users’ fingertips with BMPM in ABS-CBN NEWS APPS

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Filipinos are again called upon to be vigilant and to serve as citizen journalists for the coming 2013 polls by reporting election-related anomalies using the Bayan Mo, iPatrol Mo: Tayo Na (BMPM) reporting mechanism in ABS-CBN News’ apps.

It’s citizen journalism right at users’ fingertips through the abs-cbnNEWS.com and COMELEC Halalan 2013 mobile applications, which can be downloaded to iPhones, iPads, and Android smartphones and tablets.

This is the latest digital innovation of ABS-CBN’s award-winning and pioneering citizen journalism movement that started in 2005 and enabled ordinary people to patrol their votes and report wrongdoing in their localities. It was via phone calls and text message in the beginning and later through emails, Facebook, and Twitter.

As the country prepares for the forthcoming midterm elections, the BMPM feature in ABS-CBN News’ mobile apps make it easy and convenient for digital citizens to serve as watchdogs of society and to look out for possible election-related violations such as posting of campaign materials on unauthorized areas, vote buying, and carrying or use of firearms by private individuals while the gun ban is in effect.

In recent elections, BMPM has helped tell some of the biggest news stories such as the Maguindanao Massacre on November 2009, when the first photo from the crime scene was sent to BMPM only minutes after the gruesome crime occurred.

In 2007, it was through BMPM that the nation learned about the burning of a poll precinct in Batangas, which claimed the lives of two teachers.

The trailblazing BMPM, which had stood for “BotoMo, iPatrol Mo” in previous elections, has brought home various awards from prestigious international and local award-giving bodies as the International Gold Quill Awards, Asia Pacific PR Awards, the Philippine Quill Awards, the Anvil Awards, and the Tambuli Awards.

Download the abs-cbnNEWS.com and the COMELEC Halalan 2013 apps on your smartphones and other mobile devices to report to BMPM.

Reports may also be made by calling 412-3781, by posting on Twitter via @bayanmo, or on  Facebook viawww.facebook.com/bayanmoipatrolmo.akoangsimula, and by emailing  ireport@abs-cbn.com.