• Collective effort needed to ensure integrity of election, says Palace official
• President Aquino casts his vote in his hometown in Tarlac

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said cooperation is needed in the conduct of an orderly and peaceful election.

“Hindi lamang proyekto ng COMELEC (Commission on Elections) at gobyerno ito, napakahalaga ang pag-iral ng diwa ng bayanihan at ang sama-samang pagpasan ng responsibilidad sa ating mga balikat bilang mga mamamayan hinggil sa pagtiyak sa integridad ng ating pambansang halalan,” said Coloma in an interview over Radyo ng Bayan on Sunday.

Coloma said both the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police are prepared to provide security during the election, while the Department of Education has assured the readiness of schools to be used as polling centers as well as teachers who will serve as Board of Election Inspectors under the supervision of the COMELEC.

“Tuluy-tuloy din ang isinasagawang pagtutok, pagtugon at pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga energy sector providers ng Department of Energy upang masiguro ang kasapatan ng supply ng kuryente sa mga pagdadausan ng halalan sa buong kapuluan,” said Coloma.

“Nakikiisa din tayo sa mga citizen’s watchdog groups at maraming hanay ng boluntaryo na nag-aalay ng kanilang panahon upang tumulong din sa COMELEC,” the Palace official added.

The voting public will choose who among administration bet Mar Roxas, Vice President Jejomar Binay, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Senators Grace Poe and Miriam Santiago would be the country’s next leader.

President Aquino, whose Daang Matuwid advocacy has helped improve the lives of many Filipinos, will end his six-year term on June 30.

Vying for the vice presidential post are Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo and Senators Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Peter Allan Cayetano, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II and Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV.

President Aquino attended the Miting de Avance of administration bets last Saturday night at the Quezon City Memorial Circle. PND (jm)

Upon his arrival here at 9:23 a.m., the President proceeded to precinct cluster 73 of the Central Azucarera Elementary de Tarlac School in Hacienda Luisita, Barangay Central.

With him were his sisters Ballsy Cruz, and Pinky Abelleda and her husband Manolo.

President Aquino queued up and waited for almost 30 minutes
before he was assisted by election officers. Assisting the President was the school’s Board of Election Inspectors chairman, Wilfredo Hipolito.

In an earlier interview, election officer Numer Lobo told reporters covering the event that all vote counting machines (VCM) assigned in the school passed the close scrutiny of local officials of the Commission on Elections, as well as representatives of different political parties and other stakeholders.

According to Labo, all 291 vote counting machines that arrived on Wednesday were working and in good condition. There were only minor glitches, such as when the installed thermal paper vibrated during testing.

During the 2010 presidential election, Aquino, then a candidate for president, needed three hours to cast his vote as he had to wait for the replacement of a defective precinct count optical scan machine. PND (sm)