ACE-COM/PPCRV Volunteers Fielded as Poll Watchers and Voters Assistants

At least 8,000 to 9,000 volunteers of the Archdiocesan Citizen’s Engagement Committee, the recognized citizens arm of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) are ready to be fielded to 4,616 polling precincts of 266 voting centers spread in the 182 barangays in Davao City and 46 barangays of the Island Garden City of Samal wherein a total of 604 precincts under 48 voting centers.

Though IGACOS belongs to the Province of Davao del Norte as its political jurisdiction, this is under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Davao.

Registration of volunteers closed Thursday, May 8, 2025 to be able to reach to ideal number of volunteers needed of 13,222 to cover 100% of polling precincts with at least 3 on shifting volunteers for poll watching, voters assistance desk and ER retrieval. Other volunteers are assigned in the election return (ER) retrieval, transportation, food committees, radio communications and other support groups.

After the first round of Political Values Formation conducted in the 42 parishes of the Archdiocese of Davao, the second round of formation conducted last week focused more on the technical guidelines and responsibilities of the poll watchers and the voters assistance volunteers to equip them with the knowledge of what to do at the polling precincts and voting centers during the May 12, 2025 National and Local elections.

They are instructed to be at their assigned voting centers as early as 4:30 am to witness the set-up and preparations at each polling precinct for the opening at 5:00 am for the priority persons such as the senior citizens, persons with disability and the heavily pregnant women.

Each voting center has a team leader as assigned by the ACE-COM Parish Coordinator who will directly report to their respective ACE-COM District Coordinator.

ACE-Com District 1 Coordinator is Dr. Corazon Umblero, of the University of the Immaculate Conception; District 2 is headed by Jun Bernaldez; District 3 Coordinator is Mr. Jimmie -Loe Dela Vegac executive director of the Davao Association of Catholic Schools (DACS).

The parishes have been recruiting volunteers since March 2025 from members of the community and Catholic Schools within their respective areas of responsibility.

Volunteers were also advised to bring each their kit containing their notebook, pen, food and water and other personal things.

Critical to the volunteers’ task was the witnessing of Final Testing and Sealing of the Automated Counting Machines (ACM), May 6, 2025, that were delivered to the polling precincts the previous day.

In general, ACE-COM poll watchers reported normal operations of the ACM except for slight jamming of ballot in one of the polling precinct under the Virgen delos Remedios Parish (VDLR) and the still counted and read over voting ballot including ballots with different shadings and some non-operational ACMs.

For this, ACE-COM ASAC Director Rev. Fr. Leonardo Dublan was grateful for the vigilance and active monitoring of the core group and the ACE-COM Volunteers who witnessed the FTS.