May Elections

[Gio Bacareza]

Hi guys,

It was great working with you guys during Ondoy. It was so great that I want to work with you guys again for the coming elections.

If there's one thing the Maguindanao massacre has taught me it is that having the world as witness could be a deterrent to stop evil men from doing the evil deed. So I'm organizing something (combination of mobile, web and mashups) that will allow anyone to report on anything (in this instance, cheating and violence during the coming elections) and make the world a witness instantly. We have the technology to make it happen. Do we have the will to make that happen?

It's pretty much what you guys did during Ondoy but with some improvements. I'm working on getting free SMS/MMS entry with auto location with the major telcos. Maybe we can add in iPhone, android gadgets. Or streamline the web entry as well as the display. We don't have to reinvent, we can use Ushahidi or other open source platforms as base and customize it to our needs.

Once we've built this, we then need to let everyone know it exist. We need to solicit the help of volunteers who experts in media and communications. Everyone both "good" and "bad" should know that it exist and the world can see.

This is about using information to deter an evil thing and information to inspire or cause action.

Are you with me?

Let's brainstorm Friday lunch apartment 1B @ Salcedo Village?

--
cheers,

Gio

[Serge Gregorio]

Hi Gio,

It's great to hear from you again.  Your enthusiasm is infectious.  I believe some in this mailing list are already gearing up for election monitoring.  Will have to do a rain check, but just the same, why don't you post a map (not another one hehe) to your (proposed meeting) place?  =)

Serge

[Andrew Smith]

Hi Gio and Serge,

 

You may well already know about this, but if not here goes; it might be helpful to contact the Ushahidi team. They taken their mashup and made it into a full blown platform for crowd sourcing. It’s been used before for both election monitoring and crisis management. All open source, so it’s there for you to reuse if you want to:

http://www.ushahidi.com/about

 

Best of luck,

Andy

 

PS. I just looked up the weather in Manila and I’m jealous – it’s freezing here!

 

 

Andy Smith - Technical Project Leader

MapAction (www.mapaction.org)

Lime Farm Office, Little Missenden HP7 0RQ, UK

Tel +44 (0)1494 865031, Mob +44 (0)7796 266939

Email asm...@mapaction.org

 

Aid for Aid Limited, operating as MapAction, is a company limited by guarantee and registered with the Charity Commission - charity number 1126727.

 

 

---

[Andrew Smith]

Ok Gio, I failed to read your email properly – sorry! But good luck anyway,

 

Andy

 

---

[Gio Bacareza]

That's ok Andy.

Update: I just stumbled upon the website that I think has a similar vision: http://votereportph.org/aes2010/main#. They're using Ushahidi. There's stuff I want to add, eg mobile sms part since most of our volunteer reporters may not have internet access from either desktop or mobile among other improvements.

Do you guys know anyone from Computer Professionals Union (CPU) http://www.cp-union.com/cpunion/ so we can start the talks since I don't want to reinvent the wheel.

Thanks.

--
cheers,

Gio

[Rick Bahague]

rick here! I'm the national coordinator CPU.

 

we did the ushahidi deployment for this project.

 

Please do suggest how we can collaborate.

 

rick

2010/1/26 Gio Bacareza <gbac...@gmail.com>

[Aileen Apolo-De Jesus]

My election app wish list:

1. Map that would generate feeds of grassroots or by precinct or by city news/videos. I wonder if we can do something with the ABS-CBN Ako ang Simula.

2. A reporting tool integrated on Maps where people can share news/mga gulo/election fraud/photos/videos. Something like the disaster tool but this time with election data.

3. Voting results tool reported by volunteers. Dan started something for this already since I know it would be next to impossible to get voting result data from Comelec. 

Then eveything can be integrated on a portal. What do you guys think?

Just a wish :)

Aileen

[Rick Bahague]

These are same ideas we want for votereportph.

 

1. Votereportph will have reports from two projects with grassroots monitoring. we still need other groups to collaborate.

2. It is now integrated in the site. It now monitors news etc of fraud and terrorism

3. Votereportph volunteers can do this also with the current tool.

 

Rick

2010/1/29 Aileen Apolo-De Jesus <aileen...@gmail.com>

[Dan Cedric Delima]

I think the ushahidi tool would be better than the disaster tool in this regard.  But do tell me if you need more information visualization than what ushahidi can provide.

I could whip something up with the disaster tool whenever needed.

Dan

--
http://debug-life.blogspot.com

[Rick Bahague]

We haven't done a public launch of the project. But please send suggestions so we can improve the tool.

 

We'll definitely need more visualizations soon.

 

rick

2010/1/29 Dan Cedric Delima <kran...@gmail.com>

[Gio Bacareza]

Glad to meet you. I'm glad a platform already exist and that you guys have deployed it. We dont want to reinvent the wheel.

My vision is to provide a facility so people can report what's happening INSTANTLY as a preventive measure (a kid would not get cookies from a cookie jar if he knows Mom is watching) and as a trigger for action (when you know what IS HAPPENING (emphasis on the immediacy of info) you can act.)

Here are the things that I think needs to be done. Just a stream of thought so I may miss some. but do feel free to add. Let me know how anyone can participate:

1. I'm working on getting a deal with Globe, Smart, Sun to provide free SMS/MMS facility for reporting. 80% of phones in the Philippines still are not internet ready. We need to be able to give them the facility to report for free.
2. We can create syntax on twitter hash tags so we can easily automate the collection of tweets to mash to maps.
3. I want to provide streaming video capability. again mashed to map. This will be critical especially during counting. The world has to be the witness to the actual counting and not just a select few to avoid dagdag bawas.
4. FB app? seems like FB is the socnet du jour so let's use it.
5. email reports?
6. I know it's no longer fashionable but given the penetration of smart phones, we may still need to design a WAP specific UI.
7. Hosting it on bigger, more scalable and faster data centers.
8. Get my engineers to volunteer their time for this. CPU can also contact their members for volunteers on the tech side of this project.
9. Media media media. This will come to naught if no one knows about it. The bad guys won't feel deterred. the good guys can't act. Let's spread the word like wildfire!

I had a brainstorming session earlier and interestingly we were 1 pinoy, 1 american and 1 brazilian. It's just funny that for something that concerns our country's future, 2/3 of concerned citizens are foreigners. I hope it's not an ominous sign. Haha.

Fabi (from Brazil) has graciously offered her house for meetings on this.

I'm spreading the word out to my other networks. We need as much help from as many areas. Media. Namfrel. Volunteer groups.

Let's continue to collaborate online and offline, ie let's meet soon.

Thanks.

Gio

On Fri, Jan 29, 2010 at 5:13 PM, Rick Bahague <rbaha...@gmail.com> wrote:

--
cheers,

Gio

[Serge Gregorio]

Hi Gio,

I suppose you're now meeting at your place?

Sorry, I couldn't make it, but just the same do keep the rest of us up
to date with your (commendable) efforts. =)

Cheers!

Serge

[Gio Bacareza]

Serge, we had the meeting earlier. i'll surely keep you guys up to date. Hope to work with you again soon

--
cheers,

Gio

[Gio Bacareza]

Rick,

Can we meet for lunch this Friday? I want to collaborate with you guys to get this thing moving. Thanks.

Gio 

--
cheers,

Gio

[Gio Bacareza]

Updates see http://wp.me/pGlAf-i

Rick, if there are any inaccuracies or things that I forgot to
mention, please let me know so I can correct. kalbo na, makalimutin pa
haha

On Feb 3, 12:51 pm, Gio Bacareza <gbacar...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Rick,
>
> Can we meet for lunch this Friday? I want to collaborate with you guys to
> get this thing moving. Thanks.
>
> Gio
>
>
>
>
>
> On Fri, Jan 29, 2010 at 5:30 PM, Rick Bahague <rbahagu...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > We haven't done a public launch of the project. But please send suggestions
> > so we can improve the tool.
>
> > We'll definitely need more visualizations soon.
>
> > rick
>

> > 2010/1/29 Dan Cedric Delima <kranas...@gmail.com>

>
> > I think the ushahidi tool would be better than the disaster tool in this
> >> regard.  But do tell me if you need more information visualization than
> >> what ushahidi can provide.
>
> >> I could whip something up with the disaster tool whenever needed.
>
> >> Dan
>

> >> On Fri, Jan 29, 2010 at 6:22 PM, Rick Bahague <rbahagu...@gmail.com>wrote:
>
> >>> These are same ideas we want for votereportph.
>
> >>> 1. Votereportph will have reports from two projects with grassroots
> >>> monitoring. we still need other groups to collaborate.
> >>> 2. It is now integrated in the site. It now monitors news etc of fraud
> >>> and terrorism
> >>> 3. Votereportph volunteers can do this also with the current tool.
>
> >>> Rick

> >>> 2010/1/29 Aileen Apolo-De Jesus <aileen.ap...@gmail.com>

>
> >>> My election app wish list:
>
> >>>> 1. Map that would generate feeds of grassroots or by precinct or by city
> >>>> news/videos. I wonder if we can do something with the ABS-CBN Ako ang
> >>>> Simula.

> >>>> 2. A reporting tool integrated on Maps where people can share news/*mga
> >>>> gulo*/election fraud/photos/videos. Something like the disaster tool

> >>>> but this time with election data.
> >>>> 3. Voting results tool reported by volunteers. Dan started something for
> >>>> this already since I know it would be next to impossible to get voting
> >>>> result data from Comelec.
>
> >>>> Then eveything can be integrated on a portal. What do you guys think?
>
> >>>> Just a wish :)
>
> >>>> Aileen
>

> >>>> On Fri, Jan 29, 2010 at 5:13 PM, Rick Bahague <rbahagu...@gmail.com>wrote:
>
> >>>>> rick here! I'm the national coordinator CPU.
>
> >>>>> we did the ushahidi deployment for this project.
>
> >>>>> Please do suggest how we can collaborate.
>
> >>>>> rick
>

> >>>>> 2010/1/26 Gio Bacareza <gbacar...@gmail.com>

>
> >>>>> That's ok Andy.
>
> >>>>>> Update: I just stumbled upon the website that I think has a similar
> >>>>>> vision:http://votereportph.org/aes2010/main#. They're using
> >>>>>> Ushahidi. There's stuff I want to add, eg mobile sms part since most of our
> >>>>>> volunteer reporters may not have internet access from either desktop or
> >>>>>> mobile among other improvements.
>
> >>>>>> Do you guys know anyone from Computer Professionals Union (CPU)

> >>>>>>http://www.cp-union.com/cpunion/so we can start the talks since I

> >>>>>> don't want to reinvent the wheel.
>
> >>>>>> Thanks.
>
> >>>>>> On Wed, Jan 27, 2010 at 5:15 AM, Andrew Smith <asm...@mapaction.org>wrote:
>
> >>>>>>>  Ok Gio, I failed to read your email properly – sorry! But good luck
> >>>>>>> anyway,
>
> >>>>>>> Andy
>

> >>>>>>>  ------------------------------
>
> >>>>>>> *From:* typhoo...@googlegroups.com [mailto:
> >>>>>>> typhoo...@googlegroups.com] *On Behalf Of *Andrew Smith
> >>>>>>> *Sent:* 26 January 2010 20:49
> >>>>>>> *To:* typhoo...@googlegroups.com
> >>>>>>> *Subject:* RE: May Elections

>
> >>>>>>> Hi Gio and Serge,
>
> >>>>>>> You may well already know about this, but if not here goes; it might
> >>>>>>> be helpful to contact the Ushahidi team. They taken their mashup and made it
> >>>>>>> into a full blown platform for crowd sourcing. It’s been used before for
> >>>>>>> both election monitoring and crisis management. All open source, so it’s
> >>>>>>> there for you to reuse if you want to:
>
> >>>>>>>http://www.ushahidi.com/about
>
> >>>>>>> Best of luck,
>
> >>>>>>> Andy
>
> >>>>>>> PS. I just looked up the weather in Manila and I’m jealous – it’s
> >>>>>>> freezing here!
>
> >>>>>>> Andy Smith - Technical Project Leader
>
> >>>>>>> MapAction (www.mapaction.org)
>
> >>>>>>> Lime Farm Office, Little Missenden HP7 0RQ, UK
>
> >>>>>>> Tel +44 (0)1494 865031, Mob +44 (0)7796 266939
>
> >>>>>>> Email asm...@mapaction.org
>
> >>>>>>> Aid for Aid Limited, operating as MapAction, is a company limited by
> >>>>>>> guarantee and registered with the Charity Commission - charity number
> >>>>>>> 1126727.
>

> >>>>>>>  ------------------------------
>
> >>>>>>> *From:* typhoo...@googlegroups.com [mailto:
> >>>>>>> typhoo...@googlegroups.com] *On Behalf Of *Serge Gregorio
> >>>>>>> *Sent:* 26 January 2010 16:17
> >>>>>>> *To:* typhoo...@googlegroups.com
> >>>>>>> *Subject:* Re: May Elections

>
> >>>>>>> Hi Gio,
>
> >>>>>>> It's great to hear from you again.  Your enthusiasm is infectious.  I
> >>>>>>> believe some in this mailing list are already gearing up for election
> >>>>>>> monitoring.  Will have to do a rain check, but just the same, why don't you
> >>>>>>> post a map (not another one hehe) to your (proposed meeting) place?  =)
>
> >>>>>>> Serge
>

> >>>>>>> On Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 2:20 AM, Gio Bacareza <gbacar...@gmail.com>

> >>>>>>> wrote:
>
> >>>>>>> Hi guys,
>
> >>>>>>> It was great working with you guys during Ondoy. It was so great that
> >>>>>>> I want to work with you guys again for the coming elections.
>

> >>>>>>>  *If there's one thing the Maguindanao massacre has taught me it is

> >>>>>>> that having the world as witness could be a deterrent to stop evil men from
> >>>>>>> doing the evil deed. So I'm organizing something (combination of mobile, web
> >>>>>>> and mashups) that will allow anyone to report on anything (in this instance,
> >>>>>>> cheating and violence during the coming elections) and make the world a
> >>>>>>> witness instantly. We have the technology to make it happen. Do we have the

> >>>>>>> will to make that happen?*

[Rick Bahague]

Nice meeting you bro. Thanks for this written update.

Rick

2010/2/7 Gio Bacareza <gbac...@gmail.com>