It was through ABS-CBN’s “Boto Mo, i-Patrol Mo” that the world learned about the single deadliest act against journalists when a Boto Patroller first sent a picture from the crime scene to ABS-CBN. And ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel, was the first to break the news.

His bravery in exposing the gruesome crime that left 58 dead showed what BMPM is all about—the ordinary Filipino, making a difference by letting the public know about the realities in his community and the government to do something about it.

“Boto Mo, i-Patrol Mo: Ako ang Simula” was launched a year before the 2010 national elections by ABS-CBN, which pioneered citizen journalism in the country. It not only empowered Filipinos to use technology to patrol their votes but also challenged them to become the start of the change they want for the country.

ABS-CBN was the only Philippine broadcast network to win an international Gold Quill Award from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) for its election advocacy and coverage via the BMPM campaign, which also won awards from the 2010 Philippine Quill Awards and the Anvil Awards.

The multi-platform campaign received 500 reports a day by email, 103 calls a day, and 3,058 texts a day during election season. And on election day, citizens’ reports grew to four per minute as compared to one per minute in 2007 when it was first launched.

During the campaign last year, BMPM has 87,419 registered Boto Patrollers in its central database, 125,487 fans on Facebook, 23,111 followers on Twitter, 6,960 members on its microsite, and 3,701 members on Multiply.

It organized vice-presidential and senatorial debates and pioneered the use of a Wireless Audience Response System (WARS), which allowed randomly selected citizens to indicate they believe the candidate’s answers or not during the televised debates, which became among the highest trending topics on Twitter.

This resulted to making ABS-CBN being cited by most Filipinos as the most credible TV station based on a Pulse Asia national opinion polls in 2010 with 72 percent of Filipinos saying the TV network gave a credible coverage of the elections, which is the highest among the country’s top TV networks.

And on election day, ABS-CBN’s election coverage on its flagship national evening newscast “TV Patrol World,” made up of ABS-CBN’s professional journalists and BMPM’s citizen journalists, won in the nationwide TV ratings based on the survey done by media specialist Kantar Media/TNS on Election Day. “TV Patrol World,” the Philippines’ longest-running newscast, notched the highest TV of 31.5 percent among all evening newscasts.

ABS-CBN Wins International Gold Quill Award for ‘Boto Mo, Ipatrol Mo’ originally appeared on Starmometer on June 21, 2011.

Singer-songwriter Rico Blanco, Imago vocalist Aia De Leon, and Sandwich frontman Raimund Marasigan collaborated in “Ako ang Simula,” the theme song of ABS-CBN’s election campaign, which calls on Filipinos, especially the youth, to register, vote, and make the 2010 elections work. The song, written by ABS-CBN creative director Ira Zabat and composed by Mike Villegas, is about taking the initiative to start the change in the country. A key element in the song is the signature drumbeat heard in all “Boto Mo, iPatrol Mo” plugs since the campaign was first launched in 2007. Zabat said the drumbeat signifies unity and the urgent call for action.

This urgency is also reflected in the lyrics with words like “Wag nang mahimbing sa sariling mundo/Wag nang iwaldas ang dekadang bago/Ako ang tutupad sa pangakong ito/Ako ang Simula ng pagbabago.” (Don’t rest in your own world/ Don’t waste another decade/ I will be the one to fulfill this promise/I will be the start of change)

ABS-CBN Newsgathering Head Charie Villa added, “We want to tell the youth that there is no time to waste. The change you want for the country can happen now, and it can start from you. The youth, as the largest voting sector, can turn this country around. They can do it and they should.”

Rico, Aia, Raimund, and an army of Pinoy youth will brandish their “thumbmarks” of commitment in the “Ako ang Simula” music video, which will premier on Thursday (June 11) during the Kapamilya network’s annual flag-raising ceremony from 9:55am to 10:10am on ABS-CBN. The video was conceptualized and executed by the ABS-CBN’s Creative Communications Management.

Meanwhile, “Boto Mo, iPatrol Mo: Ako ang Simula” will make a repeat of its groundbreaking May 11 multiplatform launch on Friday (June 12), the Philippines’ Independence Day.

Once again, ABS-CBN anchors will report live from different points in the country – Pinky Webb in Legaspi, Julius Babao in Iloilo, and Ces Oreña Drilon in General Santos City. “Umagang Kay Ganda” will also air live from Eastwood City in Quezon City.

Thousands of Filipinos are also expected to turn up for the nationwide voter registration to be spearheaded by the Commission on Elections. They may also sign-up as “Boto Patrollers” and take part in all “Boto Mo, iPatrol Mo: Ako ang Simula” activities. There will be BMPM booths in Legaspi, Iloilo, General Santos, Eastwood, and at the Rizal Park in Manila.

ABS-CBN took the lead in pioneering an election advocacy for clean and honest elections. Aside from multimedia news coverage and satellite voter registrations, it has also enabled the public to get to know the possible presidential candidates in 2010 through the ANC Leadership Forum.

On Sunday (June 14), ABS-CBN’s news anchors will also appear on “ASAP ‘09” to continue engaging Filipinos here and abroad in this year-long campaign. “We have one year to change traditional politics in our country. We can do this if we act and stay vigilant as early as now,” ABS-CBN Senior Vice President for News and Current Affairs Maria Ressa said.

Visit www.abs-cbnnews.com/botomo or www.twitter.com/abscbn_halalan for election news and events. Stay tuned to “Umagang Kay Ganda,” “TV Patrol World,” and “Bandila” for “Boto Mo, iPatrol Mo: Ako ang Simula” updates.

(ABS-CBN Press Release)

Rico Blanco, Raimund Marasigan and Aia de Leon: ‘Boto Mo iPatrol Mo!’ (BMPM) originally appeared on Starmometer on June 11, 2009.