COMMUNICATION PLAN FOR 2010 PHILIPPINE AUTOMATED

ELECTIONS

I. Objective

To assure the public that the decision made by Comelec choosing
Smartmatic over the other bidders was the right one and to make the public
accept the choice.

To make the public and stakeholders gain confidence in Smartmatic as the
most qualified provider with the ability to achieve a successful project.

II. Strategy
a. Educate targeted stakeholders with automated system via easy-to-
understand, interactive (‘hip’ in both urbanite and rustic settings) voter
education campaign anchored on strategic onsite demonstrations and
national slogan “Iba Na Ngayon!; It’s Better Automated.”
b. Partner with electoral watchdogs, NGOs and advocacy groups, including
media advocacy movements such as ABS-CBN’s Boto Mo, iPatrol Mo,
Ako ang Simula, etc.
c. Visibility in all strategic media, both traditional and online, to inform public,
and all key stakeholders of automation process, and implementation
updates.
d. Fine-tune and standardize key messages emanating from Comelec and
Comelec and Smartmatic-Tim. Initiate stakeholder/media training program
to equip frontliners with necessary competencies (e.g. staying-on-the
message, presentation skills, media relations, crisis communications, etc.)
e. Project COMELEC’s commitment to a successful electoral exercise (a
reformed institution—proved itself in ARMM elections), and Smartmatic’s
solid credentials.
f. Amplify Smartmatic’s credentials in past projects and its solid experience
in automated elections due to its state-of-the-art technology and
experienced personnel.
g. Project Smartmatic as a credible, honest, and reliable “partner” in this
historic event of automating 100% of the voting centers in the country.
h. Remind the public of Comelec’s wise decision in switching to electronic
voting, the first important step against electoral fraud in the country.
i. Inform the public on the automated election process.
j. Update stakeholders (government/ Comelec/ BEIs /technical support/
NGOs) and the people on the progress of the project.
III. Target Audience
• Youth (17-35 age range): vanguard messengers in the growing
online/infotainment community whose voice will decide whether this
system should be championed or not. Interest is extremely challenging to
attract and/or sustain.
• Government, particularly the Department of Education (DepEd) personnel
who will be tapped to oversee the 2010 polls, and the Armed Forces of the
Philippines-Philippine National Police(AFP-PNP) who are tasked to secure
it.
• Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), whose members will be in the
forefront of electoral inspection and protest in the 2010 polls.
• Non-Governmental Organizations, particularly electoral watchdogs such
as Namfrel, PPCRV and other governance organizations
• Local Government Units, particularly League of Mayors and Governors,
whose trust and cooperation is crucial to a successful electoral exercise
• Traditional Tri-Media (with emphasis on special journalist organizations
and selected influence-holders in print, radio and TV, and their respective
in-house advocacy movements), the foreign media (FOCAP), and online
media.
• Business Community
• Diplomatic Community
• General Public
• The world and potential nation-clients

IV. Key Messages

Smartmatic
• Smartmatic helps societies become more efficient and transparent through
technological innovations.
• Smartmatic guarantees successful electoral projects and legitimate results
with the most accurate audited voting technology and experienced personnel.
• Smartmatic guarantees successful electoral projects and legitimate results
with the most accurate audited voting technology and experienced personnel.
• Smartmatic’s experience in Latin America, the United States, the Caribbean,
and Mindanao prove that it has the skills and knowledge to carry out mission-
critical projects that make it uniquely qualified for the 2010 elections.
• Smartmatic has combined its expertise with the local experience and
knowledge of Total Information Management (TIM).
• Smartmatic has neither negative record of any wrongdoing nor any legal
issues/ impediments anywhere in the world as to its core business.
The technology
• Voting is quick and easy like playing Lotto. It is an enhancement to the paper-
based system.
• The transmission of results from the Automated Counting Machines (ACM)
ensures there are no count inconsistencies.
• After a voter casts his choice, there is no human intervention whatsoever in
the process of counting, tallying/canvassing, transmission, and proclamation.
• Say goodbye to dagdag-bawas. With the new fool-proof system, there will be
no chance to manipulate any vote, period.
• With this technology, counting and canvassing procedures are completed
fast.
• The elections are transparent because the Automated Election System (AES)
is secure, reliable and auditable.
• The electronic voting technology encourages the participation of the people.
In places such as the ARMM, for example, participation has grown
significantly when it was implemented .
• Smartmatic’s ACM is the most reliable, transparent auditable voting system
available in the world.
• More than 150 million votes have been cast with Smartmatic’s technology,.
• Smartmatic is a global provider of voting products/services and technological
solutions that complies with standard business ethics and rules. Reliability
and truthfulness of the ACM and the Election Day Management Platform
(EDMP) and the Real-Time Electoral Information System (REIS).

About COMELEC

The leadership of Chairman Melo and all the Commissioners deserve praise
for being the first to implement full automation. Comelec’s leadership is
committed to improving the election system.
Chairman Melo – along with Directors Rafanan and Tolentino with the help of
the Advisory Council - made an excellent decision in choosing Smartmatic as
the technology provider.

V. Tacticals

Phase 1 – Deployment and Pre-Election (Sept. 1, 2009 – May 9,

2010)
A. Organizational (Sept. 1, 2009 – Oct. 31, 2009)
• Develop focused media list:
• Create an issue inventory on issues for and against Smartmatic, Comelec,
National Computer Center, and other members of the Advisory Council.
• Draft improved FAQs for spokesmen, the media, and the public.
 • Media training for spokesmen and front-liners (Smartmatic and Comelec)
• Establish linkages with 4 to 5 important prestigious organizations, such as:
CARE - The International Foundation for Electoral System and Citizens
(with funding support from USAID), National Movement for Free Elections
(Namfrel), etc., in order to gain their support as allies.
• Arrange private meetings with key members of the media.
• Come up with a coherent media kit, with provisions for continuous press
release/issues updates as necessary.
• Arrange radio/TV interviews, demos, and press conferences.
• Draft background materials for inclusion in press kit: informational fact
sheets on Smartmatic’s technology, how it works, why it is secure. Also,
facts about our experience, success cases, and what has been said in
favor of our technology.
• Form blog groups supportive of automating the 2010 National Election
with PCOS technology.
• Publicize the following: Delivery of 20 ACM demo units and software
customization; delivery of functional system and software agreement;
Source code evaluation; site surveys.
• Negotiate with malls and other companies for support in terms of space
and other matters for public demos of the ACM;
• Start video documentary about the process in the Philippines, from the
beginning to the end. This involves collecting pieces from all the available
audio-visual materials showing Smartmatic (i.e., interviews).
• Monitor any charges or rumor that may emerge and explain to the media.

B. Kick-Off (Nov. 1, 2009 – Jan. 31, 2010)

• Sustain efforts of Phase 1A.
• Plant column feeds and articles that make the public more aware of the
advantages of automated elections systems and gain confidence in
Smartmatic’s track record. Sustain the emphasis on Smartmatic helping
societies become more efficient and transparent through technological
innovations.
• Sustain awareness on the advantages of automated elections systems
and progress report on the project deployment such as PCOS precinct
installations, configuration, and trial runs. Sustain the emphasis on
Smartmatic helping societies become more efficient and transparent
through technological innovations.
• Arrange press conferences on the key message of this phase. Organize
radio interviews and commentaries on the advantages of automated
elections systems, Smartmatic’s track record, and progress of the project.
• Distribute press release and CDs containing the training video of how to
vote, and some other information related to the Election (scope, stats,
audits, previous experience, etc) in order to orient the media and the
public on automated election procedures and technology.
 • Stress the benefits of automation for the teachers/ Board of Election
Inspectors (BEIs).
• Launch information/ education program to help BEIs/ voters properly use
ACM system.
• Update public on organization of IT staff assisting BEIs oversee poll
precincts.
• Establish a public ACM demo area in the office for organized tours of
students and other groups.
• Placement of institutional ads for ACM in print and radio.
• Publicize the following: Delivery of systems; delivery of 82,200 copies of
PCOS operating manuals; First and second deliveries of ACMs end of
December 2009 (42,000) and at the end of January 2010 (40,000);
Testing of systems; Field Test 1 and 2; Comelec systems acceptance;
Mock election; TEC systems certification; training of Comelec personnel;
public demos; final ballot format; testing of ACMs in actual configuration
with the ballots; site surveys.
• Voters will be interviewed during mock elections, so we can show and
share these videos. Election officers and Smartmatic technicians will also
be interviewed to highlight the preparations being made for the election.
• Media familiarization tour of a Smartmatic facility that is to be determined.
• Monitor any charges or rumor that may emerge and explain to the media.

C. Ramp-up to Elections (Feb. 1 – May 9)

• Sustain efforts of Phase 1B
• Sustain awareness on the advantages of automated elections systems
and progress report on the project deployment such as PCOS precinct
installations, configuration, trials, and Sealing Event.
• Arrange interviews on the key message of this phase. Organize radio
interviews and commentaries on the progress of the project.
• Sustain information/ education program to help BEIs/ voters properly use
the ACM system.
• Update public on organization of 48,000 IT staff assisting BEIs oversee
poll precincts.
• Publicize the following: Deployment of machines and transmission
equipment; Preparation of transmission sites; Training of BEIs for
operation and DOST certification; Preparation of
voting/counting/canvassing sites; delivery of ballots; configuration of
machines, final checking of systems (transmission and sealing); shipping
of ballots; Election Day Services and Completion Report; Final
Acceptance.
• Create Facebook and Twitter accounts and invite journalists, international
observers and others to join us. These web pages require daily updating
and interesting content & pictures. (Maybe 3 months before the election).
• Organize media tours to remote areas so they can report on the
deployment/delivery of voting machines to polling precincts. We need to
 define who (journalists, observers) can join us to the Philippines to monitor
the election, or at least an election simulation. The message must be: “We
are doing everything that is possible to reach all voters, so that they can
participate in this historic event.”
• Draft template press release for election success: To ensure rapid-fire
communications on Election Day.
• Institutional ads for ACM in print and radio.
• Monitor any charges or rumors that may emerge and address them.

REST OF THE WORLD

Define other countries where we want to make noise: the U.S (New York + D.C.),
Europe (Brussels, Geneva, Paris, London, Copenhagen), Latin America (Brazil +
Colombia), Africa, and Asia.

Create a list of the top international news outlets and the names of reporters
who cover elections.

Touch base with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines
(FOCAP). Create a list of the top international news outlets and the names of
reporters who cover elections.

Create pitch themes for each international outlet: because the Philippines is
not a first-rate issue for most international media outlets, we will need to
develop specific pitches that leverage the current news cycle within each
country and highlight the breakthrough success on Smartmatic in the
Philippines. (It is crucial to highlight the massive preparations necessary to
automate the Philippines election).

Pitch broadcast b-roll footage (CNN International, CNN Espanol): As long as
sharing video footage with news outlets can present technical difficulties and
require prep time, we may reach out to stations to assess their interest level
and coordinate logistics.

Draft op-ed: Write a 750+ word opinion editorial to be submitted to
international publications such as Newsweek, (define magazines in Asia)
reflecting the evolution of voting and how Smartmatic is bringing
democracy/fair elections to new regions.

Create Elections Chart: To interest more international news outlets, we may
develop a chart on fact sheet comparing elections in so-called “advanced
democracies” and younger ones. Using the election as a springboard, this will
allow us to develop broader stories on how Smartmatic is changing the
election industry. Of course, Antonio Mugica or an appropriate member of the
Smartmatic team will need to be available for comment.

Draft template press release for election success: To ensure rapid-fire
communications on Election Day.
Phase 2 – E-Day (May 10 – May 11)
• Release articles that make the public more aware of the successes of the
ACM, the Election Day Management Platform (EDMP), and the Real-Time
Electoral Information System (REIS). Sustain the emphasis on Smartmatic
helping societies become more efficient and transparent through
technological innovations.
• Publish news on live showrooms for journalists and international
observers during election day, to display real-time information about the
installation, opening, closing, data transmission and auditing of polling
places, as well as live bulletins with partial or final results, as approved by
Comelec in the National Support Center (NSC) or at Comelec.
• National and Local Media coordination and visit to “Showcase Sites”.
There will be sites where the media will be brought along with a group of
international observers organized by C-Care and other organizations.
These sites will be secure areas having practice voting booths and voter
education paraphernalia of a voting center.
• All the watchdogs will be brought along with the international observers to
monitor the process on Election Day.
• Press kits will be distributed containing all available materials (i.e. voter
education materials, CDs, press releases, etc.).
• Show videos filmed during the mock elections (voters, Smartmatic
technicians).
• The media will be brought to the NSC to witness the transmission of the
votes and highlight the speed at which these results come in. The key
message here is that there is no window of opportunity to cheat because
the results are already known within a few minutes after voting. (Risky, so
final clearance needed)
• A press meeting with COMELEC will be held after polls close to announce
update and the general success of the election and summarize the main
points of the success. Record some testimonials in video. We need them
to have excellent sound quality in order to use it in our corporate videos or
to send it to the international media. (Not only voters but also authorities or
relevant public figures).
• Photographs of (calm) voting citizens, neatly going through voting steps, in
polling centers showing orderliness and efficiency (no long lines, no unruly
behavior) would be very useful to use in the post-election phase.
• Record all positive comments (TV and Radio interviews) we could use
after the election.
• Monitor any charges or rumors that may emerge and address them.
PHASE 3 - Post E-Day Success Message for RP and the World
(May 12 – December 31)
• Update public on speed and reliability in counting to canvass results and
finally to proclamation.
• Key message is: Smartmatic’s Latest Success Bolsters its Credentials for
Future Projects in the world.
• Plant column feeds and articles that make the Filipino public, the world,
and prospective nation-clients more aware of the success of the
SAES1800 and possibly, the Election Day Management Platform (EDMP)
and the REIS in helping the Philippines reach a milestone in its political
and social history after its second successful automated elections.
• Arrange media forums and press conferences on the project final report
and the advantages that the Comelec will gain in buying the SAES1800
system for the 2013 elections. Organize radio interviews and
commentaries if necessary.
• Make the public aware of the minimized numbers of electoral fraud and
violence.
• Press Releases and all news items will be distributed to national, local and
international media agencies (AFP, REUTERS, etc.). Also, through
Business Wire distribution services.
• Pursue outstanding leads: Follow up with reporters and outlets that have
expressed interest in writing a story about the election but have yet to do
so or need additional information.
• Show documentary about the process in the Philippines, from the
beginning to the end. This involves collecting pieces from all the available
audio-visual materials showing Smartmatic (i.e., interviews).

Arrange for Smartmatic international roadshow of Philippine success story
for marketing purposes.

Monitor any charges or rumors that may emerge and address them.

Make the public aware of Smartmatic computer-donation CSR thru the
Thanksgiving Party and the three Miss Universes and their advocacies.