By Easter Anne D. Doza
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson huddles with Election Supervisor lawyer Salud Milagros “Tictac” Villanueva and Executive Assistant/Provincial Information Officer OIC Charina Magallanes-Tan during the Briefing on Political Neutrality of Civil Servants during Elections and Vote Counting Machine Demonstration at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall. *PIA6 photo 
COMELEC-Negros Occidental Maintenance Technologist Anthony Denmark Cajuarao discusses the features of the Vote Counting Machine*
Civil servants or government employees were reminded on Thursday, April 7, to stay apolitical and non-partisan as the election fever heats up.
The Commission on Elections through Election Supervisor lawyer Salud Milagros “Tictac” Villanueva told some 65 information officers of the Negros Association of Government Information Officers and Liaisons to exercise prudence during the campaign period, especially for information officers who are prone to partisan political activities.
“No local official or employee in the career civil service shall engage directly or indirectly in any partisan political activity or take part in any election, initiative, referendum, plebiscite, or recall, except to vote, nor shall he use his official authority or influence to cause the performance of any political activity by any person or body,” Villanueva said citing the Local Government Code.
Villanueva also detailed the prohibitions under the COMELEC and Civil Service Commission Joint Circular No. 001, Series of 2016 and the COMELEC RESO. 10730 or the Fair Elections Act, among others, during the Briefing on Political Neutrality of Civil Servants during Elections and Vote Counting Machine Demonstration organized by the Philippine Information Agency with the Province of Negros Occidental and the COMELEC.
“We should be prudent in our actions (this elections). We should be more circumspect especially with social media use in expressing political views since it can be taken against us,” Villanueva stressed.
Meanwhile, COMELEC-Negros Occidental Maintenance Technologist Anthony Denmark Cajuarao also discussed the features of the Vote Counting Machine and led the demonstration on how to properly fill in the ballots and feed into the VCM.
Cajurao also reminded the participants including members of the media to be careful of their ballots and shading of their votes in the ballots since VCMs can be very sensitive.*