VCM TRAINING. Congressional candidate George Arnaiz tries his hand on a vote-counting machine during an orientation held by the Commission on Elections in Negros Oriental on Tuesday (March 23, 2022). The orientation on election laws, rules, and regulations comes three days ahead of the start of the local campaign period on Friday (March 25, 2022). (Photo courtesy of Comelec-Negros Oriental) DUMAGUETE CITY - Local candidates and their political parties in Negros Oriental will be allowed to conduct campaign activities even without securing a permit from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) here, an election official said on Wednesday. This, as candidates are gearing up for the start of the local campaign this week on March 25. Lawyer Lionel Marco Castillano, Comelec-Negros Oriental provincial election supervisor, told the Philippine News Agency that this development came following an amendment issued by the agency on election campaign guidelines. During an orientation for the candidates and their teams on Tuesday afternoon, Castillano said one of the highlights in the discussions was the amendment of the poll body's Resolution 10732 that previously required permits from the Comelec Campaign Committees at the regional, provincial, and local levels. Comelec Resolution 10769 has amended that resolution and now allows campaign activities such as rallies, house-to-house visits, and other gatherings in areas under Alert Level 1 and Alert Level 2 without a permit from the Comelec, provided that people still observe the minimum health protocols, he added. "But they still have to secure a permit from the local government unit concerned if deemed necessary," Castillano said. Negros Oriental is under Alert Level 2 until the end of this month, as declared by the national Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, in relation to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic restrictions in the country. The Comelec provincial official also reminded political candidates in the province on the various election laws, rules, and regulations. "I discussed with them the do's and don'ts on campaigning, especially with regards to Comelec Resolution No. 10730 on the implementation of the Fair Election Act," he added. The lawyer appealed to the candidates not to post their election campaign materials on trees and electric posts or undesignated public places, otherwise they will be taken down by the Comelec. He also reassured the orientation attendees that the poll body is "off limits" to the posting of campaign materials in private places, as embodied in the Supreme Court's temporary restraining order. During the orientation, the candidates and other attendees were also given a hands-on basic training on the use of the vote-counting machines (VCMs) that will be used in the upcoming elections, Castillano said. "The activity was to show them how the VCM works and that it can accurately count the votes in the ballot as seen in the taped receipt, and it can also help the candidates and representatives in educating their leaders and supporters on the use of the automated machine," he added. (PNA) }