Young Davaoeños Urged to be Responsible Voters

“This event is organized to remind ourselves of our Christian responsibilities… Ang pagpili dili subay sa popularidad, apan subay kini sa pangandoy ug kabubut-on sa Diyos. Pamalandungan ang kabubut-on sa Diyos.” Said Rev. Fr. Leomel Puerto, the Youth Director of the Davao Archdiocesan Youth Coordinating Apostolate in the opening Mass last April 9, 2016 of the Archdiocesan Youth Leaders’ Forum that is anchored in this coming national elections.

One Good Vote is the theme of this year’s gathering of the youth leaders of the Archdiocese of Davao. The forum is in line with the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) campaign for clean and honest national elections. The DAYCA in partnership with the Archdiocese of Cagayan’s Social Action Center coordinator, Mr. Carl Cabaraban, made the event possible. The whole-day forum that was held at the St. John Paul II College of Davao focuses on the upcoming local and national elections making it relevant to the Catholic young people.

The participants from the various vicariates were grouped and identified main problems that their respective barangays or residences are experiencing and presented it to the audience and the facilitator. Poverty, growing number of out-of-school-youth, drug addiction, electrical shortage, and pollution are the common problems among the seven vicariates. These were the issues that the young people would like to be addressed by the next leaders of this country.

In the latter part of the forum, Rev. Fr. Archimedes A. Lachica, SJ, project director of Operation E-CHAMP (Clean, Honest, Accurate, Meaningful, and Peaceful Elections) together with Mr. Jimmie-Loe P. dela Vega the executive director the Davao Association of Catholic Schools, asked the young people not just to vote but also to secure their votes by volunteering as one of the vigilant young volunteers this election day. Also, the youth voters had an evaluation of the five popular candidates for presidency. The said evaluation allowed the voters to check if their candidate is a person that is qualified to serve them and carry out not just his/her mission as leader, but also a leader who will carry out the will and mission of God. The forum concluded through a praise and worship led by San Pablo Parish Youth Ministry offering prayers for success and harm-free national elections. (Jecy Opada)