Vote wisely: Faithful urged to vote for better governance

As the Barangay and Sanggguniang Kabataan elections draw near, Catholics are urged to exercise their right to vote and push for better governance in their communities.

“The Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections will finally push through. It marks an opportunity for change – for better representation of issues and values at the level of local government and for platforms and leadership resonant to the changing times,” said the chair of the Episcopal Commission on Social Action-Justice and Peace, Archbishop Rolando J. Tria Tirona in a communique sent to Social Action Directors of different dioceses in the Philippines.

“As we draw closer to the local elections, the imperative to engage with our mission communities grows,” he said.

More than a week before the elections on May 14, Abp. Tirona said that several opportunities for empowering Church communities to push for better governance like direct engagement in the electoral process and awareness campaigns should be done.

He said the Social Action Centers in the country can conduct or participate in voters’ education and political education to guide the electorate.

He also said awareness campaigns can address lack of information in communities about the differences in the ballots for the Sangguniang Kabataan and the Barangay elections, tools and instruments that the community can use in disqualification against those who are running for their third term, among others.

Abp. Tirona also encouraged dioceses to put up hotlines where the voters can text or call for political concerns.

In the Archdiocese of Davao, the Davao Association of Catholic Schools (DACS) has spearheaded another initiative with the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) dubbed as E-CHAMP or Election that is Clean, Honest, Accurate, Meaningful and Peaceful.

Volunteers from different parishes will also participate in this initiative to provide assistance to voters and help in the conduct of elections.

A big part of the preparation for the election of the next barangay and SK officials is the community prayer wherein vigils and special prayers were made for clean, honest and participatory elections especially for the Filipino youth.

In the parishes, the CBCP Prayer for the Barangay Elections were recited in either English, Tagalog, or Cebuano after the Holy Communion starting May 6 until May 13.

“The opportunity to elect new leaders in the barangay is an opportunity that has already been denied from us twice. Let us make the most of this opportunity, deepen our engagements into the democratic process, and encourage the Church communities to take an active part in shaping what the next few years would look like,” Abp. Tirona ended.