Villegas leads ‘One Good Vote’ drive to fight vulgarity, disrespect for life

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas says his homily as he leads the launching in Pangasinan of the “One Good Vote” advocacy campaign in time for the May midterm elections. (PHOTO BY WILLIE LOMIBAO)

DAGUPAN CITY- Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas on Wednesday called on voters to take a stand against social issues as he led the launching here of an advocacy campaign in time for the May midterm elections.

In his homily during a Mass at the University of Pangasinan here, Villegas said poverty, corruption, vulgarity, falsehood and death had long haunted the Filipino people.

“Vote for God, vote for life, vote for courtesy, vote for good manners, vote for charity, vote for the poor. We cannot have good politics if we separate it from God,” Villegas said.

He made the call shortly before the formal launching of the “One Good Vote” campaign at the University of Pangasinan Gymnasium here that was attended by some 1,000 students and lay leaders from different parishes under the diocese.

He said poverty had left many people hungry, sick and homeless, all because of “dirty politics.”

“How do we end poverty? One good vote. Through the vote from each one of us, together, we can fight poverty,” Villegas said.

The Church leader also enumerated other social issues that he said were plaguing the country.

These include illegal drugs, disrespect for life, and mockery of the members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender or LGBT community.

He said these problems could be eliminated by “voting good.”/ac