Archbishop Villegas: We will not get tired of teaching voters

PHOTO by Pathricia Ann V. Roxas/INQUIRER.net

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said Wednesday they will not get tired of educating voters in the run-up to the May 13 elections, as he believes this is part of the Catholic Church’s contribution to nation-building.

“Ang tulong (na gagawin namin) ay i-guide ‘yung mga taong kababayan natin kung papaano bumoto base sa turo ng moralidad, turo ng pagiging Pilipino. Dapat makabayan, at tsaka maka-Diyos tayo,” Villegas said in a brief interview before his dialogue with opposition senatorial candidates Samira Gutoc, Florin Hilbay, and representatives of other Otso Diretso contenders.

(What we can do to help is to guide our citizens how to vote based on our moral teachings and our values as Filipinos. We should be patriotic and God-fearing.)

But the archbishop clarified that they can only help educate voters but could not endorse specific candidates.

PHOTO by Pathricia Ann V. Roxas/INQUIRER.net

“So ‘yung sino iboboto o sino ‘yung partidong iboboto nila, bilang bishop hinahayaan namin na ‘yung parishioners namin ‘yung bumoto, ang magdesisyon…(We allow our parishioners to chose their candidates and political parties),” he explained.

“Our role is to be purveyors of conscience. We cannot be substitutes for the conscience of the people,” he continued.

“So we will do our very best until our voices go hoarse, but we will not get tired of teaching because that is our contribution to nation building,” he added.

Villegas admitted that the Otso Diretso team is the only political group that he managed to meet so far.

“I receive notices invitations kung pwede to meet me kaya lang I’m always out. Nagkikita kami sa labas ng office… pero dito, itong kalaking grupo ay ngayon lang,” he said, stressing that this should not be seen with malice.

(I receive invitations to meet but I’m always out. We usually meet outside the office. It is only now that I’ve agreed to meet with a group this big.)

“‘Wag nyo lagyan ng kulay ha, dahil nagkatagpo ‘yung schedule (Don’t put color into this because it is a just a coincidence that our schedules have matched),” Villegas continued. /ee