CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The church-based election watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) may have not enough volunteers here to assist in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on Monday.
Bobby Villaluz, PPCRV coordinator for the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, said aside from the lack of time to recruit more volunteers to serve in the May 14 polls, many of the group’s members had to dissociate themselves from PPCRV to run for elective position or to help in the campaign of their friends and family members.
The archdiocese has jurisdiction over this city, Misamis Oriental, and Camiguin, which together has about 65 parishes. Cagayan de Oro alone has 32 parishes.
The PPCRV has teamed up with radio groups that will act as monitoring teams, especially in areas where it has no volunteers.
“Aside from their group ID card, PPCRV will also issue them (radio groups) an ID during the May 14 elections,” Villaluz said.
He said it was PPCRV’s hope to change the country’s election traditions by advocating for friendship and Christian-like attitude before, during and after the elections.
He said all candidates must be forgiving of their political opponents and must be able to build good relationship with others.
“This is the new politics. There should be no more grudges or ill-feelings toward your political adversaries. Election is just one day, friendship is lifetime,” Villaluz said. /ee