CBCP kicks off 40 days of prayer and discernment campaign for Eleksyon 2022

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Monday launched its 40 days of prayer and discernment campaign for Eleksyon 2022 to reach out to more people and help them make a good choice according to the standard of God. 

The day 1 of the said 40 days will be on March 30, 2022–exactly 40 days until the May 9 polls.

During the “I Vote God” media conference, Caritas Philippines Executive Secretary Fr. Antonio Labiao Jr. said that they will continue to empower people and push for good governance in the country through voters’ education programs ahead of the elections.

“In 40 days, sana meron tayong magagawa. We can reach out to more people. Ang importante na ang voters natin, makilala nila nang lubos kung sino ‘yung mga kandidato para hindi lang tayo nagboboto dahil inutusan tayong bumoto at dahil lang nakuha natin sa social media,” he said.

(In 40 days, I hope we can do something. We can reach out to more people. The important thing here is that our voters will know exactly who the candidates are so they won’t just vote because they were told to vote or were influenced by social media.)

Labiao also underscored the importance of refusing vote buying or selling as it diminishes the sacredness of the people’s vote.

“Sana 'wag tayong bumoto na dahil merong pera na kapalit ito or else we lose already the sacredness of our vote, we surrender our power, wala na tayong karapatan magsalita kasi binenta na natin ‘yung ating kapangyarihan,” he added.

(I hope we don't vote because there is money in exchange for it or else we already lose the sacredness of our vote, we surrender our power, and we would no longer have the right to speak because we have sold our power.)

The CBCP on Sunday released a pastoral letter signed by CBCP president and Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, calling on voters and candidates not to engage in vote selling as it is “a serious offense against God.”

“Each vote is important, so important that it is sought, bought and even stolen. Our vote is our voice and decision. When we sell our vote, we lose our voice and decision. It is like giving up our freedom and our future,” David said.

“[We] should be reminded that taking advantage of the poverty and vulnerability of people in order to acquire votes or advance one’s selfish gain is a serious offense against God,” he added.

Through the same letter, CBCP also appealed to the public, candidates, and different sectors of society to work together towards ensuring that the upcoming elections will be Clean, Honest, Accurate, Meaningful and Peaceful (CHAMP), and Safe, Accurate, Fair Election (SAFE).

Further, Dilaab Philippines chairman Fr. Victor Carmelo Diola urged voters to also employ the “LASER test” on the candidates based on their Lifestyle, Accomplishments, Support they are getting, Election conduct, and Reputation.

“Itong LASER test, these are concrete indicators of what it means to be maka-Diyos, maka-tao, makabayan, maka-kalikasan (godly, humane, patriotic, environmental),” he said.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner George Garcia last week said the poll body is set to create a task force to probe reports on vote buying incidents ahead of the May 9 elections.

Garcia then pointed out that vote buying and selling are criminal acts punishable under the law, thus those alleging vote buying should file their complaints before the Comelec itself. —KG, GMA News