Henrietta de Villa, chairwoman of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (Photo by Jimmy Domingo)
A Philippine Catholic group on Thursday launched a voters' education program aimed at ensuring "clean and honest elections" in the country next year.
Henrietta de Villa, chairwoman of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), said the program dubbed "One Good Vote" aims to strengthen the "personal and social consciences" of the people.
The PPCRV is a church-based poll watchdog, which has been accredited by the Commission on Elections as its "citizens arm" for the May 2016 elections.
De Villa said the "One Good Vote" campaign is different from previous voters education program. "It is specialized, it is people-driven, and it is community-conscience based," she said in an interview.
The main proponents of the program are villagers, especially the youth, because "they are the most affected victims of bad elections and bad electoral habits," De Villa said.
The PPCRV will select one village in every province of the country as pilot areas for the campaign, which will call on voters to assess candidates according to "character, skill, and honesty”.
A circle of five to seven people will also share information about candidates to ensure a "participatory reflection and discernment" before voting or supporting candidates.
At the launching of the program, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, archbishop of Manila, issued an appeal to candidates in next year's national elections "not to take advantage of the poor who are suffering".
"That is trampling on their dignity," Tagle said, adding that many politicians "capitalize on the need of somebody in order to manipulate".
The prelate said the poor "are already vulnerable yet (politicians) still take advantage".
The Philippines is infamous for its dirty politics as politicians are known to bribe, intimidate or even kill to ensure election victory.
During the 2013 mid-term elections, at least seven people were reported killed on election day alone, while at least 60 people were killed in the lead-up to the polls.