Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro
ELECTIONS are a time for choice and
decision-making. Voters are expected to follow their conscience in choosing
public officials that will serve the common good, and help in the development
of their community. On election day itself, every voter becomes “partisan”—in
the sense that he or she takes sides and chooses the candidates deemed most
qualified for public office.
And yet, to be partisan in Philippine
politics does not necessarily mean to side with one party only – even as
political parties are beginning to articulate their principles and party
platforms. Personalities, with their qualifications, are still crucial in
determining principles and platforms. Thus, as we scrutinize the qualifications
of various candidates, the Catholic bishops have encouraged Christian citizens
to engage in “principled partisan politics.”
But how do we engage in principled
partisan politics? Three modes come to mind. The first way, paradoxically, is
to be non-partisan in favoring this or that candidate. On the other hand, it
means to be partisan or to take sides for the democratic process itself to
prevail. This is the role of watchdog citizens’ arms like the Parish Pastoral
Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and the National Movement for Free
Elections (NAMFREL). As in past elections, we encourage our parishioners,
particularly the youth and religious lay organizations, to volunteer their
services in these activities to ensure Clean, Honest, Accountable, Meaningful,
and Peaceful (CHAMP) elections. Our archdiocesan social action team can help
coordinate both PPCRV and NAMFREL activities at the local levels to ensure
complementarity of roles. We also commend the initiative of the Xavier
University High School alumni in organizing Crusaders for Honest, Orderly, and
Peaceful Elections (HOPE) in the 62 polling precincts of Cagayan de Oro City.
During this period before election day,
Voters’ Education will require much effort—not only in the proper utilization
of the PCOS machines, but more so in choosing worthwhile candidates. It is in
this context that voters can become Trans-partisan—i.e., in choosing the most
qualified candidates across political parties. In their Pastoral Statement of
Jan. 2013, the Catholic bishops “commend and support lay initiatives to form
circles of discernment to choose worthy candidates . . . in order to bring
values of God’s kingdom in the public discourse.” As in previous elections, I
have recommended that voters choose candidates with the five C’s – that they be
men and women of Character, Conscience, Competence, Compassion, and Commitment.
Other characteristics have been suggested: that candidates be maka-Diyos,
maka-Tao, maka-Buhay, maka-Bayan, and maka-Kalikasan.
The Circles of Discernment for Elections
(CIDE) seminar organized by the Dilaab Team in the Archdiocese of Cebu has
further refined this selection process through its LASER test. Informal groups
of voters are asked to evaluate candidates according to Lifestyle,
Action/Accomplishments, Supporters, Election Conduct, and Reputation. I would
highly encourage our Basic Ecclesial Communities as well as multi-sectoral and
inter-faith groups to adopt this discernment process in order to arrive at a
collective choice of worthwhile candidates.
Dilaab has also introduced a third mode
of partisanship. This is called Pan-Partisanship (“i.e., reaching out to all
political affiliations”). Prior to the formal campaign period, candidates from
all political parties as well as those individuals still discerning whether to
run for public office or not were invited to a “discernment integrity
recollection”. This focused on what Pope Benedict XVI calls “evangelical
formation and pastoral accompaniment of a new generation of Catholics working
in politics.” Prospective candidates were invited to pray over their own
understanding and motivations for entering the sphere of public service. They
were also asked to answer the LASER questions for themselves as candidates.
In addition to this inclusive invitation
to all candidates to develop a form of spirituality in public office, I would
include three issues of concern of pan- or supra-partisan significance (which
all political parties should espouse). In the archdiocese, we have launched a
campaign: “Our Votes are Not for Sale.” It is a direct call to all traditional
politicians (trapos) against the practice of rampant vote-buying (which is
considered a criminal offense.) More profoundly, vote-buying as well as
vote-selling are offenses against the dignity of the voter himself who
“exchanges” his reasoning and freedom for a fleeting sum of money.
A second issue of concern has been
brought up by the CBCP Pastoral Statement: “the widening practice of political
dynasties.” Along with other dioceses and organizations, we have launched in
the archdiocese the Movement Against Dynasties (MAD). Recent studies by
research centers have pointed out the correlation of political dynasties with
corruption, poverty, and violence in various provinces throughout the country.
The provision against political dynasties has already been inscribed in the
Philippine Constitution of 1987. The CBCP statement adds: “As monopolies in business,
monopolies in politics limit the entry that can bring in new ideas and better
services. Political dynasties breed corruption and ineptitude.” A related
advocacy is the campaign against pork barrel allocations—which impels political
dynasties to expand to control the largesse of public funds.
A third issue of concern, especially for
us in Cagayan de Oro, is the care and conservation of the environment. Typhoon
Sendong has taught us the bitter lessons from the wanton degradation of our
watershed areas surrounding Cagayan de Oro River and other tributaries. The
continued bleeding of Iponan River from hydraulic flush mining also has to be
stopped. The rehabilitation and protection of our environment should be a
pan-partisan concern of all candidates for public office.
This then is the challenge of
Responsible Citizenship as we approach election day. While church leaders
themselves have to remain non-partisan in electoral contests for the sake of
transcendent Gospel values that they uphold, it is good to keep in mind the
three calls of CBCP for all Christian citizens:
1) To form circles of discernment;
2) For the laity to exercise their right
and duty to support candidates who are qualified and public service minded; and
3) To engage in principled partisan
politics.
+ANTONIO J. LEDESMA, S.J.
Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro
16 April 2013
