Text and Photos by FRANKLIN Q. DE GUZMAN
Archdiocesan Social Action Apostolate Lingayen-Dagupan
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan.—Political rivals, representatives of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), members of religious groups and ordinary citizens poured out into the streets of this town recently to express their determination to hold clean and peaceful elections in May.
In an event called “Lakad Pangasinan, Malinis na Halalan,” more than a thousand Pangasinenses marched for Clean, Honest, Accurate, Meaningful and Peaceful (CHAMP) May 2010 Elections.
The two main rivals for governor, re-electionist Gov. Amado Espino Jr. and former governor and now 2nd District Rep. Victor Agbayani—participated in the march, along with other local candidates. So did a former police chief, Leopoldo Bataoil, who is running for a congressional seat in the second district.
The other marchers included members of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) from the archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan and the dioceses of Alaminos and Urdaneta.
Showing his solidarity with the Pangasinenses were Archbishop Socrates Villegas of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan and Comelec representatives headed by Provincial Election Officer Reddy C. Balarbar and the Pangasinan PNP led by PNP Region I Director Police Chief Superintendent Constante D. Azares Jr.
Balarbar said that although he has been working for the Comelec for many years now, “this is the first time an event like this has happened in our province.”
In his homily at the Don Narciso Ramos Sports Complex just before the march, Archbishop Villegas said, “Our love of country is another expression of our love of God. If you say that you love God but you don’t love your country, you are a liar.”
He said in Filipino that the gathering was “a response to the Christian responsibility to change society and to evangelize every person that we meet.”
In order to realize clean elections, the prelate urged Pangasinenses never to do anything on May 10 that will compromise their salvation. He asked each one, especially the candidates and PPCRV volunteers, to obey the commandments of God, especially the commandments not to steal, kill and lie. He also challenged both the candidates and voters “to stand up for life, human rights and truth.”
Wishing all the candidates good luck, Villegas said, “I wish all of you will win but it is not possible. However, I hope that when you win, you win in God’s way.”
After the walk from the sports complex to the provincial capitol grounds, the participants held a ceremonial covenant. They went up the stage and left their handprints on a black wall under the slogan, “Pangasinan is for CHAMP Elections.” The handprints were meant to manifest their collective oath to ensure clean elections in the province.
After the ceremonial covenant, nearly a thousand PPCRV volunteers were oriented on the new electoral process by Comelec officials at the Sison Auditorium. Fr. Oliver Mendoza, executive chair of the Archdiocesan Social Action Apostolate (ASAP), informed the PPCRV volunteers about their rights and responsibilities.
One of the highlights of the orientation was the mock voting where 30 volunteers tried out the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machine.
Elvira Guno, one of the volunteers, declared the machines as “easier and faster” than manual voting. Others, however, were skeptical.
“It is still a machine that can be manipulated by humans. What must we do is to be very vigilant about it,” said Edgardo Salinas.