Church leaders in the Philippines reiterated calls to encourage young people to register for next year’s national elections.
“When you do not register, you waste your chance to participate in our country’s political life,” said Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, vice president of the bishops’ conference.
He said that if people will not go out and vote “we will always get the leaders we deserve.”
He said young Filipinos should register and cast their votes to help the country elect the right leaders.
The last day for the registration of new voters will be on September 30.
In the central Philippines, the Archdiocese of Jaro in Iloilo province launched the “CHAMP initiative” or “Clean, Honest, Accurate, Meaningful and Peaceful elections” on July 4.
The activity was spearheaded by the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, or PPCRV, to ensure people’s participation in next year’s polls.
“This initiative will awaken the Church’s call to be evangelizers in the field of politics and to be active collaborators, promoters, and preservers of a Clean, Honest, Accurate, Meaningful and Peaceful election,” the council said in a statement.
“The archdiocese also aims to encourage all citizens, most especially the youth and the deactivated voters, to exercise their right to vote by registering and participating in the upcoming 2022 elections,” it added.
“May this initiative re-ignite our mission to our country and for the building of a just, humane, and democratic society,” the statement said.
The PPCRV has earlier encouraged Philippine dioceses to help urge voters to register for next year’s elections.
Maria Isabel Buenaobra, PPCRV executive director, said voting in next year’s elections is important because it gives people a voice about who they want in office and it is an opportunity for change.
“Let us get registered because the May 2022 polls is a high-stakes election. We need to use our rights to vote,” said Buenaobra.
Data from the Commission on Elections show that about 3.7 million applicants for voter registration have applied since January 2020.
Elections officials estimate that there will be some 4 million new applicants or those that just turned 18, who will get registered.
The poll body is also looking at some 1.5 million applications being filed for other types of transactions including transfer from other municipality and correction of entries, among others.
The Elections commission has earlier said it is unlikely to extend the nationwide registration period beyond the Sept. 30, 2021, deadline as they prepare for the May 9 polls.
