MANILA, Feb. 19, 2013— Political dynasty and vote buying will be top of the agenda in an upcoming summit to address election issues organized by the Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu.
The one-day “Summit on Credible Elections 2013: Addressing the Most Challenging Election Issues” will be held at the Mariners’ Court in Cebu City on February 23.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said the gathering in partnership with the Commission on Elections and the Department of Education seeks to come up with concrete actions for electoral reforms.
“[The summit] will endeavor to forge maximum unity in embracing electoral advocacy and in implementing the needed concrete strategies for electoral reforms,” Palma said.
Other issues to be tackled during the summit include electoral rules violation and irregularities, and sectoral agenda.
Aside from Palma, other speakers of the summit are Visayas Clergy Discernment Group Head Convenor Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, DepEd Sec. Armin Luistro, and Comelec 7 Director Temie Lambino.
Around 1,000 participants are expected to attend in this conference including representatives from the academe, NGOs, youth leaders, law enforcers, local government units, political parties, businessmen, and faith-based organizations.
Archdiocesan Discernment Group convenor Msgr. Romualdo Kintanar said the spectral agenda workshop will have farmers, fisherfolk, urban poor, workers, women, youth, elderly and persons with disabilities as participants.
“To prepare for the summit, some law schools in Cebu are studying the said election issues and will propose policy reforms,” Kintanar said.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has earlier reiterated its position against the “widening practice” of political dynasties in the country and the lack of measure to address it.
In a pastoral statement, the CBCP wants the political dynasties to disappear in Philippine politics, saying that it exacerbates the problem on corruption.
“Political dynasties breed corruption and ineptitude,” reads part of the statement signed by Palma, CBCP president. (CBCPNews)
