MANILA, April 8, 2016— Morality is still an important attribute to consider in choosing the country’s next leaders, said an official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.
Aside from the academic and professional qualifications, Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga said voters should also look into the moral excellence of the candidates to be considered worthy of their votes.
In a pastoral statement addressed to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), he said only those who go to the polls can help determine the character of candidates who are also expected to live out moral laws in daily life.
“Let us now use our hands in choosing and voting for true and a moral person,” said Santos, who chairs the bishops’ Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People.
The prelate urged OFWs, who will cast their votes during the absentee voting period starting this month, to support candidates based on the four Ps: program, protection, promotion, and prosecution.
He said the nation needs leaders who can provide livelihood generation programs and can protect them from abuses, maltreatment, and exploitation.
Santos also urged OFWs to elect leaders who defend life, promote the dignity of the human person, and who can prosecute lawless elements.
“We are the ones who will benefit from the people whom we voted. And we are the ones who will also be affected from whoever we elected to government posts,” he said.
Around 1.4 million of the estimated 8 million OFWs are expected to participate in the absentee voting for president, vice president, and party-list group from April 9 to May 9. (R. Lagarde / CBCPNews)
