HAVING served as the PPCRV (Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting) Coordinator for the 2010, 2013, and 2016 elections, I have had the privilege of witnessing the evolution of the electoral process in our country. In addition, I was a member of the Diocesan Electoral Board, representing PPCRV. However, in the 2019 and 2022 elections, I had to step back from these roles due to my own candidacy at the time. Looking back, the journey has been both enlightening and challenging.
The year 2010 marked the beginning of automation in the voting process. Together with Msgr. Julius Heruela and Bro. Fred Magallano, we were among the first to undergo training in Manila. The initial focus was on voters’ education, followed by an in-depth understanding of the new counting machines. Our mission was clear—educate the public and mobilize volunteers to assist in various election-related tasks, including voters’ education, poll watching, managing the voter assistance desk, conducting unofficial parallel count of returns after the election, incident reporting, and more.
While technology, represented by the counting machines, was a significant part of the process, we recognized that the human element was just as vital. After all, it is the people who operate the machines, cast their votes, and ultimately decide the leaders who will shape the future of our communities and our country. This realization highlighted the importance of voters’ education, a task that has remained at the core of our mission.
However, as we reflect on the 34 years since the establishment of PPCRV, one must ask: Have we succeeded in educating the electorate? This is a question that continues to challenge the leaders within the PPCRV, who are now looking back at decades of efforts and considering their impact.
On a personal level, I often question whether PPCRV’s initiatives have truly yielded the intended results. If our efforts were truly successful, how do we explain the rampant rise of vote-buying and selling in our electoral system? These practices have escalated to alarming levels, with entire families and even whole barangays engaging in the trade of votes. Candidates from all sides, desperate to win, offer money to voters, who in turn sell their sacred right to choose their leaders.
This brings us to the changing definition of “conscience voting.” In the past, voting with one’s conscience meant choosing the candidate who aligns with one’s values, beliefs, and hopes for the future. Today, however, many voters feel a sense of obligation to vote for the candidate who has bought their vote, often at a premium price. The guilt of not honoring that transaction can cloud their judgment, even when they know the candidate may not be qualified or deserving of public office.
In the lead-up to election day, many voters can be seen accepting money from candidates—sometimes from both sides—making the election process a financial transaction rather than a moral and civic duty. With the advent of digital payment platforms like G-Cash, vote-buying has even become more tech-savvy and harder to trace.
Sadly, the prevailing trend is that many voters choose their candidates based on who can offer the most money or who has the most popularity, rather than considering qualities like competence, experience, or integrity. This phenomenon begs the question: Have we, as a nation, failed to prioritize what truly matters in a leader?
To my mind, this situation arises because voters’ education remains sporadic, often confined to just a few months leading up to each election. If we are to truly transform the electorate, we need to think beyond the three-year cycle of elections and create an enduring culture of responsible voting and civic participation.
In the 2025 elections, for instance, the focus of voters’ education has shifted to defining what it means to be a “model Filipino.” This is an essential conversation, but it is only part of the broader picture. To cultivate a more conscientious electorate, we must define the core values that every Filipino should embody, not just during election season, but throughout their entire lives.
These values—God-loving, sincere, honest, respectful, hardworking, and helpful—are the foundation of a strong and just society. They are the qualities that every leader should possess, and they are the qualities that should guide every voter’s decision-making process. But these are not lessons that can be taught in a few months or just before an election. They must be part of a lifelong advocacy.
The change we seek must start early, in the hearts and minds of our children. My suggestion is simple yet profound: these values should be integrated into the school curriculum from early childhood through to high school and even college—both in public and private institutions. After all, as Proverbs 22:6 reminds us: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” This timeless wisdom calls on parents and educators to guide children toward righteousness, to instill in them a love for God, and to teach them the virtues that will make them responsible, ethical citizens.
If we truly want to break the cycle of vote-buying, corruption, and dishonesty in our elections, we must nurture the next generation to become voters who prioritize character over money, integrity over popularity, and service over self-interest. This must be a lifelong mission, not something that begins and ends with the election cycle. Only then can we hope to build a future where elections are a true reflection of the people’s will and not just a marketplace for votes.
The work of the PPCRV and other electoral advocacy groups is far from over. The task ahead of us is to continuously teach, guide, and inspire Filipinos to be model citizens who vote not just with their heads but with their hearts and consciences. Together, we can create a nation where elections are not just about choosing leaders but about choosing the future we want to build for our children and grandchildren.
This timeless wisdom calls on parents and educators to guide children toward righteousness, to instill in them a love for God, and to teach them the virtues that will make them responsible, ethical citizens. If we truly want to break the cycle of vote-buying, corruption, and dishonesty in our elections, we must nurture the next generation to become voters who prioritize character over money, integrity over popularity, and service over self-interest. This must be a lifelong mission, not something that begins and ends with the election cycle. Only then can we hope to build a future where elections are a true reflection of the people’s will and not just a marketplace for votes.
The work of the PPCRV, the Diocesan Electoral Board, and other electoral advocacy groups is far from over. The task ahead of us is to continuously teach, guide, and inspire Filipinos to be model citizens who vote not just with their heads but with their hearts and consciences. Together, we can create a nation where elections are not just about choosing leaders but about choosing the future we want to build for our children and grandchildren.
