Together We Stand

How much can be accomplished when people gather to take action?
By: Ruth M. Floresca

The May 14 election has come and gone, but the fire of determination to effect changes in the system has just begun. Since early this year, the Christian Convergence for Good Governance (CCGG), together with various non-government office (NGO) partners, has been tirelessly conducting Voters’ Education Programs (VEP) in different churches and communities all over the Philippines.

An overwhelming response was seen in the way pastors and congregations took to heart what they learned and purposely shared these with others through resourceful means. In a focus group discussion held in the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) Calauan, Laguna last May 28, pastors from this province tell their inspiring stories.

Beyond the walls of the church

On May 9, 2007, just a few days before Election Day, Pastor Armando “Ding” Panlilio of Pangil, Laguna and 14 other pastors invited the candidates in their area to a gathering at a resort. Three political parties came represented by their candidates for mayor, vice mayor and councilors. Members of different congregations were also present.

“Gusto namin silang mapakinggan na wala sila sa mga lugar ng pangangampanya,” [We wanted to hear them speak in a neutral, non-campaigning environment], narrates Pastor Ding. “Kasi iba ang sinasabi nila kapag nasa plaza at iba din sa mga pastor o mga taong alam nilang pumipili ng may standard. ‘Pag sa lansangan, kahit ano ang sinasabi nila para makahiyakat.” [Because what they say in the plaza is different when facing pastors or individuals whom they knew are choosing based on standards. On the streets, they will say anything just to convince people.]

The organizers also noticed that the politicians appeared uncomfortable eating the food they had prepared. “Kasi sanay sila na nagpapakain, na sila ang gumagastos kaya kakaiba ang naging karanasan nila noong araw na iyon,” [They were used to being the ones who spend to feed people but it was a different experience for them that day,] surmises Pastor Ding. He adds that on the night of the election, no incidences of vote buying were heard of. “Maaring nahiya sila sa sarili nila.” [Maybe they felt ashamed of themselves.] Pastor Ding suggests though that in succeeding elections, VEPs should also be conducted elsewhere, not only in the churches.
Similarly, Pastor Norberto “Bert” Formaran, his congregation and other Christian groups in Lumban, organized a gathering of all candidates from the three political parties in their town plaza. “Mga 500 katao ang dumating, kasama na ang mga taga-simbahan at taga-suporta ng mga kandidato.” [Around 500 people came including those from the churches and the candidates’ supporters.] As a result, election in their town was more peaceful compared to past years.

He also divulges how, after learning of election do’s and don’ts, members of his congregation returned back money and gifts that candidates gave them. “Nabaligtad ang sitwasyon dahil nalinawan ang mga tao na hindi dapat suportahan ang bumibili ng boto.” [The situation was reversed because people learned that one should not support those who buy votes.]
Members of the ministry, of their own initiative, had 4000 copies printed of the reading material on who to vote for. “May member kasing may imprenta. Naipamigay yang mga kopya sa buong bayan ng Lumban at lahat ng members ay tumulong,” [We have a member who owns a printing press. All church members helped in giving out copies to our whole town of Lumban,] says Pastor Bert.

Heads of churches in action

Pastor James Olubalang of Bay, Laguna is grateful that he was able to help his congregation make wise voting decisions. “Namigay kami ng mga babasahin ukol sa batayan ng pagpili ng kandidato,” [We gave out reading materials on the criteria in choosing candidates,] he describes. “Hindi ako specifically nage-endorse ng pangalan pero sini-share ko ang mga qualities na dapat hanapin. Ang mga kandidato, kapag nalaman ang ginagawa namin, mas nag-iingat sila.” [I didn’t specifically endorse any names but only shared the qualities that voters should look for. The candidates, once they knew what we were doing, were more careful.]
“Sana tuloy-tuloy na ang project na ito,” [I hope this project will continue,] he expresses. “Kasi may pagbabago sa congregation. Na-challenge silang bumoto!” [Because there were changes in the congregation. They were challenged to vote!]

Pastor Manolo “Noli” Beronio who heads the Mabitac Baptist Church acknowledges how useful the ISAAC pamphlet Sino ang hindi dapat iboto [Who Should You Not Vote For] was. “Nalaman nila yung mga bawal sa eleksyon,” [They learned what should not be done during elections,] he tells of his congregation. He shares a story about a congressional candidate who offered items for the church which they refused and proudly reveals, “ang importante hindi kami nag-compromise.” [the important thing is, we didn’t compromise.]

He goes on to reveal how his wife wanted to vote for a candidate because the man has fliers saying ‘Mahal ko kayo [I love you all], God bless’ “Pero nanunuhol naman!” [But he bribes people!] amid much laughter from the other pastors present. Unfortunately, the candidate won but Pastor Noli is hopeful that in coming years, politicians who are genuine in their faith in God will be the ones to win.

In another Laguna town, Pastor Rey Madrigal and 14 other pastors reminded their congregations not to approach any politician to ask for something for the church. One and two days before the elections, they requested an audience with the mayoralty candidates on separate occasions. Both parties were full of plans to beautify their town but none on spiritual aspects. The pastors appealed that they be given a slot to speak at the municipal hall once a week. “Puro pari at katoliko lang kasi,” [Only priests and Catholics were given slots,] reveals Pastor Rey. They are optimistic that this year, they will also be given a chance to share the word of God with municipal employees.

Paete-based Pastor Jayson Caoros expresses his willingness to support future meetings and plans of the VEP. “Para maituro ko sa mga tao. Kapag kasi church ang nagturo, naniniwala ang marami na walang nasa likod nito,” [So that I can help educate more people. When the church teaches, people believe that nobody is behind it with a hidden agenda.]

Formation of a new group

Armed with the inspiration from the new learnings they received from the VEP, pastors from all over Laguna formed the Laguna Alliance for Good Governance (LAGG). “Noong nabuo ang LAGG, nagkaroon ako ng inputs. Lahat ng natutunan ko sa VEP, naibahagi ko sa mga pastor at pulitiko. May mga pulitiko pa ngang sumang-ayon na maganda ito at sana daw ay matagal nang ginawa,” [When LAGG was formed, I got more inputs. Everything I learned from the VEP, I shared with pastors and politicians alike. There were politicians who even agreed that this is a good program and that this should have been done earlier,] shares Pastor Roman Oliva, who was one of LAGG’s founders.

In Sta. Maria Laguna where his church is located, Pastor Roman and others distributed 2000 copies of VE fliers. One of the impacts he saw in his town was the lack of violence during the elections. “Nagsisimula pa lang tayo at hindi dapat matapos doon,” [We have just started and it should not stop there,] he says. Pastor Roman is confident that things will get even better when more and more voters are educated. “Bulag kasi ang tao dahil nangangailangan sila kaya kailangan nating kumilos lalo na sa mga liblib na lugar.” [People are blinded by their needs that’s why we need to take action and seek them out in especially those who are in isolated areas.]

Pastor Niel Ramirez of Siniloan affirms of the VEP, “Kung magagawa ito lagi, hindi magagamit ng mga pulitiko ang mga tao.” [If this is done regularly, politicians won’t be able to use people for their own ends.]

Pastor Gerard Bejusano of Sta. Cruz concludes that around 150 pastors in Laguna benefited from the project. “Nagkaroon kami ng kanya- kanyang applications pero hindi namin kaya ng wala ang CCGG,” [We each had our own personal applications but we would not have done it if not for CCGG,] he accedes. “Sana lang makagawa ng income-generating projects ang church na walang tulong galing sa pulitiko. Para magkaroon ng karapatan ang simbahan na humingi ng mga pagbabago.” [I just hope we can come up with income-generating projects without any politician’s help. So that the church will have rights to demand changes.]

“Sana din lahat ng mga naturuan ngayong 2007, kikilos na para sa magandang patutunguhan ng bayan,” [I also trust that all those who were educated on Voters’ Rights this year will continue working towards a better country,] adds Pastor Roman.

With pastors like them and other members of the Christian community who generously contributed in effecting change in their own small ways through the help of the VEP, surely a greater Philippines will not be long in coming.

Pinay's on Voters' Rights

By: Ruth M. Floresca

Filipino women have come a long way since the time of Dr. Jose Rizal. From the struggles for liberation that the women of Malolos faced, the present-day Filipina now has her own voice to assert her rights and has liberty to choose who to vote for.

It is this freedom that enabled several Pinays to join the Christian Convergence for Good Governance’s (CCGG) Voters’ Educations programs that were held in different parts of the country several weeks before the May 14, 2007 elections.

Last May 28, a focus group discussion was conducted in Calauan, Laguna to find out what the participants’ learnings were and how these helped them in their decisions before and during the voting period. Several pastors’ wives and senior citizens came.

Armed with knowledge

Four of the women who attended the FGD expressed their appreciation of the program.
“Effective ang naging pag-aaral sa Voter’s Education,” [The VE program was effective,] said Lourdes “Ludy” Marfori. “Malaking bagay dahil nagkaroon kami ng kamulatan sa election issues. Naghanda ako ng listahan ng mga iboboto at pumili ng mga kandidato na nararapat para sa bansa.” [It was a big thing because we were made aware of election issues. I prepared my own list of candidates that the country needs.] She added that she learned of the things that should not be done during elections. “Gaya ng bawal ang pagpapakain at pamimigay ng t-shirt. Ngayon bawa’t galaw ng kandidato ay tinitingnan ng mga tao.” [Like giving food or t-shirts should not be done. Now, whatever the candidates do, people are taking notice.]
Likewise, Florencia “Puring” Calong-calong affirmed that her mind was opened about choosing the right candidates. “Dati, sa pagboto ay basta na lang ako nagsusulat ng pangalan ng mga kandidato. Ngayon, natutunan ko nang maghanda.” [Before, I just write down names without preparing.] She described how she listed down in a notebook who the candidates and what their accomplishments are. “Saka ko isinulat ang pangalang nais kong iboto.” [And then I wrote down the names of who I want to vote for.]

Helen Comandante, on the other hand, shared what she learned to about 30 people. “Pagkatapos ng Voters’ Education sa isang regular meeting ng mga Senior Citizens, ibinahagi ko ang MAKABAYAN KOMIKS,” [After I attended the VE meeting, I shared the Makabayan Komiks,] she described. “Dahil iisa ang kopya, binasa ko sa kanila ang bawat pahina ng komiks at nakita nila ang kahalagahan ng hindi pagbebenta ng boto.” [We only had one copy so I read each page to them and they saw the importance of refusing to sell their votes.] Helen also made sure to impart what she learned to other friends who were not able to attend the Voters’ Education program.

Delmie Laydia from the SAO (Share An Opportunity) Office admitted that she does not take any actions before if she becomes aware of any vote buying. “Hinahayaan ko na lang.” [I just let it be.] But after joining the Voters’ Education meeting, she actively re-echoed her learnings to other barangays and towns in Oriental Mindoro and other SAO areas in Laguna such as San Pablo City (barangays San Francisco, Bagong Pook, San Juan and Banlagin), Victoria (barangays Masapang and San Benito) and Siniloan. “Namigay din kami ng MAKABAYAN KOMIKS at gumawa ng profile ng mga kandidato, na dala-dala namin sa bawat lugar, para maliwanagan ang mga botante kung sino ang dapat na iboto.” [We gave out copies of Makabayan Komiks and created profiles of the candidates which we brought to different areas, so that voters would know who to vote for.]

Delmie also confessed that if previously, she votes for friends or relatives running for office, “Ngayon hindi na. Ginawa ko, nagsaliksik at talagang inalam ang mga katangian ng mga kandidato maging sila man ay mayaman o mahirap, may nagawa o wala at kung ano pa ang gagawin nila para sa bayan.” [I don’t do that anymore. I now do research first to find out more about each candidate’s characteristics, whether they are rich or poor, did substantial things or not, and what else they plan to do for the country.]

General Feedback

All the women participants agreed that the materials used for the electoral education programs were very useful in imparting knowledge to Filipino voters. They conveyed the desire to share with others what they have learned. Moreover, they emphasized the importance of reading all the materials and trying to understand them fully for these to make a difference. For instance, they found the Vote Right material really helpful in choosing who the deserving candidates should be.

Truly, the Filipina has been and still is making her mark in her nation’s history. By making her a part not only of the family’s decisions, but more so in choosing the leaders of this country, ensures that the Philippines will soon experience great leadership from politicians who are genuinely concerned about the welfare the Filipino people.

Change Can Start with One

The story of how a pastor got others to share in his vision of a better Philippines
By: Ruth M. Floresca

Pastor Gerard Bejusano of the Universal Evangelical Christian Church (UECC) in Sta. Cruz Laguna was one of 20 participants at the Voters’ Education Program (VEP) held in Bay, Laguna last February 27, 2007. It was heartening to hear his testimonies three months after on how his initial participation enabled him to mobilize others to also work towards a cleaner and more responsible election period.

Learnings

On May 28, 2007, two weeks after the voting polls have closed, the Christian Convergence for Good Governance (CCGG) held a focus group discussion with a number of pastors in Calauan, Laguna to evaluate how effective the VEP was. Pastor Gerard was one of the attendees.
“As a pastor and a voter, I really had no clear guidance before on who to vote for. My experiences were limited to voting for the candidates whom I know,” he begins. “But with VEP, I learned the Biblical basis on good governance.”

He describes how the Input Session on the List of Prohibited and Allowed Acts before and during election helped him a lot because he learned the do’s and don’ts sanctioned by the Commission on Election (COMELEC). “I became more confident to vote because there is now more meaning in my vote. I also realized that I don’t have to be non-partisan and need not be silent about politics and the election,” he emphasizes. “If I know of a qualified candidate who has integrity, is a responsible leader with fear of God and has a good track record, then I should vote for him or her. And if I can even campaign, why not?”

Reverberation

As a result of the VE’s effect on Pastor Gerard’s newfound confidence as a voter, he developed the drive and passion to share and re-echo his learnings to his fellow pastors, other leaders and different churches.

He and two other pastors arranged for more VE programs which were conducted in Lumban and Sta. Cruz, Laguna in March and April respectively. The events were coordinated in partnership with the Laguna Alliance for Good Governance (LAGG), CCGG and the Buklod Biyayang Kristiyano (BBK).

In Lumban, the VE was held at the Menonite Church on March 24 where 44 participants came representing 34 churches. The Sta. Cruz Baptist Church, on the other hand, accommodated 58 people who came from 20 different churches on April 10.

Optimism

Pastor Gerard is glad that not only the pastors but other members of the churches were able to benefit from the VEP. “Now, choosing candidates is more balanced and we are more open to discussions why it is important to know the qualities of each candidate. We now ask first, ‘Why him or her?’”
Indeed, lighting just one candle can spark more candles to give light because the effort of just one person should not be considered as a simple little thing. Pastor Gerard has proven that faith in the Lord coupled with the passion to enforce changes for the better definitely could go a long way.

Planting Seeds in Voters' Minds is Only the Beginning

Learn how Laguna-based Pastors empowered members of
their congregations to be responsible voters
By: Ruth M. Floresca

For years, election periods in the Philippines have been associated with money-making, vote-buying and cheating. Many Filipinos seem to have long accepted it as the norm. However, Christian groups such as the Christian Convergence for Good Governance (CCGG), Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC), ISAAC, World Vision and other organizations refused to let these damaging practices continue to poison every Filipino mind.
Thus, before the 2007 elections commenced, these entities came together to arrive at feasible solutions. Plans were made and thousands of materials were produced. The group mainly targeted the Christian community for its initial training on Voters’ Education.

Empowering the church and the community

Early this year, CCGG started conducting a series of electoral education programs in several communities and church groups in various cities and provinces. The objective was to educate and empower community folks and church leaders in their respective roles as individual voters in the local and national elections.

As voters became bombarded with numerous television ads, posters, fliers and other campaign materials, the ability of making the right choices on who to vote for turned out to be more and more difficult. For many who had the opportunity to attend one of more of the Voters’ Education programs, words of relief and thanksgiving were expressed as they learned new ideas and principles on choosing their candidates.

Coming Together

Last May 28, CCGG conducted a focus group discussion among pastors, their wives and several senior citizens who came from various towns in Laguna. The event was held at the Christian Reformed Church in Calauan. It was heartening to note that even the rainy weather did not hinder the good turnout of participants.

One by one, the pastors shared their testimonies on how the program not only helped them see their roles as leaders of their churches but also what they could do as individuals to help bring about positive changes in the country through responsible voting.