The education drive, which will kick off this month, aims to inform voters about the “right” qualities and job of a village official to attain more progressive communities, DILG Eastern Visayas Director Marivel Sacendoncillo said.
The campaign, dubbed
"Matino, Mahusay, at Maaasahang" Barangay and SK (Sangguniang
Kabataan) officials, will encourage the public to choose leaders who possess
these three minimum qualities.
These traits are
important to carry out meaningful peace and development initiatives in the
communities, he said.
“In community
assemblies, we will not just teach them how to vote, but explain to them the
duties of village officials on sanitation, health and nutrition, drainage
system, peace and order, anti-drug campaign, and other responsibilities,”
Sacendocillo told reporters Thursday.
The official
expressed optimism that this campaign would help people realize the need to
choose the right leaders and not just pick any candidate based on popularity
and money.
“Those who are
interested to run and not qualified might change their minds if they realize
the weight of duty. There are many competent and more educated people in the
community, but hesitant to run because in barangay (village) elections, they
have no money,” Sacendoncillo added.
She noted that vote
buying is becoming more rampant, even in villages, because people don’t realize
the big role of local officials in spurring rural development.
“From the central
government, the three branches of the government – executive, legislative, and
judiciary – are separate. In the barangays, the three powers are rolled into
one person, the barangay chairman,” she said.
The DILG will also
post education materials in strategic places with a checklist of traits that
they should look for in choosing their would-be local candidates.
Sacendoncillo said
this is the first time the central government is bringing the voter’s education
campaign to a higher level in a bid to persuade the public to vote
wisely. (SQM/PNA)
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