As the Philippines head for critical midterm elections in May, the Church in the country warns against hate speech and fake news. By Lisa Zengarini Nearly 70 million Filipinos will head to the polls on 12 May, 2025, to vote in midterm elections, electing lawmakers and representatives for local governments with over 18,000 candidates vying for legislative, local, and regional posts. Duterte vs. Marcos The ballot will be a barometer of public support for the incumbent President Ferdinand “Bongbong”  Marcos Jr  and has been billed as a proxy battle between the influential Duterte and Marcos political dynasties, following the acrimonious collapse of  their once powerful “Uniteam” alliance that propelled Marcos to power in 2022, with the former president’s daughter, Sara Duterte as vice president. The handover of her father Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (CPI) on March 11 over his deadly “war on drugs”, was a major blow for the Duterte family coming only a month after the lower house filed an impeachment complaint against her on charges of corruption and incitement to insurrection.   Role of social media in the electoral campaign As in past elections, the electoral process is  overshadowed by systemic issues like vote buying, misuse of public funds and disinformation. With the “UniTeam” now fractured,  the electoral campaign, which kicked off on February 11, is becoming increasingly polarized and confrontational with social media again playing a major role.   Deepfakes and AI-powered scam calls have grown more ubiquitous, while the major tech platforms that host Southeast Asia’s digital footprint have fewer incentives for regulation and fact-checking. Hate speach The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), a Catholic Church-based poll watchdog, has voiced concern over  these issues, also strongly condemning, recent  sexist  statements by some candidates, along with other Churches and civic organizations. According to the group’s spokesperson, Ana Singson, these incidents should serve as a “wake up call” for all voters to choose wisely at the polls. They “remind us that the vote is sacred, and that we should discern and select candidates based on key values,” she said in a statement citing “fear of God, honesty, education, diligence, helpfulness, caring, and love for the common good.” Bishops’ Pastoral Letter on the elections Also, ahead of the election  the Philippine Bishops’ Conference (CBCP)  has  issued a Pastoral Letter  urging voters to use their voices to uphold freedom and ensure the common good. In the letter entitled “Be Concerned for the well-being of others”   the Bishops reminded voters that  the “primary responsibility of a public servant” is  to improve the lives of the Filipino people  “especially the poor and the vulnerable.” We need competent leaders and legislators with sincere intentions who serve the good of our parishes, cities, provinces, and the entire country,”  the Bishops said. The May elections will also contest 317 congressional seats and thousands of local posts. Among the candidates is Rodrigo Duterte, running for mayor of his hometown of Davao City, even while detained at The Hague. Duterte running for mayor of Davao despite detention t The Hague The May elections will also contest thousands of local posts. Among the candidates is Rodrigo Duterte, running for mayor of his hometown of Davao City, even while detained at The Hague. Despite fierce criticism over his arrest, Marcos looks almost certain to consolidate his power in the midterms source : https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2025-04/philippines-church-calls-for-discernment-ahead-of-elections.html?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR4u5QwP2NmN8Z77jYAJDWr10CxpLplNBR6drGCRZGJdpvr-hlaG3qPIgSigaw_aem_spd2eAWKEHB11FrEyxB0kg

Driven by their desire to heighten up voters’ education efforts, the POL27 students of Colegio de San Juan de Letran led by their professor, Emil Carreon, organized an election forum entitled, “Likes, Lies, and Landslide: A Closer Look on Local Election”. PPCRV’s Engr. James Wong delivered a talk on “Social Media in Local Elections” where he shared to the students the significant impact of social media on the actors and processes involved in Philippine elections especially in the local context. He also touched on the Christian response on the pros and cons of social media by becoming informed Filipino Catholic voters whose individual votes matter in electing local officials who serve as the frontliners in making sure that services are available and accessible down to the grassroots level. He concluded his talk emphasizing that loving the country -which includes participating in the elections, is a God-given mission.

Various experts left meaningful messages in the held ‘Voice of Service: The Mandato 2025 Election Forum’ at the PUP Hall, Sta. Mesa, Manila this Friday, March 7.The forum emphasized on the fair and wise voting of the youth for the upcoming elections.Contributed by Maria Theresa Navo, Jan-Rhada Amarila, Raymharc Samonte/MSPC Digital volunteersLike the official Teleradyo Service Facebook page to be updated on the upcoming 2025 national elections.

Nagcourtesy call ang Diocese of Kalookan Public and Political Affairs Ministry sa mga Election Officers ng Caloocan City (Districts 1, 2, and 3) para pagusapan ang mga ginagawang paghahanda ng PPAM-Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) para sa nalalapit na Eleksyon 2025. Nakausap ng ating Diocesan Coordinators para sa Caloocan sina Atty. Ma. Anne D. Gonzales, Election Officer IV ng COMELEC Caloocan District 1; Atty. Dinah A. Valencia-Jimenez, Election Officer IV ng COMELEC Caloocan District 2; at Atty. Kevin V. Tibay, Election Officer mg COMELEC Caloocan District 3, sa maikling meeting sa Office of the Election Officer – District 2, Caloocan. Sa nasabing pulong, napagusapan ang iba’t ibang efforts ng DPPAM-PPCRV kabilang na ang mga voters education and empowerment , training for volunteers and poll watchers, at election monitoring. Nagkaroon din ng pagbabahagu ng mga challenges at mga strategies na may kinalaman sa nalalapit na halalan. Dumalo sa ngalan ng DPPAM-PPCRV sina Bro. Angelito Bautista Jr., Diocesan Coordinator; Bro, Bro. Danny Cabrera (D2 City Coordinator), Jonathan De Vera (D2 Asst. City Coor), Bro Benjie Benjamin (D1 City Coor), Sis. Danielle Jordan (Diocesan Sec), at Bro. JC Moratalla (City District Sec). Patuloy ang pakikipagtulungan at malakas na suporta ng Roman Catholic Bishop of Kalookan – Public and Political Affairs Ministry – PPCRV sa mga gawain ng COMELEC para mapanatili ang isang clean, honest, accountable, meaningful, at peaceful (CHAMP) elections sa buong Diyosesis Source: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B99ekFRoq/

The road to May 2025! Preparing for the 2025 PPCRV Command Center in…PLDT SAMPALOC branch along España! Thank you to Manuel V Pangilinan and our very generous friends in PLDT and SMART who are opening their doors to PPCRV in the upcoming elections. Busy preparing are the PLDT Enterprise Group, PLDT Sampaloc Facilities group with PPCRV’s Ana de Villa -Singson, Rommel Bernardo and Jude Liao. See you in our PPCRV Command Center very soon!

The Diocese of Malolos recently concluded it’s PPCRV assembly meeting every Saturday of February. Voter’s education focusing on the Tibok Pinoy core values and Social Media Discernment were key aspects of each session. Plans were also drawn with volunteers enthusiastically affirming their commitment to serve with passion and integrity in the upcoming May elections. Invited speakers were Chairman Emeritus and PPCRV Co-Founder H.E. Ambassador Henrietta de Villa and National Spokesperson and Head for Voters Education, Media and Communications Ana de Villa – Singson. Tibok Pinoy books were distributed to each parish in the Diocese of Malolos! Truly, the volunteers of Malolos epitomize love of God, love of Country!

January 25, 2025 The Mock Elections was simultaneously held last Saturday, January 25, 2025 across various selected locations nationwide.  PPCRV represented by Dr. Arwin Serrano and Mr. Leonardo Sacamos Jr participated in the Mock Elections in Jolo, Sulu. Our journey started from Manila where we took a flight onboard a C-130 AFP military plane together with COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Garcia with his staff.  In tow are personnel from the media, stakeholders, and some military personnel who joined us in the flight to Jolo, Sulu. Front Left to right: Don Sacamos, Dr. Arwin Serrano, Chairman George Erwin Garcia, Acting Army Chief Maj. Gen. Ferdinand Napuli, PAF Brig. Gen. Genaro Menor during pre-flight briefing All aboard the C-130 plane are media personnel, COMELEC personnel, PPCRV, military personnel of a ranks, a bunch of cargo of various types sizes, AND 2 coffins, all mixed together in one single cabin.  We took off at around 0530 hrs. Front Left to right: Dir. Shugar Llacuna of COMELEC, Dr. Arwin Serrano, and Don Sacamos After a 2 hr 10min flight, we arrived in Jolo, Sulu.  This military flight was quite impeccable compared to a commercial flight.  At the airport, after a short wait, we met up with the Governor of Sulu The entourage then proceeded to our first stop in our visit, the Walled City Front Left to right: Don Sacamos, Dr. Arwin Serrano, and COMELEC DEDO Raffy Alano Then we proceeded to the voting precinct. The voting activity in this precinct went without any issues.  There was a mix of people of different age groups.   I have not seen any PWDs or people in wheelchairs participate though in this voting center. Having lived in Mindanao in the early part of my life, seeing a lot more military and police personnel in battle gear again reminded me of the normal life in Mindanao is. We then took a detour to the Sulu Provincial Capitol where Gov. Tan prepared some breakfast for us. Front Left to right: Don Sacamos, Dr. Arwin Serrano, and BGen Jacinto, Provincial Commander of Sulu Welcomed by our muslim brothers and sisters. Gov. Abdusakur M. Tan welcomed us to his office. And a courtesy visit of key police and military officers of Jolo. A gesture that our visit there would be safe. Although they all say, Sulu is a peaceful and that where not needed there. But it was a reassurance, that election there will be safe. We then proceeded to our 2nd destination, Datu Uddin Bahjin, Central School in Brgy. Taglibi Voting went normal.  Happy faces from EBs confident in knowing what to do Something noteworthy, you will observe that the EDCVL (Election Day Compterized Voters List) already has a clear and colored photo of the voter.  Very helpful in identifying and matching with the voter infront of them.  This reduces doubts if the person presenting himself is really the voter. Also, COMELEC confirmed later that the colored photo will also be there in the PCVL (Posted Computerized Voters List) when the voters tried to find if they are at the correct voting precinct. We did observe a rejected ballot On occular inspection, it is clear why the VCM rejected the ballot.  There were a lot of repeated dots smudged on the ballot.  Upon inspection, it appears to come from the roller of the VCM.  But we believe the root of the problem was that the pen used was not drying fast enough that the ink was not yet completely dry from the time they voted to the time they inserted the ballot into the VCM.  The expect drying time was about 10 seconds only.  But it takes more than 10 seconds to get from the voting chair to the VCM. We have suggested to COMELEC to get a sample of that pen there and compare it to a pen from a voting center (say, in Manila) that did not have this repeated-dot-smudge issue.  This is to compared if the ink on these 2 pens are consistent quality or not. We then proceeded to our 3rd and last precinct: Mudjunun Elementary School, in Brgy We proceeded with our usual routine, and there we find our local PPCRV Volunteers! Voting in this precinct was uneventful.  They have actually completed the voting process before we arrived and the voters were simply waiting for us to greet us.  Most of the voters are women.  Clearly there was a larger presence of military personnel.  Again, they insist it was safe but they have to show force to reduce our anxiety. All 3 sites we have seen people very calm and confident when they were voting.  No hesitation in their handling of the ballot.  Although, we did observe some smudging on the Ballot Secrecy Folder. We then proceeded for lunch hosted by the Gov as he tells a story about Sulu and how they maintained peace.  Looking at this place, it really is such a wonderful place to be. We then proceeded for lunch hosted by the Gov as he tells a story about Sulu and how they maintained peace.  Looking at this place, it really is such a wonderful place to be After the multiple visits, we then head back for our journey back to manila. Usual, mixed man-cargo cabin.  Cargo mixed with COMELEC personnel, Media, military airmen, is a common sight by now.  PLUS a motorcycle include in the cargo riding with us back to manila. Finally we arrived in Manila with the very plane that provided us the safe travel back and forth. Arrived safe back in Villamor Airbase. Once again, thank you to Chairman Garcia and the BGen Menor of the PAF for this journey.  Hats of the the Philippine Airforce their flight schedule timing are truly impeccable.  If I don’t want to be late, I’d fly PAF than the commercial airline. Simple joys you can experience as a PPCRV volunteer!  But more importantly, this is a demonstration that PPCRV volunteers go far and wide to advocate CHAMP (Clean, Honest, Accurate,

Manila (Agenzia Fides) – The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) invites you to a journey of prayer and action in view of the May 2025 parliamentary elections. The ecclesial movement, founded in 1991, wants to contribute – both spiritually and with concrete actions – to the proper conduct of the elections. “We would like to invoke the help of Divine Providence so that Filipinos do their part to ensure transparent, honest, responsible and peaceful elections,” explains Ana Singson, spokesperson of the movement, which has carried out awareness campaigns in all dioceses, to Fides. Plans include liturgical celebrations organized by various Catholic parishes and schools, information and cultural events, study seminars and, finally, the mobilization of about 450,000 volunteers who will be deployed in polling stations and voting centers across the country to observe the electoral process in all its stages.The PPCRV has been duly accredited by the National Elections Commission (COMELEC) as the citizen body responsible for monitoring electoral processes. As the Elections Commission announced, the May 2025 election will see the introduction of the new automated voting system and, again, close monitoring by observers at the counting machines is necessary to ensure the complete regularity of the processes. “We are reaching out to the laity and especially to young people,” said Ana Singson, “in a non-partisan manner, but with the understanding that everyone’s contribution is crucial to ensure that the democratic process remains lively and meaningful for future generations.” The PPCRV sees young people as “not only the future of our democracy but also an essential part of its present.” “Young people,” the association said, “play a crucial role, not only for the future but also for the present.” The PPCRV held a general assembly in Manila last December, attended by 159 coordinators from dioceses across the country. They renewed their commitment to promote the principles of transparency, honesty, peace and accountability applied to the civil and political transition the country is currently undergoing. “This commitment is not a slogan but a profound reflection of Christ’s victory and his redemptive power. Christ calls each of us to embody hope, courage and integrity as we face the challenges before us,” said PPCRV President Evelyn Singson. The Archbishop of Caceres, Rex Alarcon, the spiritual advisor of the movement, stressed the importance of being an “informed conscience of the nation”: “Faith as a foundation and love of the country as a guide: if we follow these principles, every effort, no matter how small, contributes to building a nation characterized by integrity, justice and hope.” On January 12, a mass was celebrated in the Visayas region (Central Philippines) in the Archdiocese of Cebu. The Archbishop of Cebu, Jose S. Palma, who celebrated the mass, emphasized: “Our baptism makes us heralds of the Good News, leads us to witness our faith in Jesus and to make this testimony tangible in our activities and various services in society. Good politics is at the service of peace and the common good.” Another Mass will be held in Mindanao, in the south of the Philippines, as part of the initiative, and will be presided over by Romulo Valles, Archbishop of Davao.The legislative elections in the Philippines will take place on May 12, 2025. A total of 317 seats in the House of Representatives and 12 of the 24 seats in the Senate will be up for election in view of the 20th Congress of the Philippines. In addition, local elections will be held in all provinces, cities and municipalities in the country. They are called “midterm elections” because those elected will take office in the middle of the term of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 14/1/2024) https://www.fides.org/en/news/75901

Zamboanga (Agenzia Fides) – “Prayer is more powerful than war,” says the Advent message of the “Silsilah” movement for Islamic-Christian dialogue, which this year celebrated the 40th anniversary of its foundation by Father Sebastiano D’Ambra, missionary of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME). “Today we are called to intensify our prayer and to participate in the prayer and song of harmony in this difficult time for humanity, marked by wars and conflicts in various parts of the world,” hopes the missionary, who points out that “Christmas is a great opportunity to reflect on the message of love that Jesus Christ brought to the world, not only for Christians, but for all”. The movement reaffirms the message of “love of God, love of neighbor and love of the common good that Christianity, Islam and other religions proclaim” as it prepares to celebrate, together with all social, religious and political forces of the island of Minandao in the southern Philippines, the special World Week of Religious Harmony (1-7 February 2025), which falls during the Holy Year. “The period of the Jubilee Year is also a special time when we open the door of our hearts to everyone. This is what we always advocate in the Silsilah Movement, in the belief that dialogue comes from God and brings people back to God,” said Father D’Ambra.The movement also joined the “Week of Peace” in Mindanao, organized by the Conference of Religious Leaders of Mindanao, which ended on December 4. The annual event was launched in 2001 to promote development and protect peace in the region, to look back on the wounds of the past and build a future of reconciliation in a part of the archipelago where a large part of the Islamic population, about 6 million people, lives.All of these events serve to raise awareness and provide educational and cultural work and are intended to prepare for a historic step in 2025: the people of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will be able to directly elect their representatives for the first time in the regional parliamentary elections scheduled for May 2025.The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao currently consists of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur and Tawi-Tawi and was created from a peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The inclusion of the Sulu Islands as another province in the autonomous region is currently being considered. Currently, the region has a transitional government, the so-called “Bangsamoro Transition Authority”, which serves as an interim government until elections are held. If the elections are confirmed, voters will elect 80 members of parliament, including 40 party representatives, 25 district representatives and eight sector representatives, as well as local officials. The social structure of the clans will be decisive in the electoral campaign, and there are fears that the so-called “rido” phenomenon, a feud between clans with mutual retaliation, could lead to social conflicts in the region. For this reason, the initiatives and commitment of entities such as the “Silsilah” movement are particularly important and have both a concrete and symbolic meaning. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 14/12/2024) https://www.fides.org/en/news/75901