Save Our Land From Plunder: Exercise And Safeguard Our Right To Vote

‘Destruction upon destruction is cried, for the whole land is plundered.’ (Jer 4.20)

The Iglesia Filipina Independiente constantly and consistently stands by the Filipino people in their aspiration to establish a government that would genuinely uphold their interest and promote the common good.

The forthcoming May 2007 elections will enable the people to assert their share in the building of a more humane society by exercising and safeguarding their right to vote. We believe that through responsible and informed participation, the electoral exercise can be transformed into an effective vehicle that serves and advances their legitimate interest by choosing the right candidates into the high offices of the government.

We call on the faithful and the voting populace to judiciously exercise our God-given right to vote and dutifully participate in the forthcoming election in prayerful discernment of what would serve best the welfare of our people and country. Let us participate in the elections as responsible citizens of the country, always vigilant against those who might try to influence our choices through unlawful and deceitful means. Let us support candidates and political parties on the merit of their platforms and positions on current issues and not on glistening trappings and entertaining political advertisements.

We must ensure that the forthcoming elections would install leaders who will truly uphold public interest and promote people’s well being. Let us choose the candidates who consistently live out democratic political principles characterized by a real sense of social responsibility and awareness that real power rests in the hands of the people.

We therefore urge the Filipino people, especially the faithful of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente, to examine candidates and political parties and make their decision based upon the seven-fold considerations.

• National Sovereignty. A candidate must be an advocate of national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and does not support foreign domination and intervention in the country.
• National Economy and Patrimony. A candidate must be opposed to full liberalization, deregulation, privatization and other globalization policies that place our local agriculture and industries into unfair competition with big foreign monopolies.
• Peasants and Workers Issues. A candidate must be an advocate of genuine land reform, and supports the poor workers’ struggle for just and decent wages and job security.
• Good Governance. A candidate must have a clean record of public service, steadfastly fights against graft and corruption in government, and committed to eradicate the culture of impunity.
• Justice and Peace. A candidate must be an advocate of the peaceful resolution of conflicts with the National Democratic Front of the Philippine (NDFP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and oppose to any form of aggressive war and violation of human rights.
• Human Rights. A candidate must be a staunch advocate of civil and democratic rights, respects political differences, and denounces, opposes and puts to stop political persecution and extrajudicial killings in the country.
• Women and Children Rights. A candidate must promote gender equality, protect the reproductive rights of women, work against patriarchal exploitation women, and uphold the rights of children to education, home and nationality.
  Lastly, let us remind ourselves that it is our duty as a people and a nation to actively engage in the forthcoming electoral exercise and continue to work for peace, justice and good governance before, during, and beyond the May 2007 elections.

Lastly, let us remind ourselves that it is our duty as a people and a nation to actively engage in the forthcoming electoral exercise and continue to work for peace, justice and good governance before, during, and beyond the May 2007 elections.

† MOST REVD GODOFREDO J. DAVID
Supreme Bishop

07 March 2007
City of Manila