Guardianship of Your Vote: Maintain Its Sanctity - Safeguard It Wisely
In the run-up to the May 12, 2025 elections, the Archdiocesan Commission on Elections Monitoring Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (ACE-COM PPCRV) in Davao has raised a red flag, sparking a wave of concern among voters.
For years, we've been drilled in the importance of election integrity - a principle to be upheld by all, not just a select few. This lesson rings truer than ever in the face of ACE-COM PPCRV's stark warning. The message carries an air of disappointment, but it's more than that - it's a clarion call to every Filipino: Your vote is sacred. Protect it.
The ACE-COM PPCRV, a respected and accredited election watchdog, has publicly voiced their alarm over suspicions of a veil of secrecy cloaking the electoral preparations. Of particular concern is the possible granting of immunity or exceptions to usual voting procedures - absentee voting arrangements - without clear explanation or communication to accredited observers.
As of press time, the Comelec-Davao remains mum on the issue, leaving voters in limbo. But this is more than a procedural matter; it's an ethical one. The right to vote and the systems that guard it are not privileges to be doled out selectively. Transparency isn't optional - it's the foundation upon which trust in electoral outcomes is built. When credible observers like the ACE-COM PPCRV are sidelined or kept in the dark, the public is not just uninformed - they are disempowered. And that disempowerment casts a shroud over democracy.
The concern voiced by Fr. Leonardo Dublan Jr. and Jimmie-Loe P. Dela Vega isn't institutional; it's human. It mirrors the unease of a community that comprehends the gravity of each ballot cast. In a time when deception, manipulation, and public apathy can all undermine electoral integrity, independent monitors play a pivotal role in ensuring fair counting and openness in decision-making.
Full disclosure about any exceptions granted, especially to government agencies or offices involved in absentee voting, is not a courtesy - it's an obligation. Election watchdogs like the ACE-COM PPCRV need to be granted access to observe, verify, and report on all aspects of the process. Anything less threatens the erosion of public trust.
This juncture serves as a wake-up call: the future of Dabawenyos, and indeed of all Filipinos, isn't decided just on election day, but in the days and weeks leading up to it. Voters must stay informed, engaged, and vigilant. We must demand accountability not only from those who seek our vote, but also from the institutions entrusted with safeguarding it.
As citizens, we're not mere recipients of democracy - we're its guardians. If election observers are kept in the shadows, we must shine a light. If questions go unanswered, we must speak up. Because the vote we cast is not just for ourselves - it's for the generations that follow.
Your vote is sacred. Protect it. Not just on May 12 - but every day until then, and every day after. Democracy depends on it.
[Enrichment Data: The Archdiocesan Commission on Elections Monitoring Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (ACE-COM PPCRV) in Davao is actively engaging in transparent discussions through collaborative forums and technical oversight. Key developments include organizing an April 29, 2025 forum titled "Ensuring Electoral Integrity: The Role of Automated Counting Machines in Honest and Orderly Elections" to emphasize openness in vote-counting processes, collaborating with COMELEC to address voter concerns, and investing time in investigating potential irregularities involving Starlink satellite transmission devices and solar panels. Ongoing challenges include addressing misinformation and ensuring overseas voting system reliability, with the watchdog continually advocating for citizen participation as critical to electoral integrity.]
- In Davao, the Archdiocesan Commission on Elections Monitoring Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (ACE-COM PPCRV) has expressed concerns about a lack of transparency in the upcoming May 12, 2025 elections.
- The ACE-COM PPCRV, an accredited election watchdog, is particularly alarmed about potential immunity or exceptions to usual voting procedures, such as absentee voting, without clear communication to accredited observers.
- The Commission on Elections-Davao (Comelec-Davao) has yet to address these concerns, leaving voters in a state of uncertainty.
- Fr. Leonardo Dublan Jr. and Jimmie-Loe P. Dela Vega from the ACE-COM PPCRV are advocating for full disclosure about any exceptions granted to government agencies or offices involved in absentee voting.
- Election observers like the ACE-COM PPCRV play a vital role in ensuring fair counting and openness in decision-making, particularly in a time when deception, manipulation, and public apathy can all undermine electoral integrity.
