by Santosh Digal

In view of the presidential election in 2010, the bishops are asking for "greater participation" and initiatives aimed at promoting the "common good." The prelates announce a year of prayer "for peace" and a "change in the country's politics." 50 million voters are going to the polls.

Manila (AsiaNews) - About 50 million Filipinos will go to vote on May 10, 2010, to elect a new president. They must also select the vice president, 12 senators, 260 lawmakers, and more than 17,000 public officials. But the Filipino bishops say they are "concerned" about the political situation in the country, marked by "misgovernance and corruption," so much so that the auxiliary bishop of Manila says that he "cannot find any worthy candidates."

Broderick Pabillo, auxiliary bishop of Manila, at the moment cannot identify any candidates worthy of voting for, because they are too connected "to an old way of doing politics" that keeps "most Filipinos" in a state of permanent poverty. The prelate recalls that the Church wants "honest and clean elections," but more than this, "that the right people be called to head public offices."

For this reason, the Filipino Catholic Church, Christian movements in the country, nongovernmental organization, and members of civil society intend to promote a policy of "good governance" in view of the presidential election in 2010. This is a lively topic in the Philippines, where there is a high level of corruption perception, and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself is not immune from accusation.

Yesterday, a "Good Governance Summit” was held at the professional institute of the Jesuits in Manila. it saw the participation of Filipino and foreign associations, youth and student movements, alternative political parties, Christian and Muslim religious groups, professional associations, teachers and experts in the field of the media. During the summit, objectives and strategies were discussed for promoting a policy of "good governance," with particular attention to the presidential election next year.

Angel Lagdameo, archbishop of Jaro and president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, stressed that "citizens play a leading role in reinforcing the policies of good governance in the country." This stance is supported by all of the bishops, who, in a pastoral letter on April 22, called upon people involved in politics to "renounce corruption" and work together "to defend initiatives aimed at pursuing the common good." On April 19, the president of the Filipino bishops proclaimed the period of June 2009 to June 2010 "a year of prayer and work for the construction of peace," and for the "participation of the laity in social change." June 19 and 20 will be dedicated respectively "to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to the Immaculate Heart of Mary."

• philippines
• presidential
• election
• politics
• corruption
• governance
• government
• transparency
• reform
• candidate
• campaign