Pabillo reminds voter-registrants to take registration seriously

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo reminded the public especially those who are qualified to register as voters for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) should take registration seriously. (Photo: Bishop Pabillo/Facebook)

MANILA—Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo reminded the public especially those who are qualified to register as voters for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) should take registration seriously.

He added that the citizen should know their rights, as he urged them to participate in the conduct of registration for the October 23 village and youth polls.

“Ang aking panawagan let us take this seriously as our government officials are taking it seriously tayo din sana sa pakikiisa, sa pag reregister…sa pagalam ng ating mga tungkulin at mga batas ngayon,” the Catholic prelate said at the Voter Registration Awareness Caravan by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) held in Manila last week.

With this, he noted that the role of the Church is to make people good Christians but as part of being a good Christian one should also be a good citizen.

“Kami naman sa simbahan ay interesado din kami dito although ang pinaka role namin is to make people good Christians but we know we cannot be good Christians if we are not good citizens and in our country which is democratic we cannot be good citizens of our country if we do not participate in governance,’ the Catholic prelate explained.

He added that part of being a good Christian was to also participate in governance and to look at the accomplishments of those in public office, which they voted.

“Kaya in a way ang aming pag encourage sa mga tao na maging good Christians bahagi dyan ang kanilng pag participate sa governance at ang pagparticipate ay hindi lang sa pagboto ngunit pakikialam din ano ang nangyari, ano ginagawa ng binoto natin,” Pabillo said.

The Comelec is conducting a nationwide voter registration, which started last Nov. 7 and will run until April 29, 2017.

Qualified to register are Filipino citizens, aged 18 years old and above (for regular elections) and 15 to 17 years old (for Sangguniang Kabataan elections); resides in the Philippines for at least one year; resides in the place they intend to vote for at least six months; and are not disqualified by law.