Sara renews call for national unity

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VICE President Sara Duterte yesterday renewed her call for unity among Filipinos through the exercise of the right to suffrage as she cast her vote for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

Duterte, who voted at Precinct No. 841 of Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School in Barangay Matina Crossing, Davao City shortly before 9 a.m., joined calls for clean, honest, orderly, and peaceful elections as she reminded the public that voting gives the people the opportunity to contribute to nation-building.

“Ipakita natin ang ating pagkakaisa bilang isang bansa sa pamamagitan ng pagboto (Let’s show our unity as one nation by voting),” the Vice President said in a Facebook post.

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Duterte, who is the concurrent secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd), said she was monitoring the schools that were used as polling precincts for the BSKE.

“Ang halalan ay isang natatanging proseso na kung saan lahat ng Pilipino, anuman ang estado sa buhay, ay nabibigyan ng pagkakataong makapag-ambag para sa bayan sa pamamagitan ng pagpili ng karapat-dapat na mamuno sa ating lipunan. Ipakita natin ang ating pagkakaisa bilang isang bansa sa pamamagitan ng pagboto (The election is a special process in which all Filipinos, regardless of social status, are given the opportunity to contribute to nation-building by choosing the right people to lead in our society),” she said.
Duterte also reminded the public of the important role of barangay officials in public service at the grassroots level.

“Mahalaga ang papel na ginagampanan ng ating mga opisyal sa barangay sapagkat sila ang nasa unang antas ng pamamahala sa gobyerno na maaring magbigay tulong at solusyon sa mga problemang kinakaharap natin sa community level. Ang kanilang integridad at dedikasyon sa paglilingkod ay kailangan nating suriin at tukuyin (The role of our barangay officials is important because they are at the ones at the first level of governance who can provide help and solutions to the problems that we face at the community level. We should assess and determine their integrity and dedication to service),” she said.

Meanwhile, her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, failed to cast his vote in the 2023 barangay polls, Sen. Christopher Go said.

Go, who was able to cast his vote before the precincts closed at 3 p.m., said the former Chief Executive had to travel from Manila to Davao City was not able to make it on time to vote at the Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School.

SANGGUNIANG KABATAAN

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano called on the public to support the new generation of Sangguniang Kabataan leaders instead of seeking the abolition of the youth leadership council from local governance.

“Madalas nating sabihin na i-abolish na natin iyang SK dahil naging breeding ground of corruption. Eh sino ba ang nagtuturo sa kanila ng corruption? Hindi ba ‘yung matatanda din? Bakit ‘yung bata ang i-abolish? Baligtad! Ituloy natin ang SK, pero tulungan, tutukan, at suportahan natin sila. ‘Wag natin sila iwanan. Give advice to them, at pag-pray natin sila
(Critics have been saying that it is better to abolish the SK because it has become a breeding ground of corruption. But who teaches them to be corrupt? Isn’t it the elders?

Why abolish the youth council? It should be the other way around. Let us allow SK to continue but we must help and support them. Let us not abandon the SK. Give them advice, and let us pray for them),” said Cayetano in an interview after casting his vote in his hometown Taguig City.

Cayetano said former SK leaders should also encourage and help their successors navigate the world of national governance so they don’t get corrupted in the process.

“Ito ang social media generation kaya iba rin ang takbo nila. I’m excited for them, but I always want to make sure there is accountability (This is the social media generation that’s why things are much different now. I’m excited for them but I want to make sure there is accountability),” he said.

Cayetano said while mentoring the SK leaders is not everyone’s job, it is “the concern of all of us.”

In an earlier Facebook Live post before casting his vote, Cayetano pointed out that every decision has its consequences, including the decision to vote or not to vote in the BSKE polls.

The senator also said that the barangay is the most important institution in society because it serves as a family to communities.

For his part, Sen. Manuel “Lito” Lapid reminded winners in the BSKE not to fail their constituents once they begin their terms.

“Ine-expect natin na lalo silang makakatulong, lalo na at kami sa Senado ay bukas ang mga opisina na tumulong sa mga barangay (The people are expecting that you will be of more help to your constituents. We, in the Senate, are always ready to extend help to the barangays),” Lapid said in a message to the media after casting his vote at the Porac Elementary School in Pampanga.

In a statement, Rep. Zaldy Co (PL, Ako Bicol), chair of the House Committee on Appropriations, who voted at Barangay Cruzada in Legazpi City, thanked the public for performing their civic duty.

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Co also thanked public school teachers who tirelessly serve the public in every election “to ensure that it will be orderly and safe for the voting public.”

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, voted at Barangay Penafrancia in Daraga, Albay, while Rep. Raoul Manuel (PL, Kabataan), a member of the Makabayan bloc, voted at Flora Ylagan High School in Quezon City.

“Sa pagtatapos ng oras ng botohan, hindi pa natatapos ang pagbantay sa ating mga boto at paglaban sa lahat ng anyo ng dayaan at karahasan sa halalan. Hinihikayat natin ang kapwa kabataan na i-ulat ang lahat ng mga mapapansin na anomalya sa Comelec (As the election ends, the need to guard our votes and fight all forms of cheating and violence is not yet done. We urge or fellow youth to report to the Comelec all anomalies they observe),” said Manuel. — With Raymond Africa

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