Thirty-six days before the mid-term elections this May, local Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Commission on Election (COMELEC) officials reminded voters to choose leaders who have the right qualifications. The officials made this call during the Digital Media Forum on the Campaign for Matino Mahusay, Maaasahang Local, and National Officials held on Monday at the City DILG Office.

According to Atty. Darwin Bibar, City DILG Director, the campaign aims to educate voters about the quality of leaders they should elect to public positions. One that will translate words into action, Bibar added.

The voters should elect leaders who are ‘Matino’, ‘Mahusay’ and ‘Maaasahan’ in order to start meaningful progress in their communities, Bibar said.

He said that “Matino” means that the candidate is not corrupt and supports the campaign of the government against drug and corruption.

A candidate who is Mahusay, on the other hand, possesses the right requirements of a public official, one that has a clear platform that will answer the current needs of the community.

While Maaasahan, as clarified by the official means that the candidate can be depended on in times of calamity and is concerned about the common good.

Meanwhile, City Election Officer Atty. Maria Goretti Canas encouraged voters to exercise their right to vote wisely.

She warned against vote-selling and vote-buying, saying that ‘deputized agencies’ will be on the lookout for any election-related violations.

Asked if barangay officials openly campaigning for candidates is an election violation, the Election Officer said that they have yet to ‘receive’ guidelines from the COMELEC National Office.

The local DILG said that they plan to roll out the voter education advocacy in the barangays so that it will get more support from the ‘grassroots’ level.

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Photos: K.E. Napala/CIO