The Challenge of Empowerment and a Call to Political Engagement in the May 2007 Elections

Pinoy Bantay Bayan!

A Presentation at Eagle Watch The May 2007 Elections: Seizing Opportunities for Long Term Economic and Political Change March 8, 2007

CBCP Letter to the Dioceses and Parishes

(28 January 2007)

Elections in a democracy allow citizens to choose freely those who will govern them and be instruments of a better life and a more just society for all. These coming elections in May 2007 are especially important. Many of our current political problems, which have hindered fuller economic development and social justice, especially for the poor, can be traced to unresolved questions concerning the conduct of past elections. As a nation, we cannot afford yet another controversial exercise that further aggravates social distrust and hopelessness.

Building Democratic Institutions and Hope in Political Action

The crisis of legitimacy and politics of survival as seriously undermining key national institutions Worsening human rights situation, particularly extra-judicial killings of journalists and activists Continuing social exclusion and widening disparities despite some positive economic indicators

Building Democratic Institutions and Hope in Political Action

A broader crisis of trust in the integrity and efficacy of the political system and its actors A deep sense of disempowerment and crisis of hope in national politics, especially among the youth

Building Democratic Institutions and Hope in Political Action

The danger of political disengagement: emboldens those who brazenly disregard the rule of law and destroy institutions The high stakes involved in the May elections: prospects of huge spending, systematic cheating and political intimidation/coercion Instead of withdrawal, we need coordinated action to protect the integrity of the electoral process, especially to fight fraud and violence

Building Democratic Institutions and Hope in Political Action

But a deeper reason for political alienation: unrepresentativeness of electoral democracy; unaccountability of politicians to electorate We need not only voters education but also processes to make candidates aware of the peoples real needs and aspirations We need to develop mechanisms that challenge candidates to make concrete commitments of genuine and effective response and monitoring systems to make them accountable for their promises.

Building Democratic Institutions and Hope in Political Action

Huge number of young people among the voting-age population (including many firsttime voters) A wide pool of potential voters and volunteers whose supposed apathy and pragmatism can be challenged They can be engaged, energized and empowered not only to safeguard the electoral process but also to get involved in longer term efforts for political and social reform toward building genuine democracy.

Building Democratic Institutions and Hope in Political Action

Sustaining economic growth in the long run requires institutions that foster consistency, transparency and accountability Leveling the political playing field and fostering greater socioeconomic equity are critical to building institutions of democratic development Political engagement in the May 2007 elections can be seen from a perspective of both defending and deepening democratic processes

A Call to Political Engagement: Some Key Principles

Witnessing to the call for civic engagement in politics Fostering trust in democratic institutions Widening the political space for genuine democracy Forming leaders and constituencies for political and social reform Energizing our communities and generating a force for continuing and hopeful political engagement

A Call to Political Engagement: What is Pinoy Bantay Bayan?

It is a call to action: a campaign for coordinated citizens vigilance It is a framework for political engagement in the May 2007 elections It is a portal to various options for nonpartisan electoral involvement It is a mechanism for building constituencies and networks for long-term social and political reform: creating a force for genuine democracy

POLITICAL POLITICAL EDUCATION EDUCATION

Pinoy Voters Academy: Voters Pinoy Voters Academy: Voters Education (PPCRV-SLB)
Education (PPCRV-SLB) Bantay Pangako: Covenant Bantay Pangako: Covenant Signing and Monitoring Signing and Monitoring (ASG/SJSA/ SLB/Social Involvement (ASG/SJSA/ SLB/Social Involvement offices) offices) Bantay Agenda Candidates Bantay AgendaFair Candidates Debates/Fora/ Debates/Fora/ Fair (UCSC/CEAP/PPCRV) (UCSC/CEAP/PPCRV) Bantay Pulitiko Webpage: Bantay Pulitiko Webpage: Profiling of Candidates (SLB, DLSU Profiling of Candidates (SLB, DLSU COSCA; Polsci and Law Students) COSCA; Polsci and Law Students) Bantay Call Center: Election Bantay Call Center: Election Inquiries (SLB) Inquiries (SLB) Bantay Alumni; Bantay Bagong Bantay Alumni; Bantay Program Bagong Kandidato: Formation Kandidato: Formation Program (ASG/ Institutes of (ASG/ Institutes of Politics/Governance) Politics/Governance)

Bantay Kampanya: Campaign Finance Monitoring Finance (Perat Monitoring Pulitika / Ehem!) (Perat Pulitika / Ehem!)

ELECTION ELECTION MONITORING MONITORING Bantay Kampanya: Campaign

Bantay Presinto: Poll Watching Bantay Presinto: Poll Watching (PPCRV) (PPCRV) Bantay Bilang: Parallel Vote Bantay Bilang: Parallel Vote Count (NASSA/Namfrel) Count (NASSA/Namfrel) Bantay Canvass: Monitoring of Bantay Canvass: Monitoringof of Canvassing/ Consolidation Canvassing/ Consolidation of votes in Municipal and Provincial votes in Municipal and Provincial Levels (ALS/ALG/Law Schools) Levels (ALS/ALG/Law Schools) Bantay Text: Monitoring through Bantay Text: Monitoring through text (SemNet) text (SemNet) Bantay Blogger: Blog Reports Bantay (SLB) Blogger: Blog Reports (SLB) Bantay Eleksyon: Monitoring of Bantay Eleksyon: Monitoring of Comelec and Electoral Process Comelec (CER) and Electoral Process (CER)

PUBLIC PUBLIC INFORMATIONINFORMATIONCOMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION

Speakers Bureau Speakers Bureau
Writers Bureau Writers Bureau Other Forms of Other Forms of Communication Communication (ACOMM, ADS, HPAIR) (ACOMM, ADS, HPAIR)

RESOURCEGENERATIONGENERATIONRESOURCE MOBILIZATION MOBILIZATION

Democracy Fund COMMUNICATIONS Democracy Fund COMMUNICATIONS
Public Information through various media Public Information through various media (MBC) (MBC)

ELECTION MONITORING Internal Communication-Recruitment Internal Communication-Recruitment Bantay Kampanya: Campaign Finance Bantay Kampanya: Campaign Finance Monitoring Particular focus on Monitoring communication to youth and Particular focus (Perat on communication to youth and Pulitika / Ehem!) students (Perat Pulitika / Ehem!) students
Bantay Presinto: Poll Watching (PPCRV) POLITICAL EDUCATION Networking Bantay Presinto: Poll Watching (PPCRV) Networking

ELECTION MONITORING

POLITICAL EDUCATION

Bantay Bilang: Parallel Vote Count Pinoy Voters Academy: Voters Education (ADS, HPAIR, ACOMM) Bantay Bilang: Parallel Vote Count Pinoy Voters Academy: Voters Education (ADS, HPAIR, ACOMM) (NASSA/Namfrel) (PPCRV-SLB) (NASSA/Namfrel) (PPCRV-SLB) Bantay Canvass: Monitoring of Canvassing/ Canvass: Bantay Pangako: Covenant Signing and Bantay Monitoring of Canvassing/ Bantay Pangako: Covenant Signing Consolidation of votes in Municipal and and Monitoring (ASG/SJSA/ SLB/Social Consolidation of votes in Municipal and Monitoring (ASG/SJSA/ SLB/Social Provincial Levels (ALS/ALG/Law Schools) Involvement offices) Provincial Levels (ALS/ALG/Law Schools) Involvement offices) Bantay Text: Monitoring through text (SemNet) Text: Bantay Agenda Candidates Debates/Fora/ Bantay Monitoring through text (SemNet) Bantay Agenda Candidates Debates/Fora/ Fair (UCSC/CEAP/PPCRV) (UCSC/CEAP/PPCRV) Bantay Fair Blogger: Blog Reports (SLB) Bantay Blogger: Blog Reports (SLB) Bantay Pulitiko Webpage: Profiling of Bantay Pulitiko Webpage: Profiling of Bantay Eleksyon: Monitoring of Comelec and Candidates (SLB, DLSUof COSCA; Polsci Bantay Eleksyon:(SLB, Monitoring Comelec andand Candidates DLSU COSCA; Electoral Process (CER) Polsci and Law Students) Electoral Process (CER) Law Students) Bantay Call Center: Election Inquiries (SLB) Bantay Call Center: Election Inquiries (SLB) Bantay Alumni; Bantay Bagong Kandidato: Bantay Alumni; Bantay Bagong Kandidato: Formation Program (ASG/ Institutes of Formation Program (ASG/ Institutes of Politics/Governance) Politics/Governance)

Politi cal Ed ucati on Elect ion M onito ring Comm unicat ions Resou rce-G enera tion

Menu of Options for Political Involvement

POLITICAL EDUCATION
Pinoy Voters Academy: Voters Education (PPCRV-SLB) Bantay Pangako: Covenant Signing and Monitoring (ASG/SJSA/ SLB/Social Involvement offices) Bantay Agenda Candidates Debates/Fora/ Fair (UCSC/CEAP/PPCRV) Bantay Pulitiko Webpage: Profiling of Candidates (SLB, DLSU COSCA; Polsci and Law Students) Bantay Call Center: Election Inquiries (SLB) Bantay Alumni; Bantay Bagong Kandidato: Formation Program (ASG/ Institutes of Politics/Governance)

COMMUNICATIONS
Public Information through various media Internal CommunicationRecruitment Particular focus on communication to youth and students Networking (ADS, HPAIR, ACOMM)

ELECTION MONITORING
Bantay Kampanya: Campaign Finance Monitoring (Perat Pulitika / Ehem!) Bantay Presinto: Poll Watching (PPCRV) Bantay Bilang: Parallel Vote Count (NASSA/Namfrel) Bantay Canvass: Monitoring of aggregation of votes in Municipal and Provincial Levels (ALS/ALG/Law Schools) Bantay Text/ Bantay Blogger: Monitoring through text and blog reports (SemNet/SLB) Bantay Eleksyon: Monitoring of Comelec and Electoral Process (CER)

RESOURCE GENERATIONMOBILIZATION
Democracy Fund (MBC)

A Call to Political Engagement

Politics and Governance are our collective responsibility: we are personally accountable Despite limitations, democratic institutions need to be defended, strengthened and deepened. They must be made to address urgent needs. Overcoming the crisis requires that we transcend our disillusionment, confusion and cynicism to become politically engaged and make a difference.

Pinoy Bantay Bayan Contact Information

Pinoy Voters Academy/Poll-watching (SLB-PPCRV) - Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan (09263041826; slb@admu.edu.ph) - Bro. Javy Alpasa, S.J. (09205556617; javieralpasa@gmail.com ) - Jess Paul Pasible (09273382282; jesspaul_pasibe@yahoo.com) Bantay Pangako (ASG/SLB) - Randy Tuano (09192837282; ptuano@ateneo.edu) - Benj Barretto (09282628384; gesuiella@yahoo.com ) Bantay Agenda Candidates Debates (UCSC) - Luis Abad (09178318861; luish0328@yahoo.com) Bantay Pulitiko Web Profiles (SLB/DLSU/Ivote.ph) - Bro. Javy Alpasa, S.J. (SLB) - Wadel Cabrera (DLSU COSCA: 09214850920; cabrera@dlsu.edu.ph) - Gino Nacianceno (ivote.ph: 09176270870; gnacianceno@ivote.ph) Bantay Kampanya - Campaign Finance Monitoring (Perat Pulitika)Vince Lazatin(09228651228; vtlazatin@yahoo.com) - Walang Hihingi (Ehem!) Fr. Albert Alejo, S.J. (09177045474; paringbert@yahoo.com) Bantay Canvass (Law Schools/Lawyers networks) - Atty. Carlos Medina (09178957001; cmedina@aps.ateneo.edu, cp_medina@yahoo.com) - Ona Caritos (09064924438; rcaritos@yahoo.com )