Padaca shows up in Cebu for anti-vote buying drive

The ‘I Vote Good' campaign spearheaded by the Dilaab Foundation got the support of election Comm. Grace Padaca. The community-based campaign went to sitio Mabolo in barangay Basak, Mandaue City to call on voters not to sell their votes and vote based on what candidates' “Lifestyle, Action, Supporters, Election conduct and Reputation or the Laser test. "We have been spending a lot of money preparing for a one-day election, we have been employing thousands of people and hundred thousands of teachers. Ano to'ng bibilangin namin? Produkto lang ng vote-buying? Parang hindi naman tama yun. Kaya nga tayo nagpapakahirap to have an electoral system so that we have a democratic process," says Padaca. Padaca added that the democracy is supposed to be a result of a good electoral process. "Yun ang essence ng democracy. piliin mo kung sino ang pinakamabuti, hindi yung kung sinong bumili ng boto mo," says Padaca. Fr. Carmelo Diola, executive director of Dilaab Foundation said they have already visited several sitios in Talisay, Cebu and Mandaue cities since they launched the campaign three weeks ago. "We want to start small, so we can see if there is any effect to this campaign because we have a saying 'changing Filipino politics and elections one sitio at a time," says Diola. The “I Vote Good” campaign Diola said “can be a start of cultural change, because vote-buying is a cultural defect.” So far, Diola appreciates how the Cebuanos are accepting the campaign. Some voters thanked them for the campaign saying that they have long been wanting to fight vote-buying but never saw a group of people who supported them. Diola said that the presence of Comelec, Philippine National Police, and the media in this campaign makes it even stronger. Padaca, a polio survivor was in crutches while doing house-to-house visits in sitio Mabolo. She later asked to ride a traysikad for her convenience. As she visited every home, she personally talked to voters and encouraged them to choose with their conscience and not to patronize vote-buying. She was former broadcaster and governor of Isabela Province. /Carine M. Asutilla, Correspondent