1 month ago
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Evelyn Macairan - The Philippine Star
February 14, 2025 | 12:00am
PPCRV volunteers count votes in the partial unofficial tally in the Quadricentennial Pavillion, UST, May 11. Bongbong Marcos Jr. leads the polls.
Philstar.com / Jazmin Tabuena
MANILA, Philippines — It’s time for lawmakers to help put an end to political dynasties and premature campaigning by passing electoral reform laws, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) chairperson Evelyn Singson said yesterday.
“We need laws that prevent political dynasties and improve the quality of voters and candidates,” Singson said in an interview over dzRV.
“We hope that our legislators will amend the rules that allow candidates to advertise themselves before the campaign period because it goes against the spirit of the law,” she said. “If they use taxpayer’s money for these, it is an abuse of authority and wrongful use of taxpayers’ money,” she added. “It is time to review our election laws.”
Even before the official start of the campaign season, billboards, tarpaulins and posters of aspirants for national and local positions had begun sprouting all over the country.
“They should tear down the huge advertisements they put up before the campaign period started as they have now become violations of the law,” Singson said.
Measures should be introduced to educate voters and remind them not to support candidates engaged in vote buying activities.
“We need reforms that will not allow money to determine winners but reforms that will give fair and equal opportunity for rich and poor candidates to run for public office,” Singson added.
The candidates and their supporters should also show respect to the environment, specifically by not posting their campaign materials on tree trunks. The PPCRV official also called on the candidates to strictly follow the rules and regulations set by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Meanwhile, the poll body said over 27 million official ballots for the May elections have already been printed.
Comelec Chairman Garcia said they can finish the printing job a month ahead of the April 14 target date with 36 percent of the required ballots already printed at this time.
“We’ve printed 27 million ballots, more or less. By the second week or third week of March or at most by March 19, we shall have finished the printing – as long as the machine continues performing well,” he said. - Mayen Jaymalin
