The Philippine Online Chronicles

In his bid for a clean, transparent and peaceful elections, "running priest" Fr. Robert Reyes launched on Saturday “Isang Daan Na Lang,” a countdown to the final 100 days before the country’s first automated polls on May 10.

The activist priest kicked off the campaign with the symbolic lighting of 100 white candles in front of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) main office in Intramuros, Manila at around 10:00 am Saturday, January 30.

In his bid for a clean, transparent and peaceful elections, "running priest" Fr. Robert Reyes launched on Saturday “Isang Daan Na Lang,” a countdown to the final 100 days before the country’s first automated polls on May 10.

The activist priest kicked off the campaign with the symbolic lighting of 100 white candles in front of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) main office in Intramuros, Manila at around 10:00 am Saturday, January 30.

The lit candles were formed to resemble a peace sign, which according to Reyes is what everyone should aspire for – a peaceful elections and a peaceful transition of government.

"Meron din kaming isa pang countdown,” he revealed, “From today until June 30, 130 days na lang si Gloria [Macapagal Arroyo]sa Malacañang. After ng 130 days, pagsasabihan natin siya, bumaba ka na.” (We have another countdown. From today until June 30, Gloria [Macapagal Arroyo] only has 130 days left in Malacañang. After 130 days, we will tell her to step down.)

After a short prayer, Reyes and Bulacan Provincial Board Member Ariel Arceo ran from the Comelec office to Mendiola, Manila, carrying a streamer which read: “Isang Daan Na Lang: Botante, Kandidato, Bansa. Marangal, Malaya.”

Beginning Saturday until the elections, Reyes said he will post daily reflections, with help from various poets and artists, on his website parokyasaweb.org in order to help the public make “informed and enlightened” choices for the coming elections.

"One hundred days, one hundred ways"

With less than three months to go before the historic presidential elections, Reyes urged the voting public to be more vigilant and use the time to discern the qualifications of each candidate.

"The last one hundred days to the presidential elections are crucial. Each single day is crucial and important. We cannot allow any day to pass without doing something. If there are one hundred days, there are at least one hundred ways of spending these wisely and effectively,” he said in a statement.

Reyes also encouraged the people to drop the apathy and get involved in the coming polls by “asking the right questions.” He spoke of the culture of Philippine elections which are often marred with violence, bribery and fraud:

"Dapat ang taong bayan ay matutong magtanong tulad ng ginagawa ko. Iyon ang susi para mabuo natin ang isang daan. Kasi nawala na rin ang kamalayan ng mga Pilipino. Dati tanong tayo ng tanong. Ngayon hindi na tayo nagtatanong – ‘Bayaran mo ako at sasama ako sa iyo. Huwag mo akong pangakuan, bigyan mo ako.' (The people should learn to ask questions. We used to ask a lot of questions. Now, instead of asking for answers, people ask for money in exchange for their votes. They say, 'Pay me, and I will support you.')"

'Not for Noy'

Reyes, who was in his usual jogging ensemble, sported a yellow t-shirt during the event, to which a reporter chided, “Are you a supporter of Noynoy?” referring to Liberal party standard bearer Senator Benigno Aquino III.

Yellow is Aquino's campaign color.

Reyes answered, “Marami nga nagsasabi sa akin, 'Hindi ba Noy ka?' Hindi ako Noynoy, hindi ako Villar, hindi ako Jamby, etc. Ako ay para sa taong bayan na hindi nagpapabayad, hindi nagpapaloko, hindi nagpapadala sa endorsement ng mga artista, ng musikero, hindi yung nagpapadala sa sentimyento na anak ng dating president... ng isang bayani, na 'siya na.' (I always get asked, 'Aren't you for Noy?' I am not for Noynoy, I am not for [Manny] Villar, I'm not for Jamby [Madrigal]. I am for the public who will not accept bribes, who will not be fooled, who will not be easily swayed by endorsements from actors, musicians, or someone who claims he should be "the one" because his mother was a president and his father a hero)," an apparent broadside at Aquino whose parents were former president Corazon Aquino and martyred senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.

"Kung sasabihan ninyo akong mag-endorse, sasabihin ko, huwag ninyong iboto ang maraming pera, nakakatakot yan eh. Huwag ninyong iboto ang napakagaling na magsalita, na parang sinasabing, 'ang taas ng pinag-aralan ko.' Kaya kong magpalipad ng eroplano. Eh, marami ng plane crash ngayon. Baka ‘pag sumakay tayo sa eroplano niya eh, bumagsak tayo pare-pareho, kasama yung nagapapalipad sa kanya sa eroplano," he quipped, this time pointing at Presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro, former Defense secretary and a certified pilot whose latest television ad showed him flying a plane.

"Wag tayong magpa-dala. We have 100 days para makapag-isip ng maayos, magdasal at magsaliksik.” (Let us not be gullible. We have 100 days to discern, to pray and to research.)

"Last two minutes”

Reyes said the initiative is also a protest on the supposed lack of government preparation for the coming automated elections.

"Dapat yan, three years ang preparasyon, ngayon, three months to go. 100 days na lang, ‘isang daan na lang.’ Mabigat ang loob ko. (The preparation should have taken at least three years. Now, we only have three months left before the elections. It saddens me.)"

Jimenez said that poll automation is already 50 percent complete.He said that 48,700 Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS) machines are already on the way and that the deliveries will be complete by February.

Despite the assurance, Reyes still expressed doubt that the poll body will be able to pull off 100 percent automation, adding the possibility of "failure of elections."

"Sa ngayon mas kumportable ako sa manual kasi kulang ang preparasyon nitong automated na ito. Kulang na kulang. Tulad ngayon nagte-test sila sa kung saan-saan, itong nakaraan sa Mandaluyong [City] walang signal. Sus’ko naman nasa Maynila tayo, walang signal, pa’no pag dinala nila sa probinsya ‘yan? (I am more comfortable with the manual elections because the automation is ill-prepared. It lacks preparation. They have tested the machines in different areas, recently in Mandaluyong City, the test failed because there was no signal. We are in Manila, and there was no signal? What more if they bring the technology to the provinces?)"

"It just shows that we are really a culture of the last two minutes,” he said.

Photos by author. Some rights reserved.