For 30 years, every time an election takes place in the Philippines one parish-based organization has taken the lead in ensuring that voters get registered. They have made sure that the voters are educated on how the election process works. And they have stood courageously and valiantly at the polls when election day comes, guarding the sanctity of the ballot against all forms of intimidation, violence, and the triple threat of guns, goons, and gold.

Ever wondered who those stalwart, courageous men and women helping out at national and local elections as pollwatchers were? Did you ever wonder about the sorts of experiences they might have accumulated in their stints as volunteers for a trusted election watchdog and NGO?

But perhaps these stories, which form a major part of the shaping of Philippine history and the progress of the electoral process, are best heard from the men and women who make up this organization: the men and women of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV). These are their stories:

ALBERTO “EBET” FRANCISCO: I have been with the PPCRV almost from the very start. I’m active in my parish church and was recruited into the PPCRV via the parish pastoral council. I started as a poll-watcher in the 1992 elections and moved up to becoming a school coordinator in 1995. In 1998, I studied about the process of how elections are conducted, so then I became a poll-watching trainer, and served in the same position in 2001. In 2004 I was sent to the Secretariat of the PPCRV.

I’m a stay-at-home father, sort of a househusband. My wife, who works as a beautician, and I have six children, with our youngest in high school. I used to work as a cashier in a small fish trading business; now I mostly stay at home. What is important is that my wife really understands what I’m doing. I’ve visited several provinces in the course of being a trainor for poll-watchers: I’ve been to Masbate, Isabela, Pangasinan, etc. I live in Navotas, so I also work as the poll-watching trainor for all of the parishes there.

Every election I used to get into disputes with the Board of Election Inspectors. I had studied the election process so I could see that some of them were not always following the process correctly. For example, some BEIs don’t make the minutes of what they are doing, since they could be called to account if the minutes are not all properly done.

I believe that for the 2022 Polls the PPCRV will remain vigilant, since that is an integral part of being on duty as a poll-watcher. As to the recruitment of more volunteers, I think that the parish priests’ cooperation with the PPCRV is very vital. If they support the idea of the PPCRV, they can easily ask their parishes to send more people to volunteer or work with us. It’s all in the way that the request for more volunteers is phrased.

I believe that volunteers should keep in mind that “if you’re going to do something, do it well and give your best. You yourself will benefit from it, not anyone else.” If you’re going to be a volunteer anyway, if you’re going to do this difficult job, then you might as well do it well.

ROMULO “Moy” GUILLERMO: My first volunteering experience was with NAMFREL in 1992; then I joined the PPCRV in 1995 and have served with them until the present. I was attracted to the organization because it was prayerful, had strong social advocacies; it also allowed me to meet people who also want “change”. I thought maybe I could use my skills in organizing to help PPCRV; now I’m in charge of making modules for the voters’ education campaign, as well as for giving talks on the topic. I am the regional coordinator for Mindanao and the Deputy Coordinator for Voters’ Education.

I’m married, and I have three daughters. I’m a lay minister, and am active in our parish church’s activities. My hobbies include using the Internet, especially Facebook. A usual day in the life for me begins with morning prayers after I wake up, then I do some gardening and tinker with our car.

Being the regional coordinator for Mindanao, I have to be abreast and knowledgeable with safety precautions in the war zones. I’m the son of a military man. I’m actually more afraid that the people would not absorb the voters’ education campaign, than of the threats and safety issues. I’m a little gloomy about this but I do hold on to hope.

The PPCRV faces a few challenges for these elections, such as funds for the voters’ education campaign activities, a lack of resource speakers for the same. COMELEC as well is facing the same: they are being bombarded by glitches right now, but at least they are doing something about it instead of just saying that they will look into it. I think the delays that the COMELEC are experiencing are a small problem compared to the delays we experienced in previous elections.

The PPCRV also addresses indifference and apathy through education, making them understand at their own levels and languages. This education addresses apprehension, skepticism, and a speculation … The PPCRV serves to educate people that Filipinos are innately good, prayerful, and hopeful.

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