Nueva Ecija top cop Col. Jess B. Mendez (left) leads the launching of “Kasimbayanan for SAFE NLE 2022” along with the Comelec, the military, religious sector, the community and other stakeholders at the NEPPO headquarters in Cabanatuan City on Thursday afternoon. Photo by Steve A. Gosuico
NEPPO, partners launch ‘KASIMBAYANAN’
CABANATUAN CITY – The Nueva Ecija Police Provincial office (NEPPO) along with their counterpart agencies, the religious sector, and community leaders led the launching of “KASIMBAYANAN” (Kapulisan, Simbahan at Pamayanan) for Safe, Accurate, Free/Fair National and Local Elections 2022 (SAFE NLE 2022) during the ceremonies held at the provincial police camp here on Thursday afternoon.
NEPPO top cop Col. Jess B. Mendez was joined during the launching by Commission on Elections (Comelec) provincial supervisor Atty. Fernando F. Co-tom; Lt. Col. Enrico Gil C. Ileto, Army 84th Infantry Battalion commander; election watchdog chairs of PPCRV (Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting) and NAMFREL (National Movement for Free Elections) – Rev. Fr. Aldrin B. Domingo and Catalina Jocson; Engr. Conrado P. Castro Jr., Nueva Ecija-Department of Information and Communications Technology chief, and Philippine Coast Guard officer PO3 Mark Aldrin I. Cacanandin.
Also present during the launching which was held in support of the government’s campaign for the conduct of secure and fair May 9, 2022 elections were Muslim leader Imam Ibrahim Salip; Rev. Fr. Marlou Cruz, Pastor Jose Arnie Santalecis, of Bless Our Cops Movement; Philippine Information Agency information officer Camille Nagaño, and community leaders Jomas Soriano (KKDAT), Rommel Bilog (Kaligkasan), Marconi Marcos (LGBTQ), Remedios Paredes (Women sector) and Romeo Erese Jr. (Barangay).
Highlights of the pre-election activity included the lighting of the SAFE candles and the pinning of the SAFE 2022 pins to all of the participating stakeholders.
A signing of a manifesto called “Covenant of Peace” aimed to foster community solidarity – restore trust and credibility in the electoral process to ensure the holding of safe, accurate, free, and fair elections was also held.
The event’s culminating activity showed Mendez and all the main participants each releasing a white dove into the air to symbolize peace, while the patriotic song, “Pilipinas Kong Mahal” was being played. This was preceded by a benediction performed by religious leaders for divine help, blessing, and guidance.
In his speech, Mendez described all of them gathered at the event as “game changers” who were all called to embody the highest degree of dedication, excellence, and integrity in pursuit of a safe, accurate, free, and clean 2022 elections.
“Elections remain as one of the hallmarks of our democracy. It gives equal opportunity to every Filipino to have his or her chunk or share to be a catalyst of change in the society… Therefore we should never allow or tolerate any form of political violence and malpractice in our midst,” the Nueva Ecija top cop said.
