Father Soc calls for moral politics post-election
IN the wake of the recently concluded midterm elections, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas released a message calling for vigilance, accountability, and the pursuit of moral politics beyond the ballot box.
“The people have spoken,” the archbishop wrote in a Facebook post on May 13, entitled Lessons From The Elections, acknowledging both the joy of those who emerged victorious and the understandable disappointment of those who did not. But beyond the celebration and sorrow, he urged the public to reflect on the deeper lessons of the electoral process — lessons that go beyond winning and losing.
He pointed out that the electoral process “was not a perfect discourse,” citing how it was marred by money, blood, lies, and vulgarity.
At the same time, he highlighted how the results indicate a maturing electorate, saying, “We have leveled up a bit, but the mountain peak is still far from sight.”
The archbishop emphasized that civic responsibility does not end at the polls as he urged the electorate to remain watchful, ensuring that elected officials are held accountable, campaign spending is not reimbursed through public funds, and public service improves in quality and ethics.
“Good citizenry is not just about elections and ballots,” he reminded the faithful. “In between elections, our duty is vigilance,” he said.
In a striking call for long-term transformation, Villegas envisioned the emergence of a “new breed of heroes and saints in politics” coming from the youth.
Recognizing that real change will span multiple election cycles, he stressed that clean, ethical governance is a continuous, shared responsibility between the governed and those in power. (Eva Visperas)
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