MANILA, Philippines — With only two months to go before the midterm polls, the Church-based election watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) is hoping to gather at least 300,000 volunteers to man polling precincts on May 13.
Last March 1, PPCRV board member Arwin Serrano said they officially called for volunteers who would have to undergo training in preparation for the midterm polls.
Serrano said yesterday they are targeting between 300,000 and 500,000 volunteers nationwide.
He explained that the numbers are lower compared to the 800,000 volunteers they mobilized in previous elections because there are fewer precinct centers needing pollwatchers.
According to Serrano, there were about 93,000 polling precincts that needed monitoring in the past, but for this year’s elections, there would be only around 85,000.
To become a PPCRV volunteer assigned as a poll watcher, the requirements are: to be at least 18 years old, able to read and write, not related to any serving Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) up to the fourth degree of consanguinity; and not related to any candidate in a particular city.
But Serrano said they have volunteer positions available for other age groups. Some, with age between 14 and 17, could work as “runners” who would bring food to the volunteers stationed at the polling precincts while a family, comprised of parents and even with younger children, could man the voter’s assistance desks at the polling areas, he noted.
Serrano expressed belief that even if more of today’s youth are vocal about their opinions about political developments in the country, they could stay neutral and perform duties and responsibilities as PPCRV volunteers.
Serrano added that at PPCRV they would not prevent a volunteer from having political views but there would be limitations.
“We would not prevent them from supporting a candidate, they just cannot do it openly. They could discuss it with their family members but they could not join political rallies for candidates or distribute flyers of the candidates or be on the stage to introduce the candidates,” the PPCRV official explained.
He also said that becoming a PPCRV volunteer would be a good way to observe the Catholic Church’s Year of the Youth, which is in preparation for the 500th year of Christianity’s arrival in the country in 2021.