Lt. Gen. Efren Abu, Army commanding general, urged soldiers to do this, saying the May 10 elections are "crucial to the survival of the nation."
"The votes you cast...will decide not only the future of this nation in the next six years but also of the next generations of Filipinos," Abu told officers and men of the Army’s 401st Infantry Brigade during his visit here last Thursday.
Earlier, Colonels Leopoldo Maligalig and Rogelio Rosete, commanders of the 402nd Infantry Brigade and 401st IB, respectively, also urged the soldiers to think many times over before casting their votes in the May 10 synchronized local and national elections.
The two infantry brigades have more than 3,000 men throughout the Caraga region, which has 1.2 million registered voters in over 70 municipalities and three cities in four provinces (Agusan del Sur and Norte, and Surigao del Sur and Norte).
Abu advised soldiers to choose local and national candidates who have concrete platforms of government for the economic good of every Filipino and who would protect the welfare and interests of every soldier and his family.
"Even as we have already institutionalized needed reforms and promoted professionalism among Filipino soldiers, our efforts are not enough without the support of our local and national leaders who have the hearts and minds for every Filipino soldier who has sworn to protect democracy in the real sense of the word," he said.
Abu added: "Vote for local and national candidates, including party-list groups, who uphold our democratic laws and institutions, who protect the Filipinos’ basic freedom of choice of what type of government they want and who promote individual empowerment through democratic processes."
For his part, Maj. Gen. Samuel Bagasin, commanding general of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, advised government troops to also advise their family members and relatives to vote intelligently.
Bagasin also reminded soldiers to work hand in hand with members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to ensure honest, peaceful and orderly elections.