By Alithea De Jesus

With the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announcing the resumption of voters registration on September 1, 2020, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and the Rotary Club of Makati (RCM) launched a partnership to promote voter registration and education for the 2022 National and Local Elections.

Held last September 1, the MOA signing and launching coincided with the resumption of the voter registration campaign of the Comelec.

The Rotary Club of Makati was represented by Atty. Peter Manzano and Atty. Luis Angel G. Aseoche, President and President-Elect, respectively. They reiterate their commitment to implement activities that promote humanitarian service and goodwill and support PPCRV’s campaign for Clean, Honest, Accurate, Meaningful, and Peaceful Elections.

From left, PPCRV Trustee, Dr. Arwin Serrano and RCM Officers Atty. Peter Manzano, Atty. Luis Angel G. Aseoche, and Atty. Howie Calleja at the MoA Signing on September 1, 2020, with Comelec Director James Jimenez, PPCRV Trustees Dr. William Yu, Bro. Johnny Cardenas and ED Isabel Buenaobra joining online

In the media advisory of the Rotary Club Makati sent to THEPHILBIZNEWS, Atty. Peter Manzano said, “We are really thankful that we are given this opportunity to partner with the PPCRV. One of those things which are given instructions by Rotary International is to come up with projects with a great impact on society. So, what’s a better project than to be involved in this. The entire Philippines has 27K Rotarians. Our district governor is very excited about this so will be working with our other classmates on this and hopefully expand it to all the other nine (9) districts in the Philippines. In implementing the 3 stages of voters’ registration, voters’ education and poll watching, we will be working hand in hand and will see to it that our youth will not only register but will also vote, watch and protect their votes.”

Meanwhile, Atty. Howie Calleja said, “Education and awareness is the key would help a lot of our voters, both new and the previous voters. Hence, this initiative taken by Rotary Club of Makati and Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting would be able to realize the objectives of having Clean, Honest, Accurate, Meaningful, and Peaceful Elections.”

  PPCRV Chair Myla C. Villanueva signs RCM-PPCRV MoA online

On PPCRV’s part, Ms. Myla C. Villanueva, PPCRV Chair, extended her gratitude to the Rotary Club of Makati for this much needed and timely partnership.

“We need all the help we can get for the 2022 Presidential Election. It’s a big endeavor and we welcome the opportunity to partner as early as today. It’s very prescient that we’re signing this Memorandum of Agreement on the 1^st day of the resumption of voter registration. I think our friend James is very busy today monitoring the activities around September 1 in the resumption of our registration. And as I understand it, a big group of our citizens is taking advantage of the reopening of registration. It is our hope that with this initiative, we can reach a greater number of people especially the youth and first-time voters. I look forward to many more endeavors, registration being the first but we have 2 years to work together on voter education and of course the all-important, volunteerism of our Rotarians and the general public to ensure that we have peaceful, accurate and meaningful elections.

At the launch, Comelec Director James Jimenez congratulated the Rotary Club of Makati for entering into this partnership and said that it is a very welcome development. He said, “We are well on our way to preparing for the 2022 elections and this is exactly the right time to enter into a partnership like this. The work of voter education starts with voters’ registration obviously and it’s a long-term undertaking. The partnership will amplify each other’s effort and certainly, the Rotary Club of Makati will be able to bring a lot of resources into this undertaking. Congratulations also to PPCRV for forging this alliance and I know that this would not be the last partnership that you will forge and that would be many more. We in the Comelec are looking forward to working with all of you, both as individual association and organization and as the coalition that as you are performing.”