With the May 14 elections just under a week away, it is our duty as Filipinos to examine the platform and the quality of leaders that we are about to elect. Few weeks ago, I was thinking that I won’t be able to complete my list of 12 senators. With the personalities of the majority of those running for the Senate, it’s hard to choose. Our politics are ruled with candidates whose integrity, competence and intentions are questionable. Then an officemate forwarded an email about a relatively unknown party called ‘Ang Kapatiran’.

“Ang Kapatiran, or the Alliance of the Common Good is a national political party founded on the ideology of the common good based on 10 ethical principles:

Belief in God

Respect for life and human dignity

Strengthening of the family

Community participation

Basic rights and responsibilities

Preferential option for the poor and the vulnerable

Dignity of work and rights of workers

Care for nature as God’s creation

Peace and active nonviolence

Solidarity

and commitment to the common good.”

They have three senate candidates under their party, they are:

ZOSIMO JESUS M. PAREDES II

     Former Executive Director of the Presidential Commission on the VFA, Professional Soldier, Lawyer, Civil Servant, Teacher

ADRIAN O. SISON

     Lawyer, Teacher, Writer, Radio Broadcaster

MARTIN DONATO BAUTISTA

     Medical Doctor (Gastroenterologist), Former Overseas Worker

I haven’t finalized my senatorial list yet but I will definitely be considering these three. The party is doing away with the money politics and that makes the intentions of these candidates clearer. These people may not win the elections but I would rather vote for them rather than winnable but undeserving candidates. But there is hope, with the CBCP and El Shaddai endorsing all three Kapatiran candidates, winning is not impossible.

Ang Kapatiran Website

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Inquirer.net has this Eleksyon 2007 Podcasts wherein senatorial candidates were interviewed regarding their platforms. This can help us in choosing our senators. Let’s do our part to make Philippines a better country.