PPCRV: 3 more clean elections needed to shake off bad poll habits

At least three more "clean" and quick elections like the recently concluded May 10 polls may be needed to overhaul Filipinos' bad election habits, a Church-based poll watchdog group said Tuesday. The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) said this year's elections were a good start, with losing bets quickly conceding defeat instead of claiming they were cheated. "Siguro tatlo pang eleksyon na malinis, ang di magandang ugali mapapalitan ng mas maganda, (lalo na) ang ugali na walang natatalo puro nadadaya (We may need three more clean elections as in the May 10 polls to remove the bad habits of Filipino politicians, especially of not admitting defeat and claiming they were cheated)," PPCRV Chairwoman Henrietta de Villa said in an interview on dzRH radio. The country will hold its next three national elections in 2013, 2016, and 2019. Of these, only the 2016 polls will include elections for president and vice president. De Villa said she was heartened over the initial changes in politicians' habits in the May 10 election, particularly where losing bets conceded quickly. She credited the speed of the automated election system for the change in culture. "Mataas ang ating pagtingin sa nag-concede agad. Nakita nila what's the use, at dagdag sa tensyon, at ang goodwill nawawala (We look up to those who conceded defeat. They saw the futility of protesting the results without sufficient basis, as well as the tension and loss of goodwill in pursuing such actions)," she said. On the other hand, Catholic Church officials had lauded Filipinos who withstood the heat and long lines to cast their votes in the May 10 elections. Earlier, Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales said those behind the automation "did a good job." But Rosales said people should take another step forward and pray that the country's new leaders would work for an “honest desire for a better Philippines." He also called on the country’s newly elected leaders to fulfill their election promises. — LBG, GMANews.TV