ADZU convenes different sectors for UF HOPE

AdZU convenes different sectors for UF HOPE

The Ateneo de Zamboanga University through Ateneo Center for Leadership and Governance and in partnership with the Social Development Unit, convened different sectors as members of the United Front for Honest, Orderly, and Peaceful Election (UF HOPE) held at LRC Conference Room on March 4, 2013.

The event was participated and represented by different sectors coming from the academe ADZU (Social Development Units, Campus Ministry, Colleges and High School Department, among others) and from Western Mindanao State University; security sector composed of the WESMINCOM, and Philippine National Police; different civil society organizations such as National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, Legal Network for Truthful Elections(LENTE), Peace Advocates Zamboanga, among others; and from the Commission on Election.

During the program, Fr. Albert E. Alejo, SJ, Assistant to the President for Social Development, who gave the opening remarks, discussed the leadership crisis in the region and emphasized on the proper and early preparation for election. He urged the group of their significant responsibilities on monitoring during the course of the election.

He shared a story on vote buying that is rampant in most of the communities. He believes that each of us has a role to help make the election as honest, orderly, peaceful, and credible.

On the other hand, Maria Teresa G. Fabugais, Director of ACLG, spearheaded the forum. She discussed on the rationale and agenda of convening the UF HOPE. She hopes that the endeavor would be sustained and not limited during the election period only.

She compared the role of the different sectors to that of the media as election watchdog since the network is powerful and influential in the promotion of good governance. She added that, it served as an avenue to initiate active citizenship to the public.

The event was also an opportunity for the network to settle a point of convergence in terms of their roles during the election. Through collaboration and coordination by the groups, duplication of work would be minimized. Overall, the network hopes to collectively contribute to their attainment of honest, orderly, and peaceful elections in the entire Mindanao.

UF HOPE is a non-partisan multi-sectoral network that started last 2010 as an election watchdog. It was a brainchild of former Major Gen. Raymundo Ferrer (Western Mindanao Command). And in this year’s election, ADZU was tapped as the official lead convenor of the network. The ceremonial turnover and covenant signing will be held on March 7 2013 at the WESMINCOM headquarters, Upper Calarian, Zamboanga City.