By Nanette Guadalquiver/Philippine News Agency
A Catholic church-led multi-sectoral movement aiming to educate and engage Negrense voters in dialogues ahead of the May 2022 elections was launched in a gathering held at the lobby of the Diocese of Bacolod Bishop’s House here Friday.
Called the GuBan or Gugma Banwa, the non-partisan and multi-sectoral movement seeks to “empower the youth through voters’ education and to encourage participation in democratic processes before, during, and beyond elections.”
In Hiligaynon, the word gugma means love while banwa refers to one’s community, city, or town. The term “guban” translates to coming together.
Bishop Patricio Buzon commended the group of Negrense youths for initiating the formation of the movement.
“Congratulations to our young people primarily. GuBan is their initiative, their brainchild. They came to the church for help to give birth to this, but it’s really them who conceptualized and envisioned this. And this is a great, great project, very relevant and necessary,” Buzon said.
“This is a great service to the nation. We are faced with a great event and it’s going to be a life-changing event for all of us. Who will be elected will greatly affect our lives.”
He noted that leaders should be “competent, sincere, and who think of the common good.”
Rev. Fr. Chris Gonzales, director of the Diocese’s Social Action Center, said showing love towards the community and the country starts with one’s participation in the elections that should be “honest, credible, peaceful, and accountable.”
“We have only one objective. How to express our love towards our community and our country. We are here now to launch this non-partisan movement,” Gonzales said.
He said they plan to initiate dialogues with various sectors as part of the activities.
“We will have the ‘Istorya Balota’, where we will share stories and insights. We will listen to each other, and let the people decide. We are not here to impose, rather we are here to listen,” he added.
Rev. Fr. Louan Torrefranco of the Commission on Youth said the majority of the thousands of young people in the diocese are voters.
“We are part of the GuBan because we are motivated by our love for our country. We, the young people, are the major stockholders of the Philippines. Above all, we are here (to fulfill) our moral duty as Christian youth,” Torrefranco said.
They were joined by Josh Eusebio of the civil society sector and Jeniffer Tingson of the academe during the launch. (PNA)-rir
