ORGANIZERS of the “Good versus Evil” will not be endorsing candidates in the May 2010 elections, and stressed that their movement is not against specific candidates, including Gov. Gwen Garcia.

They will also not single out the “evil” personalities in local and national politics.

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Instead, they will focus on encouraging candidates to bring out what is good in them, and campaigning against everything evil in politics and elections, like vote buying, dynasties, corruption and personality-based campaigning.

The group also intends to draft the criteria and standards of what is good and evil, but they will leave it to the people to decide who among the candidates are good and who are evil.

Tessie Fernandez, executive director of Lihok Pilipina Foundation Inc., said they want the candidates to focus on relevant development agenda in their campaign, rather than attacking their opponents.

They also called on public officials, private sector and civil society to resist vote-buying, which they believe is the root cause of corruption in government.

“This is a call. We are asking everybody, both the politicians and citizens, to seek out the good in them so evil will not triumph... Let’s choose who we think should be able to orchestrate all these development we want, in the light of disasters, poverty and corruption,” Fernandez said.

They will not endorse the candidacy of certain candidates, and any candidate who wants to join their activities is welcome. The activities will include a forum with local
and national bets and voter’s education.

The Good versus Evil movement, a “non-partisan” movement of church, youth, and cause-oriented organizations, will launch their campaign this Sunday.

Policy

At least 16 non-government organizations (NGOs) are behind the movement, including the Alliance of Barangay Apas Community Associations (Abaca), whose members
are vocal against the governor’s policy on the use of the Province-owned lots they are occupying.

But Abaca president Ma. Linda Paracuelles said their participation should not be misconstrued as a campaign against Gov. Garcia.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean we are campaigning against her because we will all have our own choices. Wala man ta nag-label kinsa ang good ug kinsa ang evil, dili lang mi mo-judge. Maybe she’s here to protect the Province’s interest, we’re also here to protect ours,” she told a press conference yesterday.

Francisco Fernandez of Pagtambayayong Foundation said their voter’s education will include pointers on what is good and what is evil.

“We would like to develop a criteria on that. But it’s up to the people to judge who are good and evil. We won’t say who is good or bad, we will leave that to the
conscience of the people,” he said.