Monday, April 09, 2007 Muslim leaders, voters attend governance, election forum By Bong Garcia
ANAK Mindanao (Amin) Party-list Rep. Mujiv Hataman on Sunday advised hundreds of Muslim leaders and electorates to vote wisely and to choose the right leaders to for the next three years.
Hataman told the participants of the “Advocacy for Good Governance” forum organized by the Action for Reformation and Advocacy for Better Initiatives Movement that it is important to exercise their right of suffrage wisely since they can only participate in helping shape the future of the country and their respective locality every three years.
The forum was also organized with the purpose of making it as a voters’ education forum to inform the public of the city’s two districts and how to spot qualified candidates, said Boy Arabi, lead convenor and the Movement’s chairman.
The author of the bill that created the two districts of Zamboanga City in Congress, then Rep. Celso Lobregat, incumbent city mayor, was there to explain himself the changes created by the two congressional districts.
Some 500 people coming from the different organizations, like the Muslim Royal Brotherhood (MRB), Zamboanga Used Shoes Vendors Association (ZUSVA), fraternity members, and urban poor groups attended the forum that was held at the covered court of Don Gregorio Evangelista Memorial School in Barangay Sta. Catalina.
Hataman advised the participants, who are registered voters from the first and second districts, to receive cash and goods that some candidates distribute during the campaign period, but must “vote according to your conscience.”
“Do not vote a candidate in exchange for money, rice and canned goods or because of popularity. What we need are leaders who can help uplift our plight and lead us and that of our offspring to have a better future,” Hataman said.
“It will be us and our offspring who will suffer if we sell our votes. Do not sell it, use it wisely come May 14 elections,” he added.
Arabi said he organized the forum so people will be enlightened about the importance of the coming elections.
Arabi said the election is not just about voting, but an exercise that people should participate to choose leaders wisely if their efforts are geared towards nation building.
“In elections, you choose people who can serve the community, and not those who wanted to be served instead,” he said.
The afternoon session of the whole day activity was dedicated to orientation about livelihood programs and organizational standards of non-government organization, peoples’ organizations and civic groups.
