With the election season beginning to heat up, a top Catholic official urged the electorate to study the track record and platform of candidates.
Cardinal Jose Advincula, the archbishop of Manila, said that voters must look at the integrity before choosing candidates to support in the May 2022 elections.
“We pray that there will be a deep assessment of the programs and platforms of every candidate, as well as their track records,” Advincula said in Radio Veritas.
One thing to do, according to him, is to form “circles of discernment” among lay people to guide them in their choice of political candidates.
He said it is imperative for voters to deeply discern as a community on the characteristics and track record of each candidate.
“It is our call for the people to create their ‘circles of discernment’ so that we can hear and follow the will of God,” Advincula said.
The cardinal also encouraged voters to consider the position of candidates regarding respect for human dignity, common good, social justice, and societal charity.
“We hope that these will be the prevailing considerations of the people in choosing our next leaders,” he said.