But says there will be no bloc vote

MANILA, Philippines -- The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) will use next year’s elections to bolster its stance against the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill.

In a report from the CBCP News, CBCP secretary general Msgr. Joselito Asis said the CBCP will be more aggressive in influencing its faithful to vote only for “pro-life” candidates.

He said the members of the CBCP will issue pastoral letters endorsing the candidates, specifically those seeking Congressional seats. These are on top of the issuance of a catechesis on elections, which will serve as a checklist for voters in assessing the moral ascendancy of candidates to handle government posts.

In the past, the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Family and Life only issued guidelines on who to vote for.

“But now, we will already identify the pro-life candidates and convince voters against electing the anti-life ones,” he said.

He noted, however, there is no need for a solid bloc voting.

“What’s important is that Church has influence over its faithful. Whether or not the voters heed the Church’s advice, it’s up to them. All we’re asking is for them to stand firm in their pro-life convictions in choosing who to vote in the elections,” he said.

‘Anti-God person in Congress’

Asis also urged the youth to choose well their candidates, noting a pro-RH Bill and anti-God was elected as their representative in Congress.

“Considering that the youth constitutes the majority of the voting population, we appeal to them to listen to us their elders because in order to make a right decision on who to vote, they should take it from the elders’ wisdom and maturity,” he said.

Jectoffer So of the Filipino-Chinese Catholic Youth agreed, noting his group will already gather the profiles of candidates and discuss the position of each candidate for every issue that affects the youth and their morality.

“We will conduct voters’ education of our own in our respective organizations. We will not dictate who they are going to vote for in the coming elections but we will educate them of the consequences if they elect candidates who do not respect life,” he said.