Former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday reminded voters to do their research on candidates running for office in 2022, calling on them to make “very sober” choices at the polls instead of deciding based on emotions.
“Kapag sinabi ng kandidato, ’Ito ang gagawin ko,’ i-research niyo kung may kakayahan ba, may track record, dati ba niyang may pag-asang ginawa at hindi niya ginawa,” Cayetano said in a live video posted on his Facebook page on November 30, 2021.
“Napakarami po nating paraan to come up with a very sober and, if I can use the word, holy decision. Ibig sabihin, we will not be ashamed kapag humarap sa Panginoon, hindi y’ung bugso ng ating damdamin or galit lang sa kabilang side ang namayani,” he added.
(When candidates promise to do certain things, do your research and see if they’re capable of delivering, if they have the track record to back it up, if they made campaign promises they didn’t keep. There are many ways to come up with a very sober and, if I can use the word, holy decision, meaning we will not be ashamed to face the Lord, and we didn’t let our anger or resentment of the other side rule our thoughts.)
The former House Speaker acknowledged that the 2022 elections are bound to be divisive but said voters must be ready to listen to competing views and to stick to the facts.
“I know that it’s a very contentious election, and most people already like at least one candidate, but I think an open mind, listening to facts, and researching will keep the discourse high,” he said.
“Karamihan kasi ng nandyan, assertion e, pero sabi na natin, facts lang dapat e `di ba. So ang napakaimportante po, nandyan naman lahat ng tools ng pagre-research, gawin po natin y’un,” the lawmaker added.
(Most of what we hear is mere assertion, but like we’ve said before, let’s stick to the facts. So the most important thing really, since the tools for research are there, is to do due diligence.)
Cayetano said he has been asking God to make it clear to all Filipinos the direction He wants the country to move towards amid another withdrawal of candidacy by a presidential aspirant and widespread anxiety around the Omicron strain of COVID-19 triggering new lockdown orders around the world.
“Ako earnestly asking God, ‘Ano’ng gusto mo sa ating bansa, ano Lord ang tinuturo mo sa ‘min ngayon? Lord, y’ung mga pagkakasala ng lipunan, namin bilang mga tao, indibidwal, mga Pilipino, patawarin Niyo. Lord, huwag Niyo po kaming parusahan ngayong 2022, bagkus bigyan Niyo po kami ng bagong pag-asa,’” Cayetano said.
(I’m earnestly asking God, what do You want for our country, what are You teaching us right now? Lord, the shortcomings of society, us collectively and as individuals, as Filipinos, we ask You to forgive us. Lord, do not punish us in 2022, but instead renew our hopes.)
The former House Speaker made the comments prior to Tuesday’s episode of Sari-saring Pag-asa streamed on his Facebook page. Around 50 small business owners from Paluan, Occidental Mindoro and Baguio City received P3,500 each on November 30.
Sari-saring Pag-asa is one of two signature direct cash aid programs spearheaded by Cayetano and his allies in Congress. The program provides small capital grants of P3,500 to sari-sari stores affected by the pandemic, and has reached 7,119 beneficiaries nationwide as of this November 30.
