Bishops: Choose reliable leaders

UNDERSCORING the need for institutional change to effect good governance in the country, the head of the Catholic hierarchy urged the people to exercise their right of suffrage intelligently in the coming elections.

President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines and Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar, in a New Year’s message said, the upcoming 2010 election is an opportunity for Filipinos “to put into office reliable leaders who would guide our nation in the coming years.”

“2010 in our political life is an election year; people through the exercise of their right of suffrage, will effect a power shift in the executive and legislative branches of our civil government,” Odchimar said.

“We must retain what is good, promote what still needs improvement and discard what is base and corrupt,” he stressed.

But the prelate admitted that patronage politics are still the call of the day with many electorates still beholden to politicians who dole out money and favors in exchange for their votes.

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