PPCRV admits shortage of volunteers

MANILA, Philippines - The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) yesterday admitted that they are having difficulty in finding volunteers for Monday’s barangay elections as many of their poll watchers are candidates or have relatives who are running for posts.

“Almost everyone is running (for a barangay post). If they (PPCRV volunteers) are not running, they have a relative who is running and that is not allowed (in the PPCRV) because they should be non-partisan,” said PPCRV chairperson and former ambassador to the Vatican Henrietta de Villa.

In 2010, the Church-based poll watchdog had about 650,000 volunteers. But for the coming barangay elections, it only has about 100,000 volunteers.

De Villa said the PPCRV might only be able to deploy two poll watchers per precinct on Monday.

To make sure that all polling precincts will have a PPCRV volunteer, they will work double time and check on other polling areas with no assigned volunteers.

The shortage of PPCRV volunteers reportedly prompted the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to accredit the One Vote Movement as its citizen’s arm in the barangay elections.

De Villa said the PPCRV is already coordinating with One Vote Movement and is in constant communication with the Philippine National Police, especially in areas identified as election hotspots.

She also advised the volunteers to protect themselves during Election Day.

“They should try their best but do not put themselves in harm’s way. It is not worth it... If the situation becomes too rowdy, they should withdraw because it is not worth it if they get killed,” De Villa said.