Teachers, school administrators, and other members of the academe have a significant position in their communities and the whole Philippine society in promoting responsible voting and guarding against anti-democratic schemes that hound Philippine elections. Teachers, school administrators, and other members of the academe have a significant position in their communities and the whole Philippine society in promoting responsible voting and guarding against anti-democratic schemes that hound Philippine elections.

Educators’ Forum for Development (EFD) believes the upcoming election is an opportunity for educators to encourage critical discussion of issues so that the electorate will vote responsibly.

The education sector’s considerable influence in forming public opinion should serve the interest of the people by putting forward the people’s agenda of jobs and livelihood, decent wages, genuine agrarian reform, among others, in the electoral debate.

Responsible voting means sizing up candidates according to their track record and program of action, and inevitably on their stand on unsettled issues such as Arroyo’s legitimacy and alleged corruption, Charter Change, extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations.

Thus, it means rejecting politicians who have passed anti-people laws, have been involved in corruption cases, are brazen turncoats, and have not lifted a finger to protect the country’s sovereignty or the people’s rights. Being responsible voters also entail courage to challenge the electoral system, which has long been dominated and manipulated by the elite.

With the allegations of massive cheating in the 2004 election still unresolved and electoral reforms mere rhetoric, this year’s election is highly vulnerable to fraud, which many fear will be as massive and systematic as the previous one.

EFD thus calls on fellow educators to make every effort to fight and expose electoral fraud and violence before, during, and after the election such as illegal spending of public funds, militarization of communities and schools, intimidation and disenfranchisement of voters, irregularities during canvassing of votes, and harassments and killings that sow terror among the people.

Let us take steps to oppose a repeat of the notorious 2004 election. Let us be vigilant and denounce any form of maneuverings that will undermine the supposedly democratic process of elections.

Educators also have the moral obligation to enlighten the people on the true nature of the Philippine electoral system– that it is elitist and personality-oriented – and the Filipino masses cannot rely on elections alone but must assert and work for good governance. Social, economic, and political changes are urgently needed and the education sector has an important role in bringing about social transformation and development.

EFD upholds an education that is transformative and emancipative instead of perpetuating the existing oppressive structures in society. Educators should contribute in making this election an arena where issues are faced squarely, anomalies are uncovered fully, and the people indict the culprits.

Jennifer del Rosario-Malonzo is general secretary of the Educators’ Forum for Development.