Caritas official asks Filipinos: Do not vote for political dynasties #BotoNgKabataan2025

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THE one request of the vice chairman of Caritas Philippines, San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of Negros Occidental, is for Filipinos to not vote for political dynasties this coming election.

While speaking on Radio Veritas, Alminaza explained that from October 1 to 8, people would be filing their Certificate of Candidacy (COC) to be a part of the ballots for the 2025 elections. During this time, it is important to look at which candidates come from political families.

He urged people to look for political dynasties, as well as to file disqualification cases for those proven to be part of said dynasties.

In this interview, he also stated: “I encourage Filipinos who are capable of coming out for the good of our country and to the voters, let’s support those we know who are really worthy to serve the nation. Let’s help them.”

About Caritas and ANIM

On their website, Caritas explains that they are the humanitarian, development, and advocacy arm of the Catholic Church of the Philippines.

Caritas was originally created by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) back in 1966 with the purpose of helping poor and marginalized Filipinos achieve social justice and transformation.

It was recently announced as well that Caritas Philippines was one of the convenors of the Alyansa ng Nagkakaisang Mamamayan (ANIM), a coalition made up of the religious sector, military and uniformed personnel, business professionals, youth, women, and civil society organizations.

As per Caritas’s website, the people have joined together in this coalition to address the systemic issues found within the country, with some being poverty and injustice.

In the launch of this campaign last August 23rd, the president of Caritas Philippines Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo spoke up on the need for an anti-dynasty law as well as a need to combat the corruption that’s currently running rampant within the country.

“Caritas Philippines stands in solidarity with ANIM and all those calling for an end to the pervasive corruption and political dynasties that have long plagued our beloved country,” he said during the campaign launch.

“Stop corruption! This is not just a slogan; it is a moral and urgent plea for justice.”

He also added that political dynasties were at the heart of much of the corruption seen in the Philippines today and that it is currently one of the biggest obstacles toward local economic development.

During this event, Alminaza also said: “The solution is not with one sector but with all of us, standing together. ANIM represents the power of ‘we’—a collective force that can bring about lasting change for the Philippines.”

Gaby Agbulos

Gaby Agbulos wants nothing more than to become a writer -- to be able to tell stories unheard of by the masses. She is currently majoring in Communication at the University of Santo Tomas, and after college, hopes to make an impact with the stories she writes, be it big or small.