The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) on Monday, Feb. 14, said it needs around half a million volunteers to help the election watchdog guard the polls.
During a television interview, PPCRV Chairperson Myla Villanueva said the election watchdog needs more volunteers for the May 2022 elections.
“We're hoping for a half a million volunteers and we encourage everyone to, you know, especially if you're tired of the politics,” she said.
Villanueva said that PPCRV currently has about 300,000 volunteers, adding that such number of volunteers is not enough.
Individuals who want to apply as PPCRV volunteers must coordinate with their local parishes, the PPCRV chairperson said.
“There are coordinators who can help you find the role that is very meaningful. I was once a young volunteer myself and it really changes your life and the way you look at our democracy,” she said.
Volunteers of the PPCVR, according to her, undergo vetting through their respective parishes.
“You know, we are again a national, political but non-partisan lay movement. So I mentioned the word non-partisan: our PPCRV volunteer can never campaign for anyone. So to keep our credibility,” she said.
For those who want to volunteer, the PPCRV chairperson said they must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and must be 18 years old and above.
Villanueva said volunteers are not just being deployed at polling centers, saying volunteers of PPCRV “are helping by cooking food, by serving water or generally just giving resources to our volunteers that are in the poll center.”
Based on her experience as a volunteer, Villanueva shared that being a volunteer of the PPCRV was "very difficult.”
“You kind of become inoculated against vote-buying at the very least. We hope that is what changes your mindset. Because you see how difficult it is to guard a ballot, from end to end, watch everything in order that our voices can be heard. And once you experience that it's very meaningful. It's actually a lot of fun also for our young viewers,” she continued.
“You know, friends come together to help at the voter's assistance desk. You really see and you feel that energy of the election.”