The election bid of Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan for president and vice-president, respectively, got a major boost with the endorsement from lay and religious representatives of the Vincentian Family in the Philippines.
In a statement, the Vincentian Family in the Philippines declared their full support for the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem, saying the pair have consistently shown that they are on the side of the poor.
"As members of the Vincentian Family, inspired by the example of St. Vincent de Paul, who dedicated his life to uplift the poor in his time, we have chosen to back the candidates who have consistently shown that they are on the side of the poor and the marginalized, and have lived by Christian ideals and Vincentian convictions," the statement read.
It said it has examined the candidates and found the tandem exhibiting the qualities it believes leaders must possess: competence, character, compassion, commitment, respect for life and human dignity, and empowerment of the poor and vulnerable sectors of the society.
The religious congregation urged its members to discern the candidates well, saying the May 2022 elections will be "most crucial because they will determine our political leadership in the next six years."
"We cannot afford to wait for another six years because the poor, the vulnerable, and those in the fringes of society will continue to suffer even more," the Vincentian Family said.
"We enjoin our members, mission partners, collaborators, and the poor themselves to discern well and choose candidates who will genuinely work for the marginalized. Furthermore, we urge everyone to pray for peaceful and honest elections and to work for the common good afterward," it added.
The Vincentian Family is made up of religious congregations and associations that were either founded by St. Vincent de Paul and/or that follow the Vincentian Spirituality and Charism of service to the poor.
At present, there are more than 250 congregations and associations that live out the Vincentian Charism in more than 90 countries spread in all the continents.
Pangilinan has expressed gratitude for the support and vowed to pursue his advocacy for honest and efficient governance, quality and affordable food for every family, and decent jobs for Filipinos.
"Umaasa tayo na pakikinggan ng ating mga kababayan ang gabay ng mga religious congregation gaya ng Vincentian Family bilang konsensya ng bayan," Pangilinan said.
This was not the first time the Vincentian Family expressed its support to Vice President Robredo. In October last year, Catholic-Vincentian educational institution Adamson University lit the facade of its iconic SV Building pink in support of Robredo's presidential bid.
"Para sa bayan, sa katotohanan, sa Pilipino (For the country, the truth, and the Filipino)," the Adamson University captioned its video of the pink-lit building along San Marcelino Street.
In another Facebook post, Adamson University said that Robredo has shown resistance to corruption, disdain for injustice, and an untainted love for the poor reflected by her wholehearted service.
"We have had strongmen and political dynasties lead our nation. It’s time we don’t settle for less. Let us choose genuine servant-leadership," it said.
In response, Robredo shared the University’s Facebook post and said she was "truly humbled by this" with the sentence accompanied by three praying hands emojis.
Vice President Robredo is a Vincentian in her own right, being an alumna of Universidad de Santa Isabel, Daughters of Charity’s school.