VOTE PEACE 2010 POST-ELECTION ASSESSMENT, PUBLIC REPORT AND RECOGNITION CEREMONY

JULY 1 – 2, 2010

“The 2010 Election was peaceful relative to previous election exercises” this was according to Mr. Patrick Patiño, project coordinator for Vote Peace, when he stated the VP’s initial assessment of the May 2010 election at VP 2010’s Post-Election Assessment, Public Report and Recognition Ceremony held at Imperial Palace Suites, Quezon City on July 1-2, 2010. In the activity, the VP presented a statistics that the number of Election Related Violence and Incidents which showed that it has significantly decrease compared to previous elections. Credits are given the local partners who move and conduct peace initiatives and movements in their areas, areas where election violence usually occur every election period or what is called election hot spots.

The activity also covered the reports from local partners where most of the participants stated that the movement for peaceful election was successful. Collaborating with other local organizations within their respective areas, implementing voters education and posting challenge of peace with local candidates; this were some of the ways of implementing peace agenda that the participants reported in the activity. Although the election was relatively peaceful, there were participants that storied that there are many hindrances and obstacles to a peaceful election where some reported that the local politicians or candidates won’t participate or worst, they will be the one to post threat to the initiative.

On July 2, 2010, there were known officials who attended the recognition day, they where P/Supt. Josefino Cataluna (representative of PNP chief Versosa, Commissioner Rene Sarmiento, the recently elected Gov. Ismael Mangudadatu and many more from the police and religious sector. There were some from NGOs, embassies, funders and media who attended the second day of the activity. Each of the personalities stated there speeches and in highlight, Commissioner Sarmiento stated in his speech “that although even with extreme efforts for peaceful conduct of the election, violence still persist as evident with the kidnapping of the son of commissioner Yusof”. This posted a higher challenge to peace makers to put more effort to a less-violent election. Following Comm. Rene’s speech, recognition rites were given to VP’s Peacemakers where a total of thirteen awards were given. After the awarding, a workshop was conducted to tell lessons from experiences and to have recommendations for future and on-going movement for peace.

Back on July 1, CER-Chairperson Ramon C. Casiple posted a challenge confronting the new administration of Pres. Aquino which responses from the issue of Partisan Armed Group which was raised by participants from Luzon. He also highlighted that it is crucial for organized groups such as Vote Peace to be more sensitive in crafting programs in areas of peace and governance.