The Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC), held a thanksgiving prayer for the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for their significant role in having a credible national elections.

Held at the Greenhills Christian Fellowship main office in Ortigas, Pasig City on May 13, the gathering served as thanksgiving to God for answering the prayers of having a generally Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections (H.O.P.E.). Bishops, pastors and leaders of different evangelical churches and organizations graced the event.
PNP Chief Director General Jesus Verzosa came to personally thank PCEC for guidance and support during the elections. In his impromptu comment, he expressed appreciation to the guidance and moral support provided by religious leaders in their aspiration to have HOPE.

For his part, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Delfin Bangit sent different commanders in the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy, and Philippine Air Force to represent him in the prayer rally.
In turn, the leadership of PCEC prayed for the police and military officers, as they continue the task of being the in forefront of maintaining peace and order in the country.

Prior to the elections, Bishop Tendero and other religious leaders spent time with Gen. Bangit and Gen. Verzosa, giving them guidance and encouragement in the aspiration to have HOPE. The police and military have received affirmation and encouragement from the counsel and prayers provided by other religious leaders like Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Nueva Vizcaya Bishop Ramon B. Villena and Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal. Bishop also had prayer and encouragement with Gen. Verzosa and the key officials of Camp Crame at dawn of election day.
In the same gathering, Bishop Tendero presented the PCEC statement on re-building the nation (see PCEC Statements).

PCEC, as a network of 30,000 local churches nationwide, did not endorse any political candidate but actively participated through voters’ education and poll-watching. Many of their staff and constituents served as volunteers with Namfrel Bantay ng Bayan and with OneVote Movement.

More than 10,000 Filipino voters attended the pre-election presidential forum on April 26 at the Araneta Coliseum, and simultaneously in 16 other cities in the country. This was organized by the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) with Christ’s Commission Fellowship (CCF) as a major partner, also in cooperation with Far Eastern Broadcasting Company (FEBC), News5 and VoteNET, a coalition of non-partisan evangelical organizations committed to voter education.

Titled “Puso sa Puso: A Night of Prayer for H.O.P.E. (Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections),” the forum was broadcast live on radio via DZAS 702 to the 16 other satellite gatherings. CCF founder and senior pastor Rev. Peter Tanchi served as the main speaker, while FEBC President Dan Andrew Cura and DZAS Broadcaster Maloi Salumbides were the program’s hosts.

All nine presidential candidates were invited, but among those who came were Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, Councilor JC Delos Reyes, Sen. Richard J. Gordon, Sen. Jamby Madrigal, Nicanor Perlas, Bro. Eddie Villanueva, and Sen. Manny Villar. They were set on a one-on-one interview one at a time, answering a uniform set of questions that focuses on their motives, strength of character, and how they will address graft and corruption.

Aside from telling what is in their hearts, they were also asked to sign a covenant indicating that when elected, they will seek the best interest of the Filipino people, fight graft and corruption, and promote integrity and righteousness. They were also covenanted not to resort to any form of cheating and respect the results of the coming election.

“Puso sa Puso” concluded with the evangelical community praying for the COMELEC, the military, the police, the teachers and the voters, with a profound desire to have honest, orderly and peaceful elections.

PCEC National Director Bishop Efraim Tendero at that time clarified that as a council, they are not endorsing any candidate, but they are very much involved in voters’ education, and they affirm that mature electorate produces good governance. He said that in Romans 13, “every authority is instituted by God, and in a democratic country as the Philippines, such choice of leaders is delegated by God through the ballot, making elections a Christian duty and a sacred trust.”

He also said that voters should be careful to elect people based on character, competency and track record, since government officials are God’s ministers in governance to promote good and restrain evil.