On the morality issue in politics
from the Primer on Christian Faith and Philippine Politics
Published by the September 8 Movement

What general faith-based criteria should we as Catholic Christians employ in choosing which candidates for public office to vote for or otherwise support? We should vote for or support a person who:

is honest and of proven integrity

is competent for the position concerned

has adequate knowledge of the problems of Philippine society and of his or her constituency

has a good record of service in government, in democratic people's organizations (POs) or in nongovernmental service organizations (NGOs)

has adequate knowledge of Catholic Christian social ethics or its equivalent

has a realistic yet morally acceptable program of government and party strategy and tactics

leads a morally upright private life

Between two honest and competent candidates, we should vote for the candidate who has a better private life. We should not vote for or support a person:

who is corrupt

who is incompetent for the public office he or she is seeking

only because he or she is your relative or friend or comes from the same region or province

only because he or she has done you a favor or will do you a favor

only because he or she is physically attractive or is well-known actor/actress, singer, athlete or the like

When we use criteria like the above, we are practicing and promoting authentic politics; that is, political activity directed to what the aim of politics should be, which is the common good.