The wheel of colors

It may seem bizarre, but colors have been heavily associated with this year's election, and even in the past. Whether it's red, green, yellow, or pink, for example. The strong link of colors with who we support and vote for is important to us. And we separate ourselves from others with various colors.

In this color association scheme, as if we're charting the future of our country with specific hues. There was a time when red ruled and led the country for years, as well as yellow for specific regimes. And it's no surprise that people who supported other colors throughout the election began to affiliate themselves with the winning hue afterward.

Color, on the other hand, is simply utilized to associate certain groups, views, and objectives. It must not be exclusive, preventing others from achieving unity following the election. After all, as we go forward to unifying colors and aspirations, it must only be a transitory union.

Apart from color, we cannot be blinded by a type of theological hierarchy that is based on popularity or dictates of specific religious beliefs. Although we admire those that implicitly recommend candidates by releasing criteria and candidate traits and then leaving the decision to their followers. However, when others direct mention of candidate names and insult opponents, it undermines our ability to determine who deserves our sacred vote.

Consider when a religious denomination endorses a candidate to their other believers, and the latter accepts with the belief that they are one with their leaders, which is characterized as blind following.

The church, or any religious group, must stay nonpartisan and, ideally, should not promote candidates, but that does not mean they must remain neutral on hot topics such as social justice, human rights, or the environment. They are supposed to declare their bias in favor of what is right and in accordance with the church's social teachings. They also cannot be complacent in their civic responsibilities connected to elections and voter education, particularly among the young. The importance of education stems from the fact that we should always seek to improve. We will never be perfect, but we must continue to strive for perfection. It is for this reason that the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), the archipelago's largest voluntary group of Catholic schools, has always offered its facilities and human resources.

The election is crucial because it will determine which candidates we will entrust our lives and future to. We should not put our faith in certain political parties or religious leaders. Instead, let us remain watchful and call out those who use violence, money, power, or other forms of deception, as well as those who disseminate lies and hatred, manipulate people for their own personal gain, and exploit the weak and vulnerable.

Unity has no color, no division, and no bounds after the election. It crosses across all hues and political affiliations, but it is all working toward the same goal: a better Philippines, after all of these acrimonious electoral processes, this is what we're after. Our anxiety and pretenses cannot keep us bound indefinitely.