For the first time, various lay Christian organizations and movements, to include the Catholics, Protestants and Evangelical groups are uniting as one to provide a strong command votes of 10 million electorates during next year’s elections.

This list of endorsed candidates is a means for the Filipinos to be guided into electing candidates who will lead the nation towards national transformation.

Former Chief Justice Reynato Puno echoed the points on why such huge group should come in the forefront to guide the electorates to come up with a so-called “Christian vote.” In his keynote address during the launching of the Pilipino Movement for Transformational Leadership (PMTL) at Club Filipino, the former SC chief cited the major defects on how majority of the voters decide on whom to vote during elections.

The basic reasons why voters support a candidate are mainly based on “personal relationship, exchange of favor and the  influence of money.” He likewise mentioned the neo-colonial factor in which foreign interest is considered in the election of the national leadership.

During last Tuesday’s PMTL launching, it was emphasized that it’s about time a so-called “Christian vote” determine the election of top national leaders anchored on advocacies against graft and corruption, political dynasties, monopolistic and oligarchic control in business, nepotism and political accommodations.

Lawyer Alex Lacson, a member of the Christian Family Movement who stood as main convenor cited that the group have decided to come together to “do God’s  work in the political field so that God-centered  and competent servant leaders get elected into office in 2016 and onwards.” Lacson who authors the book “12 Little Things Every Filipino Can Do to Help Our Country” assured that there will be no political undertones nor backings in coming up with the list of endorsed candidates,

The group which estimates a minimum of 10 million voters will come up with the list of endorsed candidates to be chosen under the so-called  “Gabay Kristo.” This list will include the group’s endorsed bets  for “president, vice president and eight senators” for the 2016 elections. If this initial campaign will work effective in guiding the electorates, then this will be trickled down to the provincial areas in the election for governor, congressman and mayor in the succeeding polls after the 2016 elections.

During an interview with dyRD’a “Inyong Alagad” program the day after the launching,  Lacson said the process would start  with the Christian Faith based groups and organizations registered as official members of PMTL to submit one or two recommendees for the position of President and Vice President. The recommending organization shall ensure that their recommendees qualify under the “GabayKristo”. A recommendations committee (RecComm) of 15 people chosen by the convenors shall elect among themselves a chairman.

The RecComm will gather all recommendations from the certified recommending  groups which  would submit the profiles, platforms and stands on issues  and post them in the official website.  After this process, a national convention of all PMTL member organizations will be held on Oct. 5 and 6 in Manila during which the top 10 recommendees for President, Vice President and senators shall be invited to present their respective platforms and agenda to the delegates.

The recommendees receiving the highest number of votes shall become the official candidates of so-called “People’s Choice” which shall be required to sign a covenant stating that when they will win the elections, they are bound to implement the “reform agenda” which is God-centered, competent and committed servant leaders.

The endorsed candidates listed under “People’s Choice” will be contained in the list which will be campaigned by the 10-million strong faith based organizations in the Catholic, Protestant and Evengelical groups.

Lacson clarified that members will not be forced to vote on the endorsed candidates as what one religious sect does every election. The “People’s Choice” will simply endorse who these candidates to comprise the coming up of a so-called “Christian vote.”