The provincial government here has partnered with the University of the Philippines Visayas and the Department of Education (DepEd) in the crafting of a module on voter education program for secondary learners in Iloilo to guide them when choosing their leaders.

Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., in an interview on Friday, said the module will not tell electorates whom to vote for or what party to choose but it is a straightforward approach detailing the responsibilities of elective positions from president down to the lowest elective posts.

He added that they would like voters to look at the capacity of those seeking elective posts based on the responsibilities that go with the position as provided for in the Local Government Code.

“That is the kind of voter education that we want and we are developing the module. And I hope we will finish before the barangay elections. We have workshops, I think it is going to happen this June,” he said.

The voter education program is the last of the three components of the Bulig Eskwela sa Probinsya (BES Probins) program for an effective, relevant, and transformative educational system of the provincial government.

The two other components are support for infrastructure, facilities and operations of public schools; and the localized implementation of the Secondary Schools Career Guidance and Counseling Act.

He added that a Memorandum of Agreement will be signed with the DepEd, which will determine its implementation and the medium of instruction to be used.

“We want it to be a separate program. I don’t know if it will be embedded but if I will be asked, no. It has to be clear that we are gathering you here today because of the voter education program and we will guide you, we will teach you,” he added.

Meantime, he said that he favors candidates running for the barangay elections to submit to a drug test.

“Even at the national level, why not? But it was not realized. I don’t know for whatever reason but I am in favor of that,” he added. (PNA)