CCHOPE ELECTION 2001

HISTORY AND ORGANIZATIONAL  DEVELOPMENT OF CCHOPE

The Concerned Citizens for Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Election (CCHOPE) is a non-partisan, multi-sectoral and inter- denominational SOCSARGEN-wide organization of individual citizens and civic, religious, professional, business, educational, youth and non government sectors, voluntary working for the cause of honest, orderly, and peaceful elections in the provinces of South Cotabato and Sarangani as well as as the cities of Koronadal and General Santos.

CCHOPE , through the initiative and leadership of His Excellency Most Rev. Dinualdo D. Gutierrez, D.D. and after series of consultations  with the various sectors in the Diocese of Marbel, was organized last 1991 in preparation of the Philippine  General Election of 1992. Its concept paper was prepared by Sr. Susan Bolanio, OND, the then Social Action Directress of the Diocese of Marbel. It was presented and approved by all sectors concerned and by the Presbyterium (collegial body of priests with the Bishop as the head) during the annual meeting of priests in the month of November 1991.

With its approval the body unanimously approved the following vision, mission, and objectives of CCHOPE:

CCHOPE envisions:

CCHOPE commits itself:

CCHOPE has the following objectives:

CCHOPE has the following main activities:

As non partisan organization volunteer organization, CCHOPE is funded neither by the government, nor by any foreign government, corporation or institution. It draws upon contributions made by many civic-minded Filipino citizens who support the same cause and has the same concern and mission.

In all elections, the members of CCHOPE have been involved in the task of giving political and voter's educations. This involvement dates back to 1991 in preparation of the Philippine 1992 General Election. Then it again participated in the 1995 and 1997 Philippine Elections. It embarked also into poll watching and operation quick count in the said past elections by entering into partnership and membership with VOTECARE of NASSA-JP of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), PPCRV and NAMFREL,  the accredited citizens arms of the COMELEC in terms of  voter's education, poll watching and operation quick count.

For the past nine years CCHOPE volunteers have been in the forefront of proactive citizens' participation in political education, voter's education, poll watching and operation quick count. It has continued its cause and commitment towards active vigilance during and beyond elections. Ten of thousands of CCHOPE volunteers have offered and continue to offer their time, talent and treasure to achieve honest, orderly, peaceful election in the hope that this would translate to a better future for succeeding generation.

We have lasted this long and remained a relevant  organization with the volunteers, past and present, who remained true and heroes to the cause of honest, orderly and peaceful election.

ORGANIZATIONAL SET-UP

At the SOCSARGEN level, it is originally governed by the CCHOPE SOCSARGEN Coordinating Council or Board consisting of the committee chairs, provincial and municipal coordinators. It sets direction and make policies and guidelines. While the CCHOPE Socsargen Coordinator assisted by the Socsargen Secretariat chair with its various committee chairs executes policies and plans of the organization and supervises the city and provinces of South Cotabato, Palimbang and General Santos City

In 1992 and 1995 Philippine Elections, there was only one over-all Secreatariat Center overseeing and catering the needs of the city and provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat (Municipalities of Lutayan and Palimbang) and General Santos. It is located in the Cathedral Compound, St. Anthony Parish, Koronadal, South Cotabato. 

With the division of the province of South Cotabato into two provinces, namely, South Cotabato and Sarangani, the CCHOPE, in 1997 Philippine election, set up no longer 1 (one) but 2 (two) centers: one in General Santos City while the other is in Koronadal, South Cotabato. Still the municipalities of Lutayan and Palimbang of Sultan Kudarat were included during that election.

This coming 2001 Philippine Election, however, the CCHOPE decided to set up three centers: that of Notre Dame of Dadiangas College for General Santos City, Alabel Parish for  Sarangani and Marbel Telephone Main Office in  Koronadal City for South Cotabato. This time the municipalities of Lutayan and Palimbang will not be included. . Some areas under the parish or municipality of Tboli but near or accessible to the city and municipality of General Santos and Polomolok will be under the responsibility of the parishes/municipality/city barangay of Calumpang and Polomolok. For each center, there will be appointed secretariat chair and media liason officer. All these are under the supervision, command and responsibility of the SOCSARGEN Coordinating Council whose chair is Most Rev. Dinualdo D. Gutierrez, the Diocesan Bishop of Marbel. Taking place the role and function of the former Socsargen  Coordinator is the Secretariat Chair which is assisted by the Committee Chairs and his appointees in implementing the plans and programs of the organization and overseeing the three city and provincial secretariat centers in the provinces of South Cotabato, Sarangani and city of General Santos.

At the Socsargen level, CCHOPE is organized into 2 provincial chapter, 1 city chapter and 18 municipal chapters. At present, Fr. Ernesto Bendita and Fr. Frank Romano take care of the 2 provincial chapters while Fr. Jesus Jordan takes care of the General Santos City Chapter through the creation, supervision and management of the three secretariat centers for South Cotabato, Sarangani and General Santos City areas.

While at the municipal level, CCHOPE is organized into various basic ecclesial community chapters under the guidance and leadership of the parish priest. It is the parish priest who represents the CCHOPE municipal level in any provincial meeting, assembly,  consultations or planning.

Each Center is responsible for manning all the polling places in all the voting centers within the city or municipality in the conduct of VOTECARE political education,  PPCRV pollwatching and Namfrel's Operation Quick Count (OQC).

Presently, final organization of CCHOPE took place during the meeting on 26 March 2001 at the Bishop’s Residence.

The organigram has several levels.  The highest level is the SOCSARGEN Coordinating Council (SOCSARGEN CCHOPE CC) with its own secretariat.  This secretariat has 6 committees under it: finance, food, security, transportation, communication, legal/documentation.  Also directly under the secretariat are the three Provincial and City Centers: South Cotabato, General Santos City and Saranggani.

Second highest level then are the South Cotabato Provincial Center, Saranggani Provincial Center and General Santos City Center.

Each of this Provincial and City Centers has its own secretariat.  Under the Secretariat are are at least 10 committees: Media Liaison, Finance, Food, Security, Transportation, Communication, Medical, Legal /Documentaion, Couriers and Encoder /Computer.  Parishes and Municipalities in South Cotabato and Saranggani are under the secretariat of the South Cotabato Provincial Center and Saranggani Provincial Center, respectively.  Parishes/Baranggays in General Santos City are under the secretariat of the Gen. Santos City Center.

The Third level, then, are the parishes.  They can have their own parish centers with secretariats and committees.

Under the parish centers are the GKKs in the parishes.  This is the lowest level.  Its organizational structure will depend on the needs of the parish concerned.