ON THE other side of the election front, Filipinos around the world have just voted new members of the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives. Overseas Filipinos and members of the military, police, civil service, and media are allowed to cast an absentee ballot, either by mail or through designation voting precints. As a Baha'i, I am not allowed to identify with a political party or doctrine so as not to negate the very spirit of the Baha'i Faith: to esablish true and universal peace on earth. However, I am allowed to use my right to vote, bearing in mind that I am voting on the merits of the individual rather than the party. In this manner, Baha'is are able to avoid the acrimonious conflicts of partisanship and debates. I voted this year at the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi, where I had the chance to meet the recently-designated Philippine Ambassador to India, Mr. Benito Valeriano.
