You may notice that the upcoming 2022 Philippine General Elections is just right around the corner and according to the Manila Bulletin, the scheduled elections will be on the 9th of May 2022. This seems to be quite far from today but campaigns can be seen and heard as early as today.
It is safe to say that exercising the right to vote is just one of the privileges of a democratic country– historically, people had suffered from being deprived of the freedom to vote. But with all of these pointed out, why is it that Filipinos had barely chosen to exercise their right to vote?
According to the Philippine New Agency, there were only 46 million voters or just 75% of voters who had participated last 2019. Ironically, a lot of people complain about the election result after it is held where in fact, a total of 25% voters were absent in the actual elections. This shows that the right to vote should never be taken for granted and that there are numerous reasons for you to exercise your vote.
To further emphasize this, we had prepared a simple question and answer portion that will hopefully persuade you to encourage everyone to exercise their right to vote:
Table of Contents
WHAT are the consequences of not participating in the elections?
Well, the election results will always take a toll on the community but it is important to keep in mind that voting, in general, is having the power to choose the quality of life that you want for yourself and for your community. It is the time that you could really make a difference and stand up for the issues that really matter like agriculture, public health, education, and labor wages.
This is when you could choose people that could make or break the system. It is the people’s money after all. Not grabbing this opportunity will contribute to the numerous consequences that you may or may not have been experiencing as of now.
HOW will my decision affect anyone?
Participating in the election is not just about who sits in the office. It is about choosing policies and laws that are favorable for the many and it is also about knowing how the people’s money will be spent. It also involves choosing a person who could make good decisions regarding issues like healthcare, territory, environment, taxes, wages, zoning, and more. When a person chooses not to vote they are just giving their voices and power to someone else.
WHAT good has it brought to our country?
Voting is also one of the products of democracy. Gaining democracy is something that many generations have fought for. Our history is not full of happy and peaceful events. Our ancestors have experienced colonization, dictatorship, and war. Our heroes have fought for the freedom that we have today because they know how difficult it is to live in chaos. Isn’t that why we celebrate events like Independence Day, National Heroes Day and the likes?
HOW important is my vote?
As cliché as this sounds, EVERY VOTE COUNTS. Filipinos have a connotation in voting wherein they say “isang boto lang naman ‘yan, hindi naman makakaapekto yan” (‘it is just one vote, it doesn’t matter anyways”) but if every person has this kind of thinking, the number of absentee voters rises and it eventually makes a huge difference. This type of thinking should be avoided and luckily, many youth advocates have been persuading their followers on their own platforms to register. This doesn’t mean that if you don’t have a big following count, you shouldn’t use your voice; if you have it, use it.
CHANGE STARTS WITH YOURSELF– do not let anyone take your right. It is not too late to register, just go to the Commission on Elections website on or before September 30, 2021 for further instructions regarding voter’s registration and submission of applications.
