CULMINATING ACTIVITY
The Philippine elections had been characterized by the presence of a weak party
system, a low information environment for voters, a history of dynastic rule,
and the preponderance of media celebrities in elected political offices. These
features amounted to the observation that candidate winnability in the country is
discussed often as a “personality versus platform’’ issue, highlighting the
importance of candidates’ personal background.
Every election in the Philippines, vote-buying always comes up as a major
concern, a chronic plague that perennially shakes our faith in the integrity of the
electoral process and democracy itself. But as we lament—or contemplate—this
predicament, it is insightful to consider that we are not alone in our suffering.
How do voters choose their candidate?
The 2003 update of the psychographics study differs from the results of the
1995 study in the part of what determines the vote. To know what determines
the vote, we asked respondents the following questions: What characteristics do
you look for in a politician? What influences your vote? What other factors do
you consider when you vote?
A set of items were provided with each question. The respondents were to
measure each of these items in a scale of 1 to 5 -- [1] for walang halaga, [2]
wala
gaanong halaga, [3] medyo mahalaga, [4] mahalaga and [5] for mahalagang-
mahalaga.
For the question on characteristics that voters look for in a politician five items
were given namely,
1. madaling lapitan
2. malinis na pagkatao
3. matulungin sa mga nangangailangan
4. pagiging artista
5. pagiging sikat at popular.
The government shouldn’t force people to vote. Doing so would flood the polls
with millions of uninformed voters. Some Filipino know a lot about politics,
economics, foreign affairs, and current events. Others know hardly anything.
Requiring uninformed people to vote would be like forcing them to fly an
airplane or perform surgery without training. Elections have high stakes. Our
votes help influence matters of war and peace, poverty and prosperity, justice
and injustice—not just in the PHILIPPINES, but all over the world. Bad
decisions at the polls can result in devastating wars, damaging laws, and
disastrous economic policies. Some people argue that voting is a civic
responsibility. In my view, Philippines who choose not to vote can exercise
their civic duties in other ways, such as volunteering to help their communities
or serving on a jury. But if they do vote, they owe it to themselves—and others
—to be informed about the issues on the ballot. Furthermore, having a right to
do something doesn’t mean you should be required to do it. For instance, we
have the right to write novels or do science experiments, but it would be a
violation of our individual freedom if the government forced us to do those
things. Why should voting be any different? There are better ways to fix low
voter turnout in the PHILIPPINES., One option is to make it easier for people to
register to vote. We could also lengthen the hours the polls are open or have
Election Day on a weekend instead of a Tuesday. Such changes would be more
effective—and more democratic—than forcing people to vote whether they
want to or not.
The Importance of Voting in the Philippines
Voting isn’t just our right, it’s our power
As amended by Article V of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, suffrage or right
to vote must be exercised by all citizens of the country who are at least eighteen
years old, and have resided in the Philippines for at least a year.
Voting represents the power of all citizens to keep the government system
working. It’s a privilege every citizen should enjoy. The people we elect are
tasked to develop and implement various policies for our benefit. So, it’s only
fair to wisely select the ones who uphold the right principles. But voting isn’t
just about choosing the future leader, it can also be about exercising the rights
our ancestors fought for. Whether first-time voters of not, this country needs
intelligent votes now more than ever. Voting isn’t simply our right—it’s our
power.
It’s empowering to play a part in shaping the country’s future
Our right to vote increases our social awareness while empowering us to
cooperate in political and social activities. Through these activities, we can
follow the progress of our nation—enabling the general population to make
educated choices about who to vote in favor of the public’s best interest.
Being able to vote is a key part of citizenship and allows each person to have
their say about what is important to them and what they think their lives should
be like. When people vote, they are saying which policies they value, which
political party they would like to make decisions on their behalf, and which
politician they trust to improve life for themselves and for their community.
Also because without it citizens would not be able to choose the people who
will run their government. It is also a major responsibility. Those that do not
vote are failing to carry out a civic responsibility. They are also handing over
their political power to views they may oppose.
