Since time immemorial, vote buying has been a perennial issue in Philippine politics.
It is a boon and a bane in a democratic political system— with one vote entitled to each
person denoting equality before the law, would our elections truly represent the Filipino
masses who have solely sought a solution to our societal ills with this destructive
phenomenon taking place? Or will the judgment of its citizens, whose concerns first and
foremost are to feed their families and put food on the table, be clouded by the temporary
relief offered by politicians? Canare et al. (2018) have sought to bring to light empirical
evidence of how vote-buying is targeted among low-income voters, with an ingenious
premise on how this act is solely one piece of the puzzle in building dependency in the larger
picture of clientelism and patronage.
The article's findings indicate that financial incentives or material goods are not the
primary determinants of voter choice. In this system, individuals' reliance on and allegiance
to political figures are shaped by long-term relationships, with election-related benefits
serving as just one manifestation of this dynamic. Canare et al. (2018) argue that while vote
buying can influence voters, there are other more important factors, such as loyalty and
dependency, that have been built through a long process that commenced even before the
election season, which is then punctuated by offers of goods or gifts.
It is nonetheless striking that, amid how deeply ingrained the culture of clientelism
and patronage is in our political fabric, evidence suggests that the most prevalent form of
vote-buying would be the material things and food that were offered, with money only
ranking third; contrary to what most of the literature identified with. This phenomenon also
implies that negative perceptions are already associated with monetary vote buying, with how
it is pegged as eroding our democratic society and breeding corruption that impedes the
nation’s development.
These findings have accurately manifested my current cognizance of the mechanisms
that drive the politics in our motherland, which is deeply troubling and disconcerting yet also
offers hope for reform and ways forward to address this issue. From my very own experience
with how loyal and indebted my grandparents are toward the ruling factions in our
hometown, indeed, their long-standing relationship rooted in patronage goes back from even
before I was born.
These election-related transfers are not the be-all and end-all of making a voter switch
sides, but entrenched relationships between politicians and their constituents encapsulate this
phenomenon with dependency and loyalty at its core. It is not even about having the most
qualified candidate to win the seat for genuine public service and good governance, but
rather, a battle to win due to indebtedness to certain politicians who helped them survive and
make it through another day. Such nuance brought to light by the plethora of evidence
presented must inform our current campaigns and reforms to prevent vote-buying and
empower Filipino citizens whose collective power in a democratic society must trump
opportunist politicians who solely serve their self-interests.
