Ateneo de Naga University

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of Literature and Language Studies

Research Paper on the

Public Service Announcement entitled

THIS IS WHY WE VOTE

GROUP 2
Members

Jenny Bandola

Alyssa Marie Buenconsejo

Kurt Del Rosario

Jessa Antonette Lat

Divina Nealega

Marie Perez

Mebelene Pili

Mrs. Virna S. Villanueva

Professor

October 2018
 THIS IS WHY WE VOTE

Election is defined as the formal process of selecting a person for public office or of

accepting or rejecting a political proposition by voting. Elections were used as early in history as

ancient Greece and ancient Rome, and throughout the medieval period to select rulers such as the

Holy Roman Emperor and the Pope. (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016). This process is a culture

from which democratic countries have established their foundation. In the Philippines, we have

congressional and local elections held every 6 years. These election periods are milestones for

the people because it is during elections that we can be able to choose a person from whom we

will invest our trust and bless with the power to lead people towards a progressive country.

Philippines in all angles and aspects have been suffering from various problems and

catastrophes which various administrations have failed to address. Thus, we must make use of

the only right which can change not only the life of the poor but the life of all Filipino citizen in

general. It is essential that everyone who has the right to vote is given awareness that we are not

only capable of paying taxes and participating in the activities of the government. We are the

ones who can dictate how our society’s future will be shaped for the next 6 years. If we choose

wrong, we will suffer. If we choose right, we will prosper. “The future of our country is in our

hands” (Lindell, 2018). This is the responsibility given to us in exchange of the freedom which

our heroes have battled for, we are expected to think critically whether a person is worthy of the

trust, whether he is capable of taming his own greed for the welfare of the people and whether he

will not be blinded by the advantages which comes with the power.

Vasquez, E.(2017) explained that “The right to vote energizes social awareness since it

empowers political cooperation. The citizens can follow the progress of the political
representatives and the legislature. This consistent process enables the general population to

settle on educated choices about whom to vote in favor of in the following term. Also, the

legislature can’t generally act arbitrarily when the entire nation is observing. Every adult is given

the right to vote, irrespective of sex, class, occupation and so forth. This is representative of

uniformity and congruity. It is a fundamental right in which all citizens get an opportunity to

choose who represents them. Every party that is competing in any elections announces and

establishes various benefits and social reforms for their people. Some of these political parties

might be deceiving with their initial reforms, but can have the intention of corruption. It’s the

responsibility and skills of citizen that decides which government is elected. It is the right,

benefit and obligation to vote as a citizen of your nation and an individual from your society.

Individuals may figure their vote does not make a difference, but rather votes can shape remote

monetary and social arrangements.”

Borja (2015) noted that “The Filipino voters plays a vital role during elections because

they were the ones who elect their own bets for a certain position, the success of an aspiring

candidate depends upon the judgement of the voters. With this, every Filipino are always excited

during elections because they can exercise their rights as a Filipino Citizens. As responsible

citizen, it is a must that we claim ourselves responsible for the things that is happening in our

country. Lack of awareness is one thing which pushes us deeper into our own graves. People

who are not aware of how a single vote can contribute towards a whole new chapter in our

country tend to fail in choosing right and wise. Consequently, we live 6 years full of regrets and

6 years of unstable environment. Learning how to choose at our own risk is very important. We

have already seen how wrong decisions brought chaos in our country and so we must not make

the same mistake twice. We cannot let history repeat itself and let our future undergo agonizing
events again. All it takes is one single vote to tell whether our country will progress or regress.

Voting is our passage way towards a bright future. Our votes should not be taken for granted.

Zulueta (2011) elucidated that “The right to vote and run for public office in an election

are important political rights of all citizens guaranteed by the constitution. To give meaningful

expression to the rights of suffrage in the context of representative government, citizens must be

able to participate freely in competitive elections. Elections are not only occasions for leadership

change and renewal, but they are also political landmarks showing character of change. Every

time we hold elections to choose candidates who will work for our well-being, most often, these

become an exercise of futility.” Along with the vested right we are entitled of the responsibility

to register when we are proven to be eligible. Based on the Constitution,Section 1 Article 5, in

order for a person to qualify himself into voting, he must be a Filipino citizen with an age of 18

years on or before the day of elections. Qualified voters must also be a resident in the country for

more than a year and a resident of the place where he intends to vote for a number of 6 months.

Furthermore, the person who is vying to vote should not be sentenced to imprisonment for atleast

1 year. He shall not be adjudged by final judgment for committing any crime of disloyalty to the

government or against national security. And lastly, he must not be declared insane or

incompetent by a competent authority. If any of the three is fit to the person then he shall not be

granted his right to exercise his right to vote.

“Election is the bedrock of democracy. It is the crux of liberal democracy. It is through

the electoral process that citizens exercise their rights to participate in democratic governance.

Election is not merely the action of casting a vote or filling up a ballot. Election is about putting

flesh to the principle of representation.” (Carlos, 2004). To practice democracy, the government

and its officials must be decided by the people because the people is the heart of all democratic
government therefore anything that the government does must promote the welfare of all its

citizens and not the welfare of their own kind alone. Article II Section 1 of the Philippine

Constitution says: “The Philippines is a democratic and republican State. Sovereignty resides in

the people and all government authority emanates from them.”

According to Carlos, C.(2004) “Democratic rule is thought to be utterly unimaginable

without the conduct of clean, fair and honest elections. Observers have noted the correlation

between mature democracies and the presence of an effective electoral system. Philippines faced

grave challenges of democratization because of the many limitations of their electoral system.

Having a weak electoral system is one of the major causes of democratic deficit in most nations

traversing the path of democratization. Electoral reform, therefore, facilitates not only the

transition to but also the consolidation of democracy. The holding of elections is therefore vital

in the democratization process. The Philippines, being the oldest republic in Asia, has a long

history of elections and electoral reforms. The Philippine electoral system and other democratic

institutions such as the constitutional law, the secret ballot, the referendum, political parties and

legislature are products of American colonialism. The history of Philippine election laws goes

back to Act No. 502, which was enacted on November 10, 1902 by the Philippine Commission

by authority of the United States. Act No.502 was followed by many Commonwealth Acts,

Republic Acts, Presidential Decrees, Batas Pambansa, and the Executive Orders.”

Every election the number of voters always increased due to different factors, some are

returning voters and some are first time. In 2016, there were approximately fifty-four million

registered voters across the Philippines. The Luzon area has the most numbered of registered

voters having the 51% of the total voters population as is equivalent to 30,417,790 voters, while

the Mindanao area got the second most numbered of voters which covers the 23% of the voters
population and is also equivalent to 12, 629, 265 voters. The Visaya’s area accumulated a 21%

of votes and is equivalent to 11,316,789 voters. Aside from these, there were also 200,262

Overseas Filipino Workers who cast their votes in abroad. (Inquirer.Net, 2016) This only means

that these great numbers can be the codes from which change can start. With the increasing

number there is increasing power. Nevertheless, if every single unit of this large entity of people

is unaware of his own capacity then there is little possibility that we can overcome this challenge

in the society.

Alongside each other, we all suffer from losses during typhoons which we experience

several times in a single year. After which, we are left only with scratch of houses from where

we can rebuild our homes and hopes. Our country, being in the Pacific Ring of Fire made us

homes to several active volcanoes which threaten the lives of our Filipino families from time to

time, preparing to blow up all that we have saved from years of work. Excessive cutting of trees

which left the mountains exposed and lowlands to be invaded by flashing floods which washes

away loved ones and properties. During this circumstance, each of us has nothing to start with.

All we have left is the government yet help is not as responsive as needed.

Heavy traffics which cover our roads had brought inconvenience to the people and

sometimes can cause accidents. So many years had already passed yet the accumulation of traffic

on roads remains unchanged. Another issue is the rallies against the government which became

so frequent and unstoppable. This became the way from which citizens can express how much

they do not conform on the way that the government resolves issues. Rallying people are hold up

by police men the soon end up in a physical fight which the government must not allow to

happen. The most controversial issue is the Extra Judicial Killings due to the war on drugs

initiated by the Duterte administration wherein drug suspects were immediately killed inside
home and infront of their families. This is where the government went overboard with its power

to promulgate its laws that they go to the extent of killing people even those who are wrongly

accused. These are results of wrong choices. We suffer due to being irresponsible in giving our

votes.

As a matter of fact, our country is rich with all its natural resources as well as cultures.

Our tourism is well known even in other countries, how come we have stooped so down to this

unsustainability? Pedrosa, C.(2012) emphasized that “The answer is “bad governance”. We have

a system that eludes good governance and not until we change the system it will continue giving

us misfits as our leaders. The inability to manage the country’s resources is the main reason why

the Philippines had been left behind by other countries in the region.”

We have large number of people who are eligible to vote, yet we still fail to choose

someone who deserves to be seated at the top. And this inability of us to be aware had led us to

into the present condition of our country which is not at all, sustainable nor healthy for the

people to live into. In the upcoming 2019 Midterms Election in the Philippines, the Commission

on Elections (COMELEC) was able to record an increase of 2.5 million voters in the Philippines,

these people are considered to be a first time voters, who will be able to vote in May 2019.

(Ismaquel, 2018). Though if this large wave of first time voters possess the awareness to battle

against all illegal ventures in the government, the we could hope that somehow our country can

stand up from this great downfall during the past years of inefficient governance.

Hays, J. (2015) noted that “Philippine elections are often marred by violence, fraud and

irregularities. Polling stations run out of ballots; ballot boxes go missing; names of legitimate

voters aren’t not on voting lists; dead people remain on lists that have not been updated; stations
run out of ink that keeps voters from voting twice. There had also been allegations that

computers have been manipulated to change results.” Philippine’s culture of elections are

controversial. Whenever this milestone approaches to date we can see politicians actively giving

programs for the people. We can see them literally anywhere from posters to television

commercials trying to promote how they helped the people and how good they are at serving the

country. Moreover, we can hear so many issues resurfacing. Different politicians are throwing

dirt on each other’s name. Some even go to the extent of killing one another. And this is why

voters should learn to observe and criticize so that we can prevent ourselves from being

manipulated by all this superficial lies that they have been feeding us.

Meanwhile, the most rampant of all illegal practices during elections is vote buying. “In

the Philippines, vote-buying and vote-selling have been part of every election, despite laws

restricting it. Vote-buying is an open secret among several communities, yet it is among the

hardest election offenses to prove.” Rodriguez, F. (2016). People resort to selling their votes to

acquire “easy money”, by doing so it is like you are also selling the welfare of your family

friends and every Filipino in the country. This is the implication which many people have failed

to realize. Receiving money is no gain at all. Receiving money is losing every chance of a

sustainable life in the future.

Some researcher believed that it is time to realize that our choice must focus only in

critiquing of an individual or party platform but to qualities that we believe must underlie and

determine the behavior of all citizens in relation to our society. (Borja, A.L., 2015) Rights to vote

are not given to benefit the present period only but the next 6-year period. If we can see how

unprofessional they behave during elections then that is how unprofessional they would be when

they are given the chance to sit in the government. These values of cheating that they practice are
no different when they cheated on the Filipino society. It is important to analyze how critical

consequences would be if we vote irresponsibly.

A Filipino citizen should keep in mind that in all these battles that our country is facing,

both man-made and natural, our hope will solely depend on electing the right leader. The right

person who knows how to respond through tough time with compassion and not fire-arms,

someone who do not resort to killing the people from which the country is rooted to and

someone who is wise enough not to cheat on the people who gave their trust. It is hard to choose,

for there are many politicians who are hiding behind fake identities. Often times, we cannot tell

who is telling the truth among those who lies and who has been cheated among those who are

cheating. And this is where our real battle starts, when we get to choose yet we do not know who

to choose. That is why we need to observe, we need to ask and we need to criticize.

Every Filipino should conquer his own demons, that we can refuse money in order for us

to use our votes wisely. Because in every little amount we choose to take, much of ours are being

taken and that is our right for a righteous and justifiable government. The money can benefit us

in one single day yet we will let every Filipino suffer for 6 years. We deserve more than what

they can give during election, we deserve a responding government which we can run to during

times of needs and not a government who will run away from our needs as citizens.

Elections are a chance to finally make something happen. It is our call to action and so

we must not take every vote for granted because it is the only weapon we have left amidst all

these battle we have to face everyday. And this once in a 6-year period of time chance can lead

us wherever place we should be. It is in our hands that lie the future of our motherland. This
single step may gradually grow to be bigger and just then we will know that choosing right was

all it takes to harvest the life we dreamed of in the Philippines.

Yes, maybe one single vote is much of a small quantity compared to a million, but these

little drops of vote can result to a storm when combined together. Just like one wrong vote when

combined all together will result in a complete disaster in our country’s state. But on the other

side, these little pieces of votes can contribute towards the transition into a sustainable and stable

country, maybe not immediately but gradually. The present is for the future and so we must start

today.

De Guzman, S. (2015) said that “The right to vote is a fundamental democratic right

which should be protected by the Comelec. Our vote matters. Our voices must be heard. The

more votes, the more powerful our message is as a people. Every vote counts.” This can be our

voice and through our united voices we can modulate a powerful voice which will echo through

the government and scare all these selfish politicians away. We will do this because we are brave

Filipinos who will never surrender. Our heroes died fighting for freedom with the use of guns

and pens, and we, in general, will fight using the only weapon powerful than any other, our

votes. Every single vote matters. Let’s start today.

 CITATIONS

Borja, A.L. (2015). Rappler. Why should we vote?. August 01, 2015, Retrieved from:

https://www.rappler.com/move-ph/ispeak/101214-vote-philippines-elections

Carlos, C. (2004). Electoral Reform in the Philippines. Makati City: Konrad Adenaeur.

De Guzman, S. (2015). The Philippine Star. To vote or not to vote. August 16, 2015, Retrieved

from: https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2015/08/16/1488963/vote-or-not-vote-question

Diaz, P. (2013). Global balita. Vote wisely and responsibly. May 1, 2013, Retrieved from:

http://globalbalita.com/2013/05/01/vote-wisely-and-responsibly/

Esmaquel II, P. (n.d.). More than 2.5M register as new voters, exceeding Comelec target.

Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/nation/politics/elections/2019/213815-number-

of-registered-voters-breach-comelec-target

Hays, J. (2015). Facts and Details. Elections in the Philippines: Electoral system, irregularities

and violence. June 2015, Retrieved from: http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-

asia/Philippines/sub5_6f/entry-3903.html

I. (n.d.). #InquirerSeven: How many Filipinos, votes will shape PH future? Retrieved from

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/784376/inquirerseven-how-many-filipinos-votes-can-shape-

ph-future

Lindell, H. (2018). The Importance of Voting. Retrieved from

https://moody.utexas.edu/centers/strauss/tex-elects/importance-voting-hattie-lindell#
Pedrosa, C. (2012). Philstar Global. So rich and yet so poor because of bad governance. March

03, 2012, Retrieved from: https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2012/03/03/782872/so-rich-

and-yet-so-poor-because-bad-governance

Rodriguez, F. (2016). Rappler. The many ways of buying votes. April 03, 2016, Retrieved from:

https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/121802-vote-buying-methods

Vasquez, E. (November 16, 2017). Importance Of Voting: Why Should Every Citizen Vote?.

Retrieved from http://pollingplacephotoproject.org/content.cfm/how_to_participate

Zulueta, F. (2011). Introduction to Political Science. Mandaluyong City: National Book Store.