By Joshua Corcuera
Recently, Elections Commissioner Rowena Guanzon urged the public to register to vote as the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) fell short of its 4 million target registrants. As of January 14, according to a report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, there are only 1,117,528 voter applicants. With this in mind, it is imperative to register as early as now to strengthen political participation and, ultimately, Philippine democracy. But why exactly should a person care to vote? The answer is simple — all you have to do is open your eyes, listen with your ears, and broaden your mind.
First, suffrage or the right to vote is one of the most powerful rights that an ordinary person can do. One’s vote can help decide the fate of the nation obviously because when the votes of the masses are counted, it will tell who would lead the country in the years to come. From problem-solving to nation-building to decision-making, our leaders would be given the enormous power to shape the nation — for better or for worse.
Second, elections serve as a check on those in power. It serves as an opportunity to accept or reject a leader’s stay in public office. As we can see for the past five years, the Philippines faced serious crises from public health to poverty, from corruption to inequality. As a matter of fact, there are still many existing issues that matter to each and every Filipino. Hence, it would be best to discuss these issues however briefly.
We are still in the midst of a pandemic and the Philippines has recorded over half a million cases as of writing with over 10,000 succumbing to the highly contagious illness. Not to forget the ensuing economic crisis as the Philippines saw its deepest recession, a recession far worse compared to our neighbors which is why we would be the last to recover economically in the region according to Moody’s Analytics. Also, the pandemic did not cause but rather exposed another problem in Philippine society — inequality. While implementing one of the longest and strictest lockdown in the world, the rich can live comfortably while the poor were pushed to the abyss of poverty.
All of these can be prevented had effective decisions and clear communication been carried out by our leaders. Some would claim that Filipinos are undisciplined or pasaway which is why we are still struggling to recover with the crisis. This claim, however, can be easily refuted by data. According to one study last year, Filipinos are the second most compliant in the world when it comes to wearing face masks just behind Singapore. Meanwhile, majority also exercised physical distancing as well as washing hands frequently. Of course there are a few violators in regard to preventive measures against the coronavirus, but to judge the majority of Filipinos as pasaway is frankly erroneous and irresponsible. Moreover, the lack of proper health care will likely be an issue to be discussed in the upcoming elections. After all, health care is a human right.
Aside from the public health crisis, Filipinos should be aware that the Philippines remain corrupt as it scored 34 out 100 in the recent Corruption Perceptions Index. A score closer to zero means a country is highly corrupt. This shows that nothing has changed in the country in regard to corruption in the past five years.
Whatever issue would be most discussed next year, it is essential for all voices to be heard. For a nation to move forward and progress for better, it is necessary for growth to be inclusive. And to attain inclusive growth requires listening to the weak, the marginalized, and the powerless. Ultimately, our nation can move forward together with bright leaders. It starts with you.
