WE VOTE BECAUSE WE CARE

Election is getting tougher and exciting more than I have expected. People are busy waiting at
the doorsteps of their houses, spying in every street sides, some were having sing-along at their
videokey machine, and some were wearing their candidates official color, among others. I even
thought that election is more fun and entertaining than a fiesta celebration. Shaking hands with a
hand full of mangoes with a side dishes of puto maya and pancit, and a quarter of Judas kiss from
a Dutchboy-painted ballooning lips colored the whole occasion. Isnt it so exciting and
surprising? This is the beauty and splendor of our politics!
But beyond these awkward, odd magnificence, let us always bear in our minds the true spirit and
purposes of our right to suffrage. Remember, suffrage is not only the right to vote in an electoral
process, but covers the right to be voted in public office as well. This is our political right highly
guaranteed by our constitution. According to Justice Enrique Fernando, the right to vote has
reference to constitutional guarantee of utmost significance. The responsible exercise of this
right determines our leaders in government and the future of our country. Thus, the exercise of
our right to suffrage is our nationalistic duty to our beloved eden, the Philippines.
Let us also remember, a friendly reminder to all of us, that our right to suffrage is both granted
by law and a privilege. By granted by law, this tells us that our right to suffrage can be taken
away from us by law if we violate the prescribed qualification like conviction or violations of
Election Code and other related laws. By privilege, it means that this right is not available to
everybody, but only those who possessed the required requisites which the law provides. Since it
is a privilege, it is not also a compulsory duty one may invoke it or abstain from exercising it.
But if we care for our country, our locality and ourselves, our participation, our votes are of
utmost and paramount significance. It will change the course of our history, it will rectify the
transgressions of our past and it will bring us to a brighter and promising tomorrows.
Elections are not only transition for leadership change and renewals, but also it is a political
landmarks manifesting character of change. Politics is becoming an IN-DEMAND business
and/or profession to everybody as long as they are qualified to run for public office. Under our
laws, aspirants can run for public office as long as they meet the prescribed qualifications, EVEN
THEY LACK THE MORAL AND INTELLECTUAL QUALITIES. This is the sad, terrible,
horrible and jurassical socio-political reality. It gives us a doubtful impressions or a question of
quality legislation or honest and sincere law execution/enforcement. LET US MAKE OUR
VOTES COUNT FOR A LEADER WHO POSSESSES AN ACADEMIC, PROFESSIONAL
AND MORAL EXCELLENCES, not a leader who always absent in, sleeping during or skipping
from his classes, who doesnt even know his own self.
Therefore, it is very important for all of us to exercise our right to suffrage freely and an
uninfluenced by threat like no vote, ibot, intimidation, undue influence or corrupt motives to
secure a fair, honest, clean, orderly and credible election. Let us not vote because there are
freebies that await us, but LET US VOTE BECAUSE WE CARE FOR US, FOR OUR
CHILDREN, FOR OUR LOCALITY AND FOR OUR COUNTRY the PHILIPPINES!