“Continuous Education for Filipino Voters: A necessity”

History:

The Philippines is an electoral democracy, but corruption and a lack of

transparency continue to undermine democratic development. In 1995 the Institute for

Political and Electoral Reform conducted a study on the voting behavior of the Filipino

electorate. The study was conducted in December 1995 and was completed by October

1996. Last July 2003, it undertook an eight-month update research of this same study.

The 1995 study was conducted in order to have an in-depth analysis on the

voting behavior of the Filipino electorate. There have been a number of studies about

the Filipino electorate. In 1992, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

(PCIJ) and the Ateneo Center for Social Policy and Public Affairs (CSP) published

“1992 & Beyond: Forces and Issues in Philippine Elections”, a resource which is popular

among the NGO community. The Institute for Popular Democracy also came out with

several publications like Boss, All in the Family, and Describing Elections, which are

focused studies that try to make us understand the inter-action of forces that determine

the flow and results of the electoral process in specific regions and towns.

Moreover, because they are focused, authorities can always claim that such

studies are true only for the specific areas where they were conducted, and cannot

speak for the entire electorate. Equally important, any real effort to contribute to

electoral reforms - a mission which the Institute has committed itself to - must be

backed up by a real understanding of voter behaviour that goes beyond generalizations

and assertions; a study that can quantify and substantiate in fact sound and solid

arguments in working for meaningful electoral reforms.

How to avoid vote buying:

. Elections have historically been marred by fraud, intimidation, and political

violence. While vote-buying and selling has decreased in recent years, it is estimated

that about 30 percent of Filipinos were offered money by a politician or local leader

during the 2010 election campaign. Vote-buying and vote-selling obstruct the

democratic process, yet they remain pervasive in many developing democracies. Some

strategies have aimed to stop politicians from offering money in exchange for votes, but

this approach has often failed due to poor implementation and weak enforcement.

Therefore, it has become common to focus anti-vote-buying efforts on voters

themselves. This often involves asking voters to make promises or sign pledges to not

accept money from politicians or their agents prior to elections. Another approach

encourages voters to take the money being offered, but still “vote their conscience.”

This evaluation aims to shed light on the impact of these two types of anti-vote-selling

campaigns.

One of the best solution is to try to reduce the level of hunger in our society.

People are not ready to think about tomorrow because of what they will eat today. As

long as the electoral system remains porous and unpopular vote-buying will continue

because candidates who are not sure they will win know that the only way they can

have it is to buy the votes. This is what has led to poor governance in this country; that

is what has led to misrule. It is important for voters to know that giving away their votes
for cash does not help in the long run. That is the most important. But how easy is it to

enlighten them to that extent. Most of them believe that whoever they are voting for is

just there to serve their personal interest. People in the society must change their

mindset towards voting and election. Election should not be reduced to a money making

venture for the politicians and the voters.

Social media has become an easy and free avenue in spreading information to

everyone, making information readily available to anyone and everyone. However,

information from online feeds are not always reliable. Thus, the rise of “fake news,”

which has become unavoidable nowadays. Since social media is highly accessible,

politicians and party lists have used it as a tool to influence voters. An increasing

number of candidates and party lists have been campaigning online rather than the

regular avenues like radio, television, and posters. However, with it being accessible

and cheap, candidates can use it as a way to falsely influence voters; this is why our

panelists advises people to question the things they see online and to find the truth

behind the ads that the see. Ultimately, every voter should start their research on the

candidates and party lists running. Find out about their platforms. Voters should educate

themselves so they can make an informed decision come Election day. The right of

suffrage is not one to take lightly, one must remember that whatever decision made on

that day will impact the Philippines for the next years.
How to provide for Continuous education both poor and non-poor:

The outcome of the 2022 elections will dictate how the Philippines will survive

and recover from the COVID-19 devastation. So, the political parties must begin to

educate and sensitise the general public. If people collect money for votes, then how

can they demand the accountability in government? How can you thereafter challenge

your leaders when they are taking the improper steps? There will be no moral courage

or grounds to demand efficiency from the elected persons. This has a serious

implication for the country. Our voting system has gone commercial and it adversely

affects the credibility of the elected, the credibility of the election and the country at

large.

With the rise of fake news and the increasing number of first-time voters, the call

for a Voter’s Education has never been more important. When asked what advice they

can tell voters, specifically first-time voters for the upcoming elections, all the panelists

agreed to being armed with the right information.