“The right to vote, or the exercising of that right.

All citizens of the Philippines, eighteen years of age or over, and residents of the
Philippines for one year and for at least six months in the city or municipality wherein
he/she proposes to vote immediately preceding the election are qualified to vote.

Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (December 10, 1948) Everyone
has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely
chosen representatives.

Art.25 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, (March 1976) Every citizen
shall have the right and the opportunity, without any of the distinctions mentioned in
article 2 and without unreasonable restrictions. To take part in the conduct of public
affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives

Art. V, Sec of the 1987 Philippine Constitution. Suffrage may be exercised by all citizens
of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law.

Your vote may not directly elect the president, but if your vote joins enough others in
your voting district or county, your vote undoubtedly matters when it comes to electoral
results. Most have a “winner take all” system where the popular vote winner gets the
Philippine electoral votes. There are also local and state elections to consider. While
presidential or other national elections usually get a significant voter turnout, local
elections are typically decided by a much smaller group of voters.

Even if you cannot vote, you can still voice opinions on social media, in your school or
local newspaper, or other public forums. You never know who might be listening.

Participating in elections is one of the key freedoms of Philippine life. Many people in
countries around the world do not have the same freedom, nor did many Filipinos in
centuries past. No matter what you believe or whom you support, it is important to
exercise your rights.