It’s a YES! Why we must educate voters in choosing the next Philippine president
By Christine Joy Infiesto, April 18, 2022
Election campaigns — most of the time, it is associated with the idea of ‘courting.’ The candidates are likened to a determined suitor who willingly does anything and everything just to get the sweet ‘yes’ of his love interest. During elections, the ‘yes’ is comparable to people’s vote that they will cast on their respective ballots. Each ballot is a symbol of their hope and trust for the candidate they chose to vote for. It is a personal choice indeed, but does it mean we should disregard its effect on others?
Every election, it is normal for Filipino voters to show support for their candidates by whatever means available to them — wearing a specific colour of shirt, attending candidate rallies, and even just posting and sharing campaign posts on social media. Through these actions, these voters are letting people know about their political stance, subjecting themselves to scrutiny and comments from others who support an opposing candidate, and social media plays a huge role in it.
Social media is the main avenue where voters express their opinions about the upcoming elections. Nowadays, it is becoming common for these voters to post and share things that favour their presidential bet — from academic achievement to concrete proof of their public service, the supporters make sure that their candidates are seen in a good light. While this may be helpful in knowing more about the candidates, it is concerning how a good chunk of information about some candidates is untrue. Rather, those were the fruits of decades-long propaganda that, unfortunately, many Filipinos believed and still believes.
During the courting stage, we cannot deny how important the advice of our friends is on whether we should take the relationship to the next level. When a suitor is caught lying early in the courting stage, our friends are the first ones to give us their opinions on the matter. They provide various perspectives to ensure that we see the big picture before we decide to pursue it with our suitors. In terms of Philippine election, this can be likened to some voters who ‘educate’ others that share false claims about the achievements of their bets, fake news, and other accusations just to paint other candidates in a bad light. Ideally, this act of ‘educating’ each other should be a healthy practice of scepticism and critical thinking that we should apply when electing public officials. Unfortunately, this practice is not warmly welcomed by many. Rather, it is seen as a trample to their beliefs and right to choose a candidate. Worse, it is viewed as an imposition of belief to others — making it easier for them to draw the ‘respect na lang’ card whenever they are presented with facts.
The question lies on whether educating other voters about the false news they share is the same as imposing your beliefs onto them. When your friends give advice about a suitor, does it automatically mean they are imposing their views on you? I bet not. Same is true with ‘educating.’ It is not necessarily an imposition of one’s point of view. It is simply an offer to help you see beyond the biases and false news, and know more about the values and character of the candidate you support.
Voting is power. Each vote we cast equates to a ripple that when given enough power, can turn into a tide big enough to generate positive change and new beginnings for our country.
Our collective ‘yes’ is a ticket towards a brighter future. Thus, we must all learn to be humble enough to get educated and fact-checked by others. It is a simple price to pay if we want a better tomorrow. After all, would you say yes to an undeserving suitor?
Copyeditor:
Claire Torrato
Disclaimer: The Junior People Management Association of the Philippines (JPMAP) — FEU Chapter reserve all copyrights on articles or illustrations presented in the newsletter. Viewpoints, information, or opinions incorporated in the JPMAP — FEU Chapter Newsletter are solely a part and initiative of the organization. The organization is not affiliated with the stated organizations and institutions despite the effort to provide quality erudition. It is in no way the JPMAP — FEU Chapter is subjected to the personnel or any other multitude for any damages, harm of any persona, significant, concomitant, or additional detriments.
Copyeditor:
Claire Torrato
