Elections ‘22: Forward on the path to the future

©San Agustin

There are now over 61 million registered voters in the Philippines and of this number, roughly 4 million are newly registered. This slew of new voters composed largely of the youth raises the question: Do they know how to make the right vote?

Time and time again, the public is reminded to vote wisely. Still, some continue to underestimate the significance of the votes they cast and allow themselves to fall victim to promotional dancing and hefty bribes, thus the value of successful action gets lost in the midst of empty promises. It is within reason to assume that younger generations would be susceptible to these campaigns given their relative inexperience. Despite this, we believe that the masses must trust the youth with making the calls most beneficial for the nation and discerning which 2022 election candidates can yield positive changes.

Many young Filipinos have proven their interest in their country's welfare through participating in socio-civic discussions. Groups of students sought the reform of the anti-terrorism law, distance learning, and the pandemic response in 2020. Furthermore, youth-led organizations continue to increase in number, recruiting people with the same passion and drive for activism. These people have advanced movements to improve their kababayans’ state of living and can be expected to remain on this road come election period.

The rampant coronavirus restricts the youth from implementing their advocacies to the fullest extent, however, social media platforms satisfy the need for rallies and in-person action. The digital space appears to be an effective medium for communication and discourse with over 70% of the Philippine population surfing the web. Young Filipinos who spend their time on social media are therefore bound to encounter updates on societal issues and can use these platforms to seek and bring political awareness.

Choosing the candidates to give the duty of serving the Filipino people is in itself an important job; the youth are tasked to consider their generation and those to come, and their decision reflects the changes they want to see in the near future. They need encouragement to evaluate the nation’s condition and determine the leader it needs to become better at this time. Placing distrust in them and their capacity to make informed decisions may lead to only doubt and disinterest in the elections. Arguably, one vote is only one vote, but millions of singular votes can seat a presidential candidate.

“Puro ka nalang kompyuter!” and “Masyadong sensitive ang kabataan ngayon,” say some of the elders. These statements undermine the younger generation to whom they are directed, subjecting them to an image of simple-mindedness and vulnerability. Nevertheless, they do little to disprove the competence of the new generation of voters; instead, they cement it. Frequenting the web, the youth display information literacy in their creation of posts and desire for the truth. Subsequently, this constant exposure to local and international news, data, and issues serve as their drive to empathize and be involved in social discussion. Remarks once voiced in dismay can become empowering for the young Filipinos eager to shape their country’s future.

Only time will tell how the 2022 elections will go, but in every possible outcome, the youth will play a crucial role. They can influence their peers, their siblings, their parents, and strangers they may come across. They, themselves, may have a ballot to fill in less than a year. Guidance is the best offering to these young Filipinos as they take strides for the betterment of their nation.