The Philippines, as we all know, is a democratic country, but dishonesty: cheating, corruption, and a lack of transparency consistently destroy and undermine democratic development. Novelist Dalton Trumbo stated that dishonesty in government is the business of every citizen. Democracy isn’t a gift; it is a responsibility. Philippine elections have historically been flawed by immoral deeds such as fraud, intimidation, and violence. Vote-buying and selling are depraved deeds that are slowly becoming a culture and norm of every Filipino.
It is sad that we have always been aware of this but never tried to solve and justifiably address the issue and ramifications of vote-buying. We must prioritize what is best for our country, for you and our fellow Filipinos. Vote-buying has become a culture in the Philippines to the point that people expect to receive money on a campaign or election day. This is the basis of Philippine corruption. It’s the voters themselves who are causing all this, from their lack of education to their greed to their apathy. It’s a vicious cycle and gives credence to the idea that maybe democracy is not suitable for Filipinos. Vote-buying will always be part of elections as long as people have these kinds of beliefs and expectations. This is not the time for us to be selfish and silent. It is the future of our motherland that we are talking about. There’s no reason for us not to care what happens in the world, and to be honest, I find it hard to believe that a person cares about nothing at all. Money has power. But that notion will no longer be valid if every citizen is willing to take an action and vote as per their conscience, not for money or any bribery. As a student, I believe there’s still a chance for us to improve the situation and fix the faulty practices that Filipinos have. We just have to work together.
It used to be that only the poor and uneducated sold their votes, now it’s pretty much everyone. Their logic is that regardless of who wins, their situation will not change, thus they see elections as a means to earn extra money. The blame is not only on the politician who plays with our heart and emotions but also on us who let this politician blind us. But this is not a matter of who’s who and who’s what. This is a matter of how to completely combat vote-buying and what we can do to solve the issue. Money has power, and so does our mind.
Every Filipino should be willing enough to correct the flaws and stop such practices. It should start by knowing the consequences of carelessness when it comes to voting someone not worth the vote. We can challenge and question each party on what their agenda is. When it comes to voting, we need someone who will represent the needs of Filipino. Let’s all have a mindset of a true member of the community, a true voter. As election season approaches, it is important to make our voice heard. As a student who wants change, others need to realize the importance of voting correctly as well.
We don’t need perfect politics, we need honesty.
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