by Lesly Guevarra; graphics by Rowena Joy Flores
Filipinos have four months left to register for the 2022 Philippine election as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) denied an extension beyond Sept. 30, 2021.
On May 9, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said it is unlikely to extend voter registration later than Sept. 30 as there are many other preparations to do. Hence, there are only a few months left for eligible individuals to register as voters.
Now, more than ever, Filipinos should learn the value of their votes. While the COVID-19 pandemic brought the country to its knees, it has also highlighted the importance of putting the right people in office— people who will prioritize the welfare of the country especially during today’s unpredictable circumstances.
Register because of the failed pandemic response
For the past year, we have experienced incompetence and negligence from the state. A year into the pandemic, Filipinos witnessed families starve as workers lost their jobs, how small businesses shut down because of community quarantines extended month after month, and how thousands of people died due to the inefficient pandemic response. We have seen firsthand how the poor have become a lot poorer in this pandemic.
The government put the country under strict quarantines to slow the spread of the virus, but this shuttered thousands of businesses and left millions jobless and without means to afford food. People were locked up in their houses with no adequate aid from the government to sustain their living.
The hunger rate in the Philippines has reached a record high, according to Social Weather Stations. The number of families experiencing involuntary hunger climbed to 21.1 percent in 2020. And in September, the highest hunger rate reached 30.7 percent, or about 7.6 million families.
Hence, these same families have been forced to join long queues on the streets to beg and receive food from outdoor community pantries and passers-by. With no food on the table, Filipinos have become more afraid of dying of hunger than of COVID.
Other than lockdowns among other militaristic approaches, the government has not provided any concrete plans about how the country will fight against the virus. The low testing capacity, weak contact tracing, and slow processing of test results have made it difficult to determine who and where the infected are. Some even die without being tested.
Even after President Duterte realized the importance of accessible and affordable testing nine months into the pandemic, testing remains inaccessible to many Filipinos.
The government’s imposition of lockdown as the primary tool to contain COVID-19 has gotten us nothing, save for the title of the world’s longest lockdown. And despite the long quarantine period, the number of infections have continued to soar.
University of the Philippines Science professor Ela Atienza said, “President Duterte's leadership style appears not fit for this crisis. This is a different kind of crisis that requires reliance on experts and stakeholders as well as making sure people are involved and not left behind.”
All these incompetent responses against the virus are enough for every Filipino to clamor for change and reform. A change that we can only achieve should we use our collective power and voices in 2022. The election will determine the future of the Philippines— how it will survive and recover from COVID-19. Hence, Filipinos should be able to choose leaders that can truly lead the country.
Register because ‘every vote counts’
In November 2020, Filipinos were once again reminded that every vote counts after Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden won against Donald Trump in the 2020 US presidential elections.
The victory of Biden sparked a new beginning for the United States. Consequently, it is also a reminder to us of how powerful we citizens are in a democracy; however, we will only be able to exercise this power in the 2022 elections if many will make informed decisions and register to vote while there is still time left.
Inspired by Biden’s victory, netizens took to Twitter and other social media platforms to urge fellow Filipinos to register. Human rights advocates, celebrities, and even students called on Filipinos, especially the youth, to participate in the 2022 elections.
Sixty-seven percent of the total voting population of the US participated in the 2020 presidential election. Despite the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic in the process, the US elections had a higher voter turnout than it did in previous years.
Not even the pandemic has hindered Americans from exercising their right to elect a leader they wanted. So, what’s stopping us?
Your vote is your voice
“If I don’t vote, someone else will decide for me,” said first-time voter Prences Jhewen Albis during an open mic episode of Radyo Comelec.
Voting gives us the power to choose how we want the country to be run and the taxes we pay to be spent. It is a time we can directly influence the entire system of governance, which will affect not only, but our families and the entire nation.
It also gives us a chance to stand up for the issues that matter to us and communicate our needs and demands through our votes. More than a right and an obligation, to vote is to make our voices heard.
The 2022 election is an opportunity for all Filipinos to put an end to inadequate leadership. Yet, it is also a challenge for every Filipinos to educate themselves, make informed decisions when we’re finally shading our ballots. But until then, get yourself registered and let’s change the country for the better.
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