Make it Count: why your individual vote matters?
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
— Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate
The right of suffrage, aside from the right of free speech, is the most significant civil liberty accorded to us by our Constitution. Our collective votes allow us to chart not only our own fate, but also the fate of our nation and the generations after us. By voting for the right leaders, we are putting an end to the injustices, corruption, and bad practices that have long been ingrained in our political system. By voting for the right leaders, we are saying YES to a better and higher standard of governance and way of life.
Since the Philippine Elections is fast approaching, we prepared a few reminders in ensuring that our votes will count.
1. YOU ARE POWERFUL. Realize that your right to vote is an exercise of your sovereignty. True power resides with us, the people, but is exercised only through our leaders. Thus, if we want our interests to be protected, if we want to ensure that we are living in safe spaces, and if we seek to secure a good future for our children and our children’s children, then we have to ensure that we put leaders who will do just that.
2. REMEMBER THAT EVERY POSITION HAS SPECIFIC AND CRUCIAL FUNCTIONS. Perhaps to many, government positions generally merely entail calling the shots. However, we have to understand that every position has very specific and crucial role to play in advancing the entire government. Therefore, we have to elect candidates who are capable and competent enough to exercise the functions of their office.
In a nutshell, provided below are the respective duties of the government officials that we have to elect this coming election:
President : Ensures the faithful implementation of our laws.
Represents our country to the international community.
Vice President: No stated official role based on our Constitution, except to be the next in line in the event that the President dies, resigns, or becomes incapacitated to fulfill his/her duties.
Senators and Congressmen : Make laws that advances the interest of the people.
3. MAKE A LIST. Remember that you are entitled to vote for 1 President; 1 Vice President; 12 Senators; 1 District Congressman; and 1 Party-List.
Remember that it is okay if you cannot complete the 12 senatorial slots, but you CANNOT write more than that.
4. KNOW THE DO’s AND DON’T’s.
Do's:
Vote responsibly
Observe health protocols
Make sure that your hands are clean to avoid any markings in or tampering your ballot
Use only the official marker provided at your precinct
Read your ballot carefully
Properly shade your ballot (refer to photo below)
Ensure that your ballot is read by the machine
Dont's:
Do not forget your list (so you do not overvote)
Do not wear any political merchandise (to avoid conflict)
Do not speak with people forcing you to disclose your votes
Do not make unnecessary markings on your ballot
Do not take a photo of your ballot
Do not fold or crumple your ballot
It is less than a week from the Election Day. As Christians, who are the guardians of the principles and values that Jesus Christ upholds, may these principles and values reflect the choices that we will make on May 9, 2022.
During the Empower webinar series, entitled Elections and the Christian, held last May 1, 2022, Bro. Abraham Guinigundo likened Jesus’ crucifixion to the elections. Remember when Pontius Pilate presented Jesus, the True and Only Messiah, and Barabas, the criminal, before the people and asked them who to release and who to put to death? The power to decide was made to rest with them, but they decided to free the criminal and put the Messiah to die on the cross. That is how important our vote is. The choice to make or break our future, our nation, through the leaders that we will elect, depend on us. So let us choose wisely, and vote responsibly!
Comments