In the great experiment that is life, there is no refusing to participate in its many twists and turns; similarly, one cannot opt out of voting without subjecting themselves to unexpected consequences.

 

As the Philippines gears up for the 2022 election season, calls urging Filipinos to register to vote and make their voices heard are spreading like wildfire throughout social media. With the past few years of the Duterte administration leading to further polarization in Philippine politics, the public has begun to step up and take a more active role in shaping their own future.

 

This rise in political involvement is triggered by one main realization: If Filipinos do not speak up and choose a leader they admire, then one will be chosen for them. And it might not be one they like.

 

In a democracy, every individual must do their part to ensure that their nation will prosper and be ruled by people of their choosing. To do otherwise is tantamount to neglecting one’s duty to their peers and the community. 

 

It is through the act of voting that ordinary citizens can assert their power in government and make it known that the status of elected politicians is because of their say and nothing else. The state may be the one to uphold the law but it is the people who pick who they want to represent them.

 

While some may argue that it is not necessary to vote because their singular opinion is unimportant when put up against millions of other Filipinos, they forget that that is essentially what being human is all about — being part of a greater whole that makes decisions collectively through collaboration.

 

Democracy gives Filipinos a form of agency by allowing them to be free in thought and in action. It allows everyone to have their say in who they want in charge and if pushed, to remove those who abuse their authority from power.

 

At the end of the day, the importance of voting can never be overstated. The voice of the people is said to be the voice of God and it is through voting that that voice is heard.