The Power of Youth in Voting for Government Elections

Do you believe that you, too, could advocate for fighting rights through the simplest ways?

In 2022, we will once again be given the opportunity to choose the country’s next leaders. The youth have an important role in enacting and making petitions for laws and programs that benefit the public, particularly as our country recovers from various crises.

Youth is the best fighting age. However, this does not mean that adults are outside the discussion: after all, regardless of age, everyone has the right to do what they can for the nation. That is why we call on all citizens to register to vote in 2022. It is imperative to register and vote to include our voice in choosing the following public officials who are in charge of power and town funds to lead and protect the welfare of citizens.

Last May 2021, Enderun Leadership Program (ELP) partnered with Vote Pilipinas, a non-profit organization that is COMELEC’s voter’s education partner, to conduct a campaign to educate the Enderun student body on the importance of their critical thinking participation in the upcoming 2022 elections. The event was 4-week long of talks and webinars that featured Information Officers from COMELEC to enlighten students about politics and voting, such as registering, getting involved in elections as cultivated voters, and much more.

Gabriel David Sadicon, a core trainee of ELP, stated, “[The person] whom we vote for definitely has a big hand in what is going on in our environment. That is the most important; that’s my platform, the environment, and climate justice. We need people over here to acknowledge that climate change is real and who are willing to do something about it, willing to put the right policies in place, and willing to hold big corporations that destroy the environment accountable. That is the biggest choice that matters.”

“We need to engage actively and enlighten the masses about why they need to do these things, how important things [elections] are because of our passivity and hoping it will not help. It is arousing, organizing, and mobilizing on grassroots levels that still the best form of encouraging and enlightening to get to vote. Vote for pro-people and pro-environment, and this is the one choice that affects everyone. Every vote is one out of a million, and as a collective, our voices will dictate not just the political landscape but also how we live our lives.”, he added.

Voting is an exercise of one’s Filipino rights. The Filipino masses all have the means and rights to speak up, be heard and make choices for the greater good of the country and society. To be able to practice democratic values, one must be able to highlight individuality in equal measure. In the very nature of youth, they question the system and fight for all their rights; they strive to build a new order and reach a new stage of development which they stand to gain.

So, as first-time voters, how do we register to vote?

Make sure you are:

• At least 18 years old on or before May 9, 2022.
• A Filipino citizen who has never registered in COMELEC.
• A resident of the Philippines for at least one year and a resident of your city for at least six months.

Here are the steps to register for the 2022 elections:

1. Go to irehistro and fill out the application forms at home before going out.
2. Ready your COVID Self-Declaration Form to ensure everyone’s safety.
3. Contact your local COMELEC office and set an appointment for your registration. This can be done through the iRehistro website or portal.
4. Compile the following documents: Any Valid ID w/ Photocopy, Birth Certificate w/ Photocopy, Printed Voter’s Registration Form, and Health Declaration Form.
5. Head to your local COMELEC office to submit your application and complete the registration process.

For further reference and information, you may take the Voter Registration Service Test here.

ELP stated that, “The Enderun Leadership Program believes that our votes hold the key to our future and that we should take charge of it, and allow our voices to be heard so that we can make the change we want to see in the world. The ability to vote is not only a right, but a responsibility, and we should choose to use it wisely.”

The nation’s power throbs in the collective consciousness of the young; this generation undertakes to recuperate failings while daring for future triumphs. So, are you going to vote?