Towards a well-informed electorate

On Monday, 12 May, the country will be conducting midterm elections for over 18,000 national and local positions.

In a democracy, government officials are either elected or appointed. The Philippine Constitution has general eligibility requirements for elective positions from President down to barangay kagawad. These requirements pertain to citizenship, residency, age, voter registration, and basic literacy.

Elected officials, in turn, appoint public officials and employees. In accordance with the Constitution, appointments to the civil service are to be made based on merit and fitness and, except for a few positions, determined through competitive examination.

The Constitution also specifies voter qualifications. Voters must be at least 18 years old, residents of the Philippines for at least a year, and in the place where they will vote at least six months immediately preceding the election. There is “no literacy, property, or other substantive requirement” imposed for voters.

Given that voters elect officials who in turn appoint others in government, it is imperative that the electorate choose the competent, honest and patriotic candidates.

As a baby boomer, I had the privilege of having experienced the time when voters meticulously considered candidates’ educational qualifications, professional and personal backgrounds, stances on national issues, integrity, patriotism and other qualifications needed for good public servants. It was a time when issues were thoroughly discussed, performance in government defended, platforms espoused in media and in public squares. As President Ramon Magsaysay was quoted as saying, “Can we defend this at Plaza Miranda?”

Unfortunately, that is no longer how a good number of our electorate apparently choose whom to vote for today. It seems that for many, the emphasis now is on the candidates’ dance moves, physical appearance, “ayuda” and other giveaways. The proliferation of disinformation through social media further skews voters’ perceptions.

A well-informed electorate is essential to make a democratic system work well. As Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1789, “Wherever the people are well informed they can be trusted with their own government; that whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them to rights.”

If we want good public governance, there must be a holistic, nationwide, continuous program to have a well-informed electorate.

There must be voter education that will show the importance of public governance. It must illustrate how corruption, bureaucratic inefficiency, and weak rule of law hamper the country’s growth and development and negatively impact on individual Filipino lives. At the same time, it should show how good governance can lead to growth and prosperity for the nation and its citizens.

Voter education must start years before, and not just a few months before elections. It should be taught in school, starting at the basic education level. As to education for current voters, the private sector and the religious sector can take the lead through face-to-face educational fora and media. It is the duty of every Filipino who desires good public governance to contribute his or her share to this effort. It is a duty not only to the present, but to our forefathers and to future generations of Filipinos.

The groundwork for a well-informed electorate that will vote in the 2028 presidential elections should begin today.