Philippine elections: Then and now

The smoke on the political battlefields is beginning to clear by this time. And once again, we see that elections in the Philippines are more than just a democratic process—they are a spectacle, and for many, a season of hope or frustration. From the bustling streets of Metro Manila to the quiet rural towns, every election brings with it a familiar rhythm: campaign rallies, fiery debates, money flowing, promises of change, and the ever-persistent question—"Will my vote truly make a difference?

- TECH4GOOD FORMER DICT UNDERSECRETARY MON B. IBRAHIM

I started exercising my right to vote during the turbulent years of the early ‘70s. I have witnessed the significant transformations that elections in the Philippines have undergone over the past five decades. From a largely manual elections that usually take days to weeks to finish counting the results to the shift to automated counting, what remained was the usual attitude that, in the Philippines, no candidate loses an election but are only victims of cheating. But some dirty practices remained. It is extremely challenging to win an election without tons of money.

During the Cory presidency, the country transitioned from a pre-dominantly two-party system to a multi-party democracy, witnessed the rise of neophyte candidates, mostly entertainment and sports personalities, with little to no prior political experience, struggled with political dynasties, the advent of the party-list system and entered the digital era, where social media plays a decisive role in shaping public opinion. While some of these changes have empowered voters, others have raised concerns about electoral integrity and the progress of democracy.

A multi-party system may offer voters more options, encouraging diverse political representation and providing greater opportunities for new candidates to emerge outside traditional power structures. However, it also led to political opportunism, where many political groups act more as election vehicles rather than advocates of long-term policy reforms.