A call for unity to safeguard every Filipino vote

With just one week remaining before Filipinos march to the polls, our archipelagic democracy finds itself awash in campaign colors—red, yellow, pink, and green fluttering from lamp posts, storefronts, and the sleeves of fervent partisans.

- NIGHT OWL ANNA MAE YU LAMENTILLO

For years, voters have endured long queues and unpredictable weather to exercise their constitutional right. Yet true victory will not belong to any one color or coalition; it will belong to the Filipino people only if every ballot is protected, tallied correctly, and ultimately respected.

In the weeks leading up to this pivotal election, political operatives have deployed their visual arsenals with gusto. Yellow banners trumpet one camp's promises of reform. Red posters extol another slate's vision of progress. Pink ribbons beckon supporters to a youthful, transformative agenda, while green streamers rally advocates of fresh environmental priorities. These symbols have their place: they help voters identify their chosen candidates and foster spirited debate. But in the end, an uncounted vote is an unfulfilled pledge of citizenship—and no banner, however bright, can illuminate the path to true democracy if markets and machines swallow even a single ballot.