Not just a vote, but a moral responsibility

As voters troop to the polling centers this Monday, it remains difficult to convince many not to accept money from politicians in exchange for their votes.

- Atty. Ian Vincent Manticajon [e-mail]

This practice has become embedded in the country's political culture, especially in the countryside, where voters routinely expect money from purok leaders or political lieutenants.

I knew that vote-buying and exorbitant spending during elections has become the norm in Philippine politics. But the rude awakening came shortly after the 2022 elections when, a few weeks later, I traveled to Mindanao and met a friend who had just won as a councilor in a fifth-class municipality. He told me he had spent at least P3 million on his campaign.

Even so, I still urge voters, come Monday, to vote with their conscience. Voting is a sacred duty of citizens. And when I say "sacred", I mean exactly that. I do not say it to embellish or exaggerate. I say it because choosing our leaders is an act that carries moral weight. Through the ballot, we decide not only our own future, but also that of our children and our country.

We may feel disillusioned. But even if others treat elections like a transaction, can we not, at least for one moment, rise above it? Can we vote for the candidate who best represents our values, hopes, and aspirations?