A How-To Guide To The National Elections

Youth involvement has been one of my advocacies, and I think that the youth has a lot of power to create a change in our society. Right now, it’s election season, and I’m happy to know that the youth is stepping up to get involved in the national elections in different ways. Anyway, here’s my guide on how  to get involved the national elections!

1. If you are at least eighteen years old, and a Filipino citizen, you have the option to be a registered voter. Just go to your nearest city hall or COMELEC office in your city/town/province, and apply as a registered voter. The process is a bit long and tedious, but it’s going to be worth it. However, I still wish that the registration process was a lot more systematic and organized. 
2. If you are not a registered voter, you can also involve yourself in the election fever—there are just so many ways! You can volunteer for various election-related programs (such as helping out with voter’s education or campaigning for a certain candidate), or be informed about the elections.
3. Speaking of being informed—- there are a lot of avenues to be informed about the upcoming national elections! The internet has been a vital part of the elections—candidates have utilized it to promote themselves, and social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter have joined the bandwagon by starting online discussions about the elections!  Also, websites such as Rappler, Yahoo, GMA News Online and ABS-CBN have also provided comprehensive coverage about the elections. This just proves that the Internet has done so much to get things moving. Other methods, such as campaign sorties, advertisements and electoral debates and forum are also helpful. I highly recommend watching electoral debates and forums, though, since it’s a test to see if the candidate is worthy of the people’s votes, and it’s also a great way to be informed about the candidates’ platforms and opinions on certain issues (such as the Reproductive Health Law, and the Freedom of Information Bill). Also, don’t forget to check out COMELEC’s website for more information!
4. After getting the necessary information, make a list of the candidates that you want to vote.  Edit that list if necessary (Can be applicable for both registered voters and non-voters).
5. After you’ve gone through steps 1-4, mark your calendars on May 13, and go to your nearest poll center and vote! (applies to registered voters only)
   
6. If you are not a registered voter, you can check the various news channels and the Internet to be updated about the election results!

Honestly, I think the national election is something that a lot of people should care about. The youth has been making a lot of efforts to make other people aware of this event. The election is a way to exercise one’s choice— the choice to choose leaders fit to address a community (or even a nation)’s needs and create positive changes in our society.