CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — Considered more career-oriented, well-educated ‘Millennials’ are voters who, if they participate in the upcoming election, have the potential to shape public service in the region by prioritizing qualifications over ‘utang na loob’ or loyalty.
Misamis Oriental Provincial Election Supervisor, Lawyer Carlito Ravelo, shared in an episode of Talakayan sa PIA up close and personal at SM City CDO Uptown that younger voters, or the Millennials who are well-educated, know how to look into the qualifications of electoral candidates.
“Kung makialam sila, dili kay sila anang mga vote-buying regardless og naay kwarta o wala (If they get involved, they should not participate in vote buying, whether there’s money or not), but they are looking at the qualification of the candidate,” he said.
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) conducted a study that reveals a significantly smaller number of voters between the ages of 60 and 70, also known as senior citizens, compared to millennials between the ages of 25 and 40. However, when it comes to percentage votes, 90 percent come from senior citizens, while only 50 percent come from millennials.
This means, according to Ravelo, there are portions of the millennial age group who did not vote.
The lawyer shared that older voters tend to value loyalty more than qualification, indicating a difference in mindset.
The goal of COMELEC is to educate young individuals, including students, to actively participate in the national and local elections in 2025.
“When we conducted voter education, kung inyong ma-notice kanang mga estudyante didto mi sa mga eskwelahan because ang amo sad pagtuo kaning mga young voters wala pa ni sila na infected sa kanang disease bitaw sa politika so bag-o sad ni sila. So, we have to inform them nga mao ni ang mga depekto. So, once they are informed they are educated, makasabot sila so they can decide on their own,” he shared.
(When we conducted voter education, if you notice, we went to the schools where the students are because we also believe that these young voters have not yet been ‘infected’ by the ‘disease’ of politics, so they are still new. Therefore, it is our responsibility to educate them about the shortcomings of the system. Once they are informed and educated, they will understand and be able to decide on their own.)
He urged qualified voters to actively participate in the electoral process.
“Makialam na mo because ang resulta ana ang ma-elect is ug kinsa ra tong nakialam. Dili na ta magmahay, dili ta mag-expect dayun nga gibaha na ta walay serbisyo. So, dili na ta mureklamo kay wala man ta nakialam,” he said.
(You have to take part because whoever will be elected is the result of who cares to vote. We cannot regret or expect flooding or service outages. So we cannot comment because we did not care in the first place during voting.)
In 2025, automated voting will take place for both national and local elections, with the exception of the presidential and vice presidential offices. Additionally, only barangay officials from the senator, party list, representative, mayor, and Sangguniang Bayan will be included.
“So there is no election for the president and vice president as well as the barangay election because the barangay election will be held later in December,” he said.
COMELEC is the premier guardian of the ballot. Its principal role is to enforce and administer all laws and regulations relative to the conduct of elections, plebiscites, initiatives, referendums, and recalls.
As protector of the people’s right of suffrage, the COMELEC endeavors to faithfully and evenly discharge its solemn constitutional responsibility of ensuring the sanctity of elections. (JMOR/PIA-10)
