Cartoon by: Clarisse Fernandez
Published by: Jean Ashley Lugod
Date Published: November 18, 2024
Time Published: 6:10 PM
Voting comes with a great responsibility. Every vote counts and shapes the future of our country. The election process is far more than merely selecting leaders since it requires knowledge and informed judgment to identify the most qualified candidates. However, despite the significance of this process, why do people still fail to elect competent and qualified leaders?
When it comes to voting standards, there is a little difference between Filipinos and Americans. Recently, the results of the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election revealed that Donald Trump won against Kamala Harris, becoming America's 47th president despite two presidential impeachment and facing charges in four criminal cases [1]. It’s difficult to be certain if candidates with questionable records can truly be trusted. He is the type of a leader that would make decisions based on prejudice rather than what is best for the country. Aside from this, the fact that he was impeached twice and a convicted felon is a major red flag, a sign that he is not the one if you are expecting and looking for a qualified leader, a leader that is trustworthy and has the capability to lead. The question is, how could people still vote for him despite his record?
People seem to repeat the same mistakes in every election and even lower their standards without them knowing. They hope for a trustworthy, dependable, and exceptional leader for the sake of the future of our struggling economy and country, and yet, they vote and elect someone with criminal records and even famous celebrities who just decided to be a politician without the necessary experience and capability of a leader. Being a competent and worthy leader requires experience in governance and a clean record of integrity in public service. The main idea of election is to elect a more worthy and most qualified leader for the position, but the reality seems far from that vision. The voters continue to choose less qualified leaders swayed by factors such as popularity, limited political awareness and the influence of political dynasties. However, this is not only happening in various countries but also here in the Philippines.
A great example of this is the result of the “Halalan 2022” election, where Bongbong Marcos Jr. won the presidency with 31,104,175 votes [2]. Despite the nation’s history and experiences during the Marcos era, people still voted for him, dismissing the possibility that history could repeat itself by giving him the power once again through votes. There were other candidates more deserving of this position. Someone who is competent, dependable, with a clean record and commitment, has proven themselves in leadership, and a true public servant at heart.
Another example of this is where famous celebrities won including the action star Robin Padilla who garnered 26,428,433 votes in the 2022 Philippine elections [3]. His background does not align to being a legislator, yet millions of people voted for him just because of what? Just because of his popularity as a famous actor? Memorizing dialogues in acting is far different from making laws or being a Senator itself. The Senate should be composed of knowledgeable and experienced lawmakers, however its current state is quite opposite of what we've expected. It should be filled with brilliant lawyers, not famous celebrities. Fame alone is not enough to lead a country. You have to possess the necessary traits and the knowledge in order to lead. Just because someone is popular doesn't mean they are suited for the position in the government. Many competent, even overqualified leaders are far more deserving of these roles, but then, voters often overlook them, allowing fame to overshadow worthy leaders.
Elections should be taken seriously, especially when considering its impact on future generations. In voting, we must think critically and wisely in electing leaders as this increases the possibility of building a developed country. What will happen to our country if we continue to elect incompetent and unfit leaders? Let’s break this cycle and think about the possible consequences of our actions first before deciding on something. People should learn on how to vote for someone who possesses the necessary quality of leaders, those who are deserving, competent, experienced and possess leadership traits. People should make it a priority to do background checks on each candidate and be aware of their political accomplishments and achievements. Let's support and vote for someone who has proven themselves that they can be a trustworthy and competent leader. Remember that leadership quality, competency, and being trustworthy is what we should look for in a leader. We should keep in mind that every vote counts and one vote symbolizes hope in building an advanced country. This should serve as a reminder that we must make our standards higher in choosing a leader so that together, we can create a more improved and developed nation, not just for us, but also for the younger and future generations. Choose wisely and vote responsibly.
REFERENCES:
[1] Election 2024: Presidential results. (2024, November 9). CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/election/2024/results/president...
[2] Halalan 2022 Philippine Election Results | ABS-CBN News. (n.d.). ABS-CBN News. https://halalanresults.abs-cbn.com/
[3] Abad, Y. (2022, May 11). LIST: Celebrities who won seats, lead races in 2022 elections. RAPPLER. https://www.rappler.com/.../list-celebrities-won-lead.../
No comments:
Post a Comment