i had always voted, since the late 1960s when i came of age.
never voted for marcos, but he kept winning. voted for cory in 86 but she was cheated and had to mount the huge protest that led to EDSA. voted for salonga in 92 but fvr won. voted for erap (how stupid of me) in 98 and he won but was edsa-ed. voted for bro. eddie (he was talking alternative economics) in 2004 but arroyo won. voted for jamby and her nationalist platform in 2010 but noynoy won.
kahit midterm elections, pinapatulan ko noon. in may 2007, some months before i started blogging, i wrote Tipo kong iboto and sent it to everyone in my mailing list, including the inquirer. all about voting on issues for a change. economic issues, like the debt policy, e-vat, charter change, pork barrel. wala rin. once they won they forgot their promises, puro pangakong napako.
seeing no signs that it would be different this time, and praning over pcos, i didn’t vote na lang. so yes wala akong kinalaman sa pagkakatalo ni jack enrile. at wala akong kinalaman sa pagkakapanalo ni grace poe. may kinalaman lang ako sa low turnout, well, lower than 2o10, na inaamin naman ni brillantes.
na disenfranchise ako. Sayang na minus one vote si Jun Magsaysay, Grace Poe, Jamby Madrigal, Sonny Angara at Ed Hagedorn.
Si Risa din nga pala kasama sa listahan ko kung hindi nawala ang pangalan ko sa voters list ng presinto ko
“PARTIAL VOTER TURNOUT | A little more than half of registered voters voted – PPCRV data” http://www.interaksyon.com/article/61858/partial-voter-turnout–a-little-more-than-half-of-registered-voters-voted—ppcrv-data
on facebook JoseViking Logarta commented on PARTIAL VOTER TURNOUT | A little more than half of registered voters voted – PPCRV data:
They’re calculating turnout mistakenly. They should divide votes counted by the registered voters associated with the clustered precincts that have reported, not by total registered voters in an area. It is wrong to compare 54% with the 75% of 2010.
Statistics suggests that every time we vote we are likely to lose about half the time. There were millions of losing ballots cast in the Philippines this election. Maybe that’s why so many don’t vote. They feel disenfranchised. I personally find voting invigorating, win or lose. It is rather a responsibility, not a privilege or right, to participate in a democratic state where what the people say matters. Even if they disagree with us.
“Four appalling bits of election ‘wisdom’ that really need to go away” http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2013/05/flawed-wisdom-philippine-elections/
I don’t think it is “appalling” to feel a sense of pride and responsibility in voting. (Pride is Fallen Angel’s point three in the article.) Indeed, what Fallen Angel is saying is that RESPONSIBILITY is important between votes, too. Not just vote and go home and play around. Stay involved. The important point is that democracy is not just take (the rights we claim) but give (acting responsibly both during elections and between them). Voting is an important responsibility. So is engaging between elections.
Voting for the lesser evil is like choosing between an asshole and shit. Both are unpalatable but there is a difference.
angela,
i think you just discovered the insight of decision theory that says voting isnt rational because you cannot, on your own, affect the outcome of an election. :)
@GabbyD, ahahahaha, so did YOU vote?
yes. i did, coz i’m a crazy mofo.
Ha, I guessed as much. You are a dedicated citizen. Good for you.
“Uncritical media, illegitimate election” by Rene Azurin http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Opinion&title=Uncritical-media,-illegitimate-election&id=70275#
“BIG WINNERS IN 2013 ELECTIONS | Networks GMA, ABS-CBN report advertising windfall” http://www.interaksyon.com/business/61865/big-winners-in-2013-elections–networks-gma-abs-cbn-report-advertising-windfall