Vote Fairly: A Young Voice

By I. Diaz

Today, schools opened really early—6 a.m.—but not for classes. This time, people came to vote. They were choosing new senators, people for the House of Representatives, provincial leaders, and even down to municipal officials. The voting went on for 13 hours until 7 in the evening. So remember: vote fairly.

This year, COMELEC used a new kind of voting system. Voters picked names on a paper, and then a machine counted the votes. For Filipinos in other countries—like seamen working far away—they used a touch screen to vote.

It’s now May 14, and votes are still being counted. The numbers keep changing every day. While we wait, I just want to say: voting fairly is really important. It’s your right, and you should use it in the best way.

Nobody likes unfair votes. So let’s keep everything peaceful and honest. Cheating is not cool. Even though I can’t vote yet, I still want to remind adults, teenagers, and even kids like me—vote fairly when your time comes.

Think before you vote. You can listen to what others say, but always decide from your heart. Just because someone tells you to pick a certain person doesn’t mean you have to. You’re not a puppet, so don’t let anyone pull your strings.

Vote fairly. The winners will be proclaimed as the new set of leaders once all the votes are counted by the board of canvassers. I hope the people who win bring hope to our country and serve the Filipino people kindly and fairly.