REFLECTIONS TODAY
Early in this brief eight-day window for the filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COCs), Filipinos cannot remain oblivious to the motions, from premature to profound, leading to the 2025 electoral exercise. Our Commission on Elections (Comelec) and advocates from the private sector have been diligent in reminding the public of the voter registration deadline. Given the good results of the Register Anywhere Program (RAP), our poll body is well-positioned to expand its reach by involving municipalities, if not barangays, in the future.
On the substantive aspect of this weeklong period, a gamechanger worth noting in the rules is the removal of the separate period for substitution of candidates on the ground of withdrawal. Under Section 77 of the Omnibus Election Code, substitution can be made on three grounds: Death, disqualification, and withdrawal. The Supreme Court in the case of Federico v. Comelec (G.R. No. 199612, 22 January 2013) in upholding the poll body’s authority to set a deadline for substitution rightfully describes the nature of withdrawal as a voluntary act as distinguished from the other grounds.
I recall a conversation with distinguished broadcaster Karmina Constantino-Torres around the time this proposal was approved last May 16, 2024. We explored the potential implications of this commendable move. One of her incisive comments that registered to me was: “The process of thinking, of being critical about the candidates, begins right away. Hindi na iyong naghihintayan pa; pati iyong publiko nasama doon sa political play.” True enough, the poll body is reducing the potential for placeholder candidates to be used. This translates to respect to the electorate and integrity of the proceedings.
Despite the fact that logistical and substantive barriers are being addressed, why is it that many remain disconnected to this precious political process? For the disillusioned, it may seem that the act of casting one’s vote is unlikely to make a tangible difference. Some may even question whether their principled vote will truly matter in the face of larger political forces. Without denying the legitimate reasons that sustain their basis of doubt and resignation, I must assert that the proper response is never learned hopelessness or flight. Apathy and surrender to the existing ills of any given system are sure ways to perdition.
What is it that makes democracy both an anchor of stability and a fragile institution? It is the delicate balance between the power of the people and the institutions that govern them. The logical response of a sober electorate to patronage politics is nothing short of its repudiation.
Election is in theory an initiatory and sustainable process of ensuring the outcome most beneficial to all citizens. Suffrage is more than the right to vote during election day. The United Nations (UN) Handbook on the Legal, Technical, and Human Rights Aspect of Elections (1994) identifies four essential and interlocking rights in its definition: the right to take part in government, the right to vote and be elected, the right to equal access to public office, and the right to self-determination.
Socrates, expressed concerns about the potential limitations of majority rule. He argued: “Why should the ship of state be steered by the unskilled hands of the many when the knowledgeable few are better equipped to navigate its course?” To this we respond by being informed and engaged because only then can we harness the collective wisdom of the sovereign people of this republic. We rely on checks and balances. We do not condone unchecked authority. Know your candidates and their positions on national issues. Study their track records. Comelec will start uploading on its website the COCs of aspirants two weeks after this filing period. Together we will create our principled vote.
(Atty. Gregorio “Goyo” Larrazabal is a former Comelec commissioner. He is a pioneer of automated elections being a member of the Commission that successfully modernized Philippine elections in 2010. He remains involved in public service as an election lawyer. (Email: [email protected])