A democracy’s survival depends on the participation of citizens in the state’s political affairs. It is a must for a democratic government to operate on the basic idea that society cannot function without the involvement of the very individuals who comprise it. This differentiates democracies from totalitarian regimes, where politics is non-existent and the functions of a state are left to the will of one or a few.

Although countries around the world have different notions of egalitarianism (and divergent systems embodying such notions), most find common ground in believing that the sine qua non of a democracy is universal suffrage. As a right that operates on the basis of free choice, the practice of voting seems simple enough, yet the collective outcome of votes determines the direction of a state over a long period of time. In this regard, an election is a social equalizer: regardless of one’s career, educational background or social standing, citizens of legal age have one vote each in electing their next leaders.

Compared to other countries, the Philippines has sustained relatively high voter turnouts since the dawn of its independence. Case in point: about 74% of the country’s registered voters exercised their right to vote during the 2010 elections. However, there is still room for improvement.

Apart from the vote buying and violence that perennially mar our elections, the disenfranchisement of the youth in exercising their right to vote has been a problem for generations of Filipinos.

With so many things going on in a young person’s life, it is quite easy for him or her to take democracy for granted. After all, the general elections happen only once every three years. Many times, there seems to be a massive disconnect between the country’s young population and the aging guard holding sway in the upper tiers of the government.

Although not surprising, such cannot justify the youth’s apathy toward the country’s political realities. The youth must realize that voting is more of a responsibility than a privilege, a social duty that had been paid for with the blood of our country’s heroes. It is not just something that may be done, but something that must be done——and social realities justify such an audacious demand.

Dozens of candidates seem to be keenly aware of the power of the youth vote. Social media sites are already being saturated with political advertisements. Apart from these overtly political advertisements, however, there are also some politicians’ endorsements of consumer products; all these are brought about by candidates’ desire for greater media mileage. Indeed, the politicization of the digital realm has become a phenomenon in this country.

The beauty of an election rests in the fact that citizens are given a hand in shaping the country’s narrative. However, such entails that an individual go beyond his or her comfort zone and realize that there is more to being a citizen than obeying the laws and paying taxes. Voting is a start, and it is something that all of us are called to do, no matter who we support or whatever political conviction we believe in.