RESPONSIBLE USE OF FREEDOM IN SUFFRAGE
(Erico Joseph T. Cañete)
THE DAWN OF EXERCISING the right of suffrage is in the air. The coming month marks the
time for the filling of the certificate of candidacy for the May 12, 2025 mid term elections.
Political advertisements, posters, pamphlets, flyers, and other campaign paraphernalia would soon
become ubiquitous adding pollutants to the environment if not properly disposed. Airwaves of
bellicose rhetoric from foul mouthed candidates or their mouthpieces create raucous sounds.
Sophism, deceptive words or ideas or arguments, are used with the purpose of misleading the voters.
Fallacy may be excused for it happens unintentionally through inadvertence as a result of a mental
slip. Yet, it ceases to be a fallacy if used with malice.
And how about the the 3 Gs used as machinations to perpetuate coercion and the love of power in
politics?
How many self donations or submission, pretended ignorance, and love for materialism were made
on the strength of these lies, deceptions and violence? Sadly, they are used as bonum utile (useful
good) to derail the voter’s choice and to perpetuate the victory of the inferior and the unworthy.
The right of suffrage has its roots from the notion of freedom. Freedom means directing ourselves to
the goals of our choice to achieve a good end devoid of coercion save by the dictate of one’s
conscience. Here, no one can force one to do or not to do except one’s own will. It naturally directs
itself to what is good, and in this case, to the existential end of society; the common good and welfare
of the constituents. Yet, it is imperative that one’s intellect or conscience be educated as who to
choose for nothing is willed unless known.
On the contrary, if an electorate would cast his vote due to the influence of social preferences like
utang na loob, padrino system, monetary or any other favor, inter alia, then, it would not constitute an
exercise of freedom but an exercise of abuse of freedom. It’s a submission to the lie that freedom
means doing anything we like.
It’s frustrating to know that multitude of the electorate failed to exercise freedom properly. What’s
the prize? Look what’s happening to our country. POGO, drugs, corruption, issues of the West
Philippine Sea are problems resulting from an abuse of freedom. Look how we are tortured by this
devious love of power. Why not try the power of love instead? Why not use freedom responsibly?
The fate of our nation is in the forces within us, responsible use of freedom, sound judgment of one’s
conscience, and above all, virtue and not cunning.
May the result of next year’s midterm election change us for the better!