71 million voters at risk of being swayed by vote-buying tradition 

The country’s’ long-standing tradition of vote-buying may finally be broken if all Filipino voters heed the call of the Catholic Church for a “Sacred Election”.

In Bohol, the crusade is being led by Bishop Abet Uy of the Diocese of Tagbilaran and Bishop Patrick Daniel Parcon of the Diocese of Talibon.

It has been observed that “business politics” has led to “bankrupt economics” in the country, as citizens sell their votes to the highest bidder in every election.

In response, the Lubas sa Dagang Bisaya (LUDABI), Association of Writers and Radio Announcers Foundation (AWRAFI), Bohol Literary Arts Culture Circle (BLACC), and National Visayan Culture and Arts Inc (NAVISCAI) are launching a joint campaign against vote-buying, dubbed “Sangka sa Pakigpulong” and “Sangka sa Balak”, on November 4, 2024.

The campaign aims to educate voters, including the educated, about the gravity of selling their votes and the importance of making informed decisions in the upcoming elections.

The theme of the campaign is “Pagsumpo sa Kahiwian sa Piniliay” (Condemning the Evil of Vote-Buying), which was conceptualized by Atty. Philip de la Torre, vice-president of LUDABI Bohol.

The campaign is supported by various organizations, including the Diocese of Tagbilaran and the Diocese of Talibon, which are advocating for a “Sacred Election”.

The campaign also aims to promote the theme “Ang Dalaygong Hiyas sa mga Bol-anon” (The Precious Gem of the Boholanos), which will be the subject of a poetry and essay writing contest.

The contest is open to all Boholanos, and the winners will be announced on October 26, 2024, at the Cabalit Law Office.

The campaign is also supported by Retired RTC Judge Jorge Cabalit, who will be one of the judges in the poetry and essay writing contest.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has reported that there are 91,912,429 registered voters in the country, with 201,799 clustered precincts and 37,524 voting centers, as of 2023.

There are over 18,721 national and local positions up for grabs in the May 12, 2025 elections, and an estimated 71 million voters are expected to cast their ballots.