Issues, Opportunities, and Reflections On The 2022 National Elections - A Phenomenological Inquiry From The Lens of First Time Voters

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UST ANGELICUM COLLEGE

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
ISSUES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND REFLECTIONS ON THE 2022

NATIONAL ELECTIONS: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL INQUIRY FROM
THE LENS OF FIRST-TIME VOTERS
A Research Project
Presented to the Senior High School Department
UST Angelicum College,
Quezon City
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the

Senior High School Program, Academic Track –
Humanities and Social Sciences
Jay Steven M. Cuyco

Sean Maverick Lowell B. Mores
Aragorn Vitorio K. Reyes
Benito Emilio I. Sales
April 2023
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CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM AND ITS
BACKGROUND
Introduction
A populace selects a person or people to hold public office
through a formal group decision-making process called an election.
Since the 17th century, elections have been the primary method used to
carry out representative democracy in modern times. Elections may be
held to fill legislative, occasionally executive, occasionally judicial, and
occasionally regional and municipal positions. In contemporary
representative democracies, elections are a means for choosing
representatives. To elect is to "make a decision or a choice". In the case
of national elections, this would mean to vote for one’s personal
candidate choice among those running for public office. Elections have
been the cause of arguments and debates between supporters of
different or rival political parties and candidates ever since the beginning
of its use since approximately 508 B.C., when ancient Greeks started
practicing one of the earliest forms of democracy. This is mostly due to
an individual or group’s beliefs, relation, and/or loyalty and devotion to

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their candidate or political party of choice. The issue of the negative
effects of elections has been a problem for countries all over the world,
not limited to the Philippines. Elections are essential to the effectiveness
of a nation's government and have the power to significantly progress or
impede a nation's long-term democratic growth. Oftentimes, an election
would almost certainly produce a deeply divided result between voters
and supporters.
In the case of the 2022 Philippine elections, the country suffered
one of the most intense and long lasting feuds of disagreement,
specifically between the voters and supporters of two presidential
candidates at the time, which divided the country due to the people’s
difference in beliefs and candidate choice. The 2022 Philippine
presidential and vice presidential elections were held on May 9, 2022,
and also included active participation from non-voters (mostly minors).
Moreover, it is sometimes argued that the emphasis on divisive issues
could be a response to electoral pressures (Hillygus and Shields, 2014).
Because of elections, people often feel obligated to show and/or give
support to their desired presidential candidate and/or political party. This
is due to a desire to be involved in an individual’s country of residence’s
political affairs, often synonymous with the act of patriotism. The most
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common reason and root behind the fierce show of support and the
divisive arguments between voters and supporters is the desire for their
candidate to win, having believed that their candidate of choice would
benefit their country and personal lives, as well as the lifestyles of their
countrymen. This is also due to their desire to improve a country’s
economic and political state. A few of the issues and causes of
divisiveness between voters and supporters during the 2022 Philippine
elections are the dissemination of false information or “fake news”, and
prejudice against the rival candidate of their candidate of choice. This led
to personal attacks between voters and supporters on the intellect and
personality of the voters and supporters of their presidential candidate’s
rival, and vice versa.
Some candidates have allegedly been paying individuals to
create fake accounts called “trolls” to spread false information to drive
voters to support their political party. According to a report by
humanitarian organization Mercy Corps, political disinformation
campaigns play out in three phases: The development of core narratives;
onboarding of influencers and fake account operators; and dissemination
and amplification on social media. And this is how “politicians are
weaponizing disinformation now”, said De La Salle University professor

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of communication Jason Cabanes. “It’s not just one camp, but many
different political camps. Everyone seems to be in on it. They feel that
they need to be part of this new political game.” (Paulo, 2022). Another
issue is the use of negative campaigning by the candidates, which
somehow influenced their supporters to tolerate this act and to do the
same, ultimately giving more cause for arguments and negative debates
(mostly online) that usually become personal between the people who
present their arguments. Issues such as vote buying and intellect
shaming were present during the 2022 Philippine elections. Situations
where individuals would attack a voter and/or supporter for their choice of
candidate, wherein they would shame the individual for his or her beliefs
and political views, as well as targeting their person, mainly their level of
intelligence and education, became common during the 2022 Philippine
Elections. The International Observer Mission (IOM), funded by the
International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines, reported in an
interim assessment that the May 9 elections "took place under the most
restrictive climate observed since the period of dictator Ferdinand
Marcos.". Some Filipinos believe that if a certain candidate won the
presidential election, their lives would be in danger, and that the
economic state of the country would diminish due to this. This caused a
small, yet, widespread fear and panic among the Filipino people. Due to
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the spread of false information in social media, making it difficult to
determine which information is real or fake, it is unknown if the cause of
panic has any basis, although seeing as the country’s economic state is
beginning to crumble, it can be agreed that the disappointment of the
Filipino people may be justified.
Now that the elections have ceased, and a candidate has been
chosen for public office, many Filipino people are expressing dismay
over the results, some due to the fact that their candidate didn’t win, and
others due to their personal prejudice against the winner of the
presidential elections. The election took place in the midst of the
COVID-19 epidemic, which had caused the country's economy to
contract. Other major topics were the continuance of President Duterte's
policies, the country's ties with China and the United States, debt
management, growing inflation, and climate change. Due to
unprecedented faults in the country's computerized voting system and
issues with voter lists, many people were unable to vote.
The purpose of this study is to identify the consequences of the
2022 Philippine elections on the Filipino people, with an emphasis on the
experiences and perceptions of first time voters. This study also aims to
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identify and pinpoint the significant concerns that arose during the 2022
Philippine elections, as well as identify the opportunities that will be taken
away from the Filipino people as a result of the elections, as well as the
opportunities opened for the Filipino people as a result of the election.
This research will make use of a phenomenological approach to
understand the phenomenon surrounding the 2022 Philippine elections.
The researchers picked this study since the 2022 Philippine elections are
one of the most important events in the country's history. The
researchers believe that it is critical to document and analyze the events
that occurred during the recent elections, as well as to determine the
cause of these events, so that future generations can look back and
identify the mistakes made during the election, in order to prevent these
mistakes from occurring again.
Theoretical Framework
To further understand the reason behind the consequences
and effects caused by the 2022 Philippine elections, these problems
must be pinpointed and identified. The effects of elections often cause
disagreements between people who support different candidates. This is
mainly due to the fact that elections unconsciously pressure the minds of
people into choosing one among the set of candidates to support,

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although this is not always the case, since there are still some people
who prefer to keep their votes to themselves and/or remain apolitical.
Once an individual has chosen their desired candidate, only two things
could happen as a result, the first being that the individual will continue to
show support for their candidate and vote for him/her, all the while
ignoring the campaigning of other candidates, or show an equal amount
of support, or simply respect other candidates and the belief and opinion
of voters. The second being that the individual will form an exaggerated
feeling of prejudice against other candidates and their voters/supporters.
This is the case of the 2022 Philippine elections. Among the many
factors of this issue that served as fuel for the fire that ignited a
nationwide disagreement between supporters and voters of different
political parties and candidates, two of these are recognized as the main
factors. The first being negative campaigning, and the second being the
spread of fake news. Negative campaigning is the purposeful
dissemination of unfavorable information about someone or something to
harm the described public perception. It was one of the concerns that
came up during the 2022 elections and was covered by news
organizations. There were several conflicts between the backers of the
selected candidates. It led to dramatic events and protracted
disagreements. Their support for their candidates increased dramatically

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compared to past elections, which pushed them to campaign harder for
the candidate they thought should win, therefore leading them to engage
in negative campaigning. The dissemination of false information is when
people distribute fake news about a candidate they oppose, completely
damaging their reputation. Many circulate false information about rival
candidates in an effort to benefit the one they want to win the election.
This was another topic that caused division in the nation. Personal
assaults were made against the candidates, while others who formed
fictitious online personas or "trolls" were disseminating fake material to
damage the reputations of the candidates and alter the public's
impression of them.
Conceptual Framework
The Conceptual Paradigm of the Study

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Textural and structural descriptions of the phenomenon under
study are critical to the phenomenological investigation. The
essence of first-time voters' experiences in national elections is the
subject of the current study. The respondents' perceptions and
experiences are reflected in the textual descriptions of the phenomenon.
The textural description is a narrative that explains the perceptions of
participants about a phenomenon. In this step, the researcher describes
their participants' experiences using verbatim excerpts from their
interviews.
The structural descriptions of the phenomenon are the underlying
and precipitating factors that explain the perceptions and experiences of
first-time voters. The phase based on textural descriptions and imaginative
variation is the construction of individual structural descriptions.
Researchers use imaginative variation to imagine how the experience
occurred and then construct the structure of the experience. The
composite structural and textural descriptions are combined to create a
universal description of first-time voters' experiences in the 2022 National
Elections.
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Statement of the Problem
The purpose of this study is to explore the essence of the lived
experience of the first time voters during the 2022 national elections.
Here are the following central questions of this inquiry:
1. What are the most impactful perceptions and experiences of the
first-time voters during the 2022 National Elections?
2. What contexts explain these perceptions and experiences?
3. What is the essence of the lived experiences of the participants
as first-time voters?
Scope and Delimitation of the Study
The purpose of this study is to understand the 2022
Philippine elections’ psychological effects on individuals and the
country as well as how this affected the lives and morale of the
Filipino people. Additionally, the study identified first time voters’
take backs and insight on the events that transpired during the
election. The study prioritized identifying which issues during the
election were most significant and alarming for students.

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The focus of this study is senior high school students of all strands
and college students both in a private university in Quezon City.
The researchers chose students enrolled in this specific private
school for accessibility and convenience reasons.
Significance of the Study
This study entitled, “Looking Back at the 2022 National
Elections: Issues, Opportunities, and Reflections”, will be very
much beneficial to the following:
Students. This research will assist students who intend to study
the 2022 Philippine elections and the events that transpired.
Additionally, the researchers find that it is important to be aware of
the political events that occur in this country so as to not become
oblivious of the country’s political and economical state, and
clueless as to why this happened. Students who wish to look for a
documented manuscript regarding the issues of the 2022 Philippine
elections will find this study beneficial to them.
Teachers. This research will aid teachers who wish to discuss and
disseminate information regarding the 2022 Philippine elections, as

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well as pinpoint and study the issues that took place during this
period. Teachers will find that this manuscript will give a detailed
description of the significance of the 2022 Philippine elections to
the lives of the Filipino people, and will find this topic important and
beneficial to the knowledge of themselves and their students.
Historians. This research will be very much beneficial to historians
who desire to look back and scrutinize the events that transpired
during the 2022 Philippine elections. Historians will surely be in
need of a documented text regarding the topic of this study, as the
information embedded in this research is a detailed description of a
historical event that is fit for public analysis. Historians will find that
the accounts of people who went through the 2022 Philippine
elections are worthy of documentation and will provide a glimpse of
the Filipino people’s views and morale at the time, deserving of a
place in the documentation of Filipino history.
The general public. This research will contain information
valuable, timely, significant, and necessary to the public, not limited
to the Filipino people. The information found in this paper will
significantly increase the knowledge of the people who read it. The
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researcher found that the events that occurred during the 2022
Philippine elections must not be forgotten. Additionally, the contents
of this study will surely inspire its readers to be more politically
aware and involved in events that play a part in the future of the
country they reside in.
Future researchers. This research will help future researchers
who desire to work on a study with a similar or same topic of
context. Future researchers will find a plethora of texts noteworthy
and suitable for reference. Researchers who desire to build on this
study will be aided by the already existing information embedded in
this text. The data found in this study will increase the knowledge of
the researchers and will surely assist them in their own studies and
research papers.
Definition of Terms
Candidates. It refers to one that aspires to or is nominated or
qualified for an office, membership, or award (Merriam-Webster Dictionary,
n.d.). In this study, there will be a discussion about candidates involved in
the elections in the Philippines.

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Democracy. A government in which the supreme power is vested
in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system
of representation usually involving periodically held free elections
(Merriam-Webster Dictionary, n.d.). In this study, there will be a discussion
about democracy in the Philippines.
Elections. a time when people vote in order to choose someone for
a political or official job (Cambridge Dictionary, n.d.). This is the heart of
the study.
Fake News. It is frequently used to describe a political story which
is seen as damaging to an agency, entity, or person (Merriam-Webster
Dictionary, n.d.). In this study, fake news regarding politics such as the
spread of false information about the candidates and political parties for
the benefit of their prefered candidates/parties will be discussed.
Morale. The mental and emotional condition (as of enthusiasm,
confidence, or loyalty) of an individual or group with regard to the function
or tasks at hand. (Merriam-Webster, n.d.) In this study, there will be a
discussion about the effects and consequences of Philippine elections
upon a voter’s sense of morale.
Politics. Politics is governance, the exercise of power and control
within a nation and country through making and enforcement of laws and
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collective decisions. (Cambridge Dictionary, n.d.) In this study, the term
politics and politicians will be used frequently.
Populace. They are the ordinary people who live in a particular
country or place (Cambridge Dictionary, n.d.). In this study, the populace in
the Philippines will be discussed.
Trolls. Is when people use the internet to spread false information
about political candidates (Kiran V, 2020). In this study, so-called “trolls”
who use social media to spread fake news or false information about the
candidates campaigning for a political position.
Voters. They are people who have the legal right to vote in
elections, or people who are voting in a particular election (Collins
Dictionary, n.d). In this study, the experiences of voters and especially first
time voters in the Philippines will be discussed.

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CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
The researchers discovered that the 2022 Philippine Elections had
its consequences on the Filipino people and it affected their personal life
and morale. To further analyze this study, the researchers will examine
publications, researches, articles, and studies pertaining to the 2022
Philippine Elections.
Conceptual Literature:
Politics in the Philippines
Politics plays an important role in society. An increase in political issues
in the government has a big impact on the people which leads them to
become more cynical. Public trust in the government since then has been
on the prolonged downturn despite a temporary upsurge in the 1980s.

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Parallel to the low trust in government, the past two or three decades also
witnessed a trend of decline in political participation (Macedo, 2005),
which is often called “spiral of disaffection” and has spawned a great
amount of scholarly attention.
The Philippines was the first country in Asia to hold elections, shortly
after the turn of the 20th century, and many Filipinos continue to
participate enthusiastically in the political process. For a country where
suffrage is a right rather than an obligation, data from the International
Institute of Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA)
indicates that a sizable majority of Filipinos vote, ranging from 64 per cent
in 2007 to 90 per cent in 1987. The International IDEA database also
shows that the average turnout in Philippine legislative and presidential
elections from 1945 to 2010 was slightly higher (at 78.4 percent and 77.8
per cent, respectively) than the Asian average of 70.8 percent and 75.6
percent, respectively (Holmes, 2016). Elections in the Philippines are seen
as the field in which the nation's prestigious families compete for political
power. According to Karl O’Connor, Saltanat Janenova and Colin Knox
(2019), it is the only Central Asia country to be categorized as ‘partly free’
because of its commitment to democracy and modestly competitive party

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politics, although not without evidence of vote buying in elections. Filipinos
practice practicing being totally committed to democracy and are modestly
and honestly competitive when it comes to their nation's politics.
Competitive politics have a long history in the Philippines, dating all the
way back to the time of Spanish colonization. Municipal authorities
(gobernadorcillos) have been chosen by and from among the illustrados of
each municipality since early Spanish times. These individuals were
eligible for this honor due to their superior wealth and education. Elections
for these positions are typically held every two years. Elections for public
authorities are the Philippines' most exciting event. It happens when
friends and family split apart and become insignificant. Voters are fiercely
loyal to the politicians they supported. Along the way of explaining why it is
such, this study would offer answers to those queries. The cause of this
intriguing incident is also revealed through this investigation. Elections are
held every three years, with the exception of the president, barangay, and
sangguniang kabataan offices (SK). Voting is only available to those who
are at least 18 years old. In addition to the national leadership, elections
are held for representation at the provincial and municipal levels. Elections
are the process through which voters select the representatives who will
draft, decide, and implement the people's policies. Elections in today's

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world are frequently marred by violence and fraud. The process of electing
leaders, which is intended to be a citizen's privilege and responsibility, is
frequently handled improperly or not at all. Elections are now tarnished by
dishonest methods like vote buying, results are altered, and self-serving
interests are sustained.
Accordingly, Philippine elections are often marred by violence, fraud
and irregularities. Polling stations ran out of ballots; ballot boxes missing;
names of legitimate voters are not on the voting list; dead people remain
on lists that have not been updated; stations ran out of ink that keeps
voters from voting twice. All these allegations will be verified in this
research. In addition, there have also been allegations that
computers have been manipulated to change results. Vote buying and
dirty tricks are run-of-the-mill. In extreme situations, political groups
resorted to switching ballot boxes. A complete theory of politics clearly
requires analysis at both levels, electoral and governmental.

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Effects and Consequences of Elections in the Philippines
In the Philippines, there has frequently been a large amount of violence
during presidential elections. Many politicians developed their own private
armies by organizing and arming their supporters in order to protect
themselves or engage in violence, which was one of several elements that
fueled violent rivalries and continuous bloodshed during each political
cycle. Political 'dynasties,' some of which have their own private armies,
and insufficient law enforcement are contributing factors to the country's
ongoing political violence problem.
Civil conflict is a major impediment to development and
poverty-reduction (World Bank, 2012). Its negative effects include
reductions in economic growth (Abadie and Gardeazabal, 2003),
educational attainment (Leon, 2012), height-for-age Z-scores (Akresh et
al., 2012), and birth weight (Mansour and Rees, 2012). Despite the large
potential gains from ending or preventing civil conflict, its causes are not
well understood.Academics and practitioners point to electoral fraud as an

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important cause of internal conflicts, especially in the developing world.
For instance, Callen and Long (2015) argue that fraudulent elections can
exacerbate civil conflict by undermining the democratic process and
increasing popular support for non-democratic, and potentially violent,
political actors; a recently published World Bank report notes that “leaders
lacking trust in ‘winner-take-all’ scenarios may manipulate [election]
outcomes, which can trigger serious violence” (World Bank, 2012).
The Philippines is a constitutional republic with a population of more
than 90 million. A new president is elected every 6 years, while
congressional, provincial and municipal elections are held every 3 years.
Our focus is on the midterm elections held on May 14, 2007. Although the
presidency was not in contention, 1598 mayors were elected, 755 of
whom were incumbents. The mayoral candidates belonged to over 40
different parties, most of which were affiliated with one of the two major
political camps: the center-right governing coalition around the president
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s KAMPI party, and the opposition led by the
center-left Liberal Party. The 2007 Philippine elections were the last to be
counted manually.
Election fraud through miscounting/mis-tabulation of votes is so
common in the Philippines that a specific term has developed for it:
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“dagdag-bawas”, which is literally translated as “subtract-add”.
International election observers of the 2007 election noted that ballots
were tallied by hand, and characterized the counting process as “prone to
fraud and misuse”. One observer reported “a general feeling among voters
that their votes would not be counted, a sentiment provoked by acts of
fraud and violence allegedly committed by politicians, election officials,
and armed groups.” Many experts believe that election fraud decreases
the population’s trust in democracy and leads to increased support for
non-democratic and potentially violent actors (World Bank, 2012). In the
case of the Philippines, the NPA specifically uses allegations of fraud in
their propaganda material and when recruiting. Philippine elections have
always been rotten, bloody and dirty which is but a result and extension of
a degenerating rotten system beset by a chronic and worsening social,
political and economic crisis. But to stand up and fight for truth, for justice
and the democratic rights of the people will always be truly liberating,
patriotic and noble (Madlos, 2007).
Voting Preferences in the Philippines
An election is a formal process of selecting a person for holding a
public office (Eulau et al., 2020). For first-time voters, voting in national
and local elections will be a new experience. However, since they are
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first-time voters, they may have little to no idea of their basis on who to
choose during the national and local elections. According to Arkorful et al.,
(2020), voters’ choice preferences are anchored on the candidate’s
expertise, image, quality, trust, and attractiveness. Each factor influences
the other. The level of expertise the candidate has could be a benchmark
of their attractiveness and/or even raise the voter’s trust for the position.
Candidates with a good and positive image are more likely to be trusted or
deemed worthy for the position they are running for than candidates that
fall short of the trusted qualities. The attractiveness of the candidate also
influences how voters see the quality of the candidate and are likely to be
perceived as worthy of the position (Arkorful et.al, 2020). In the
Philippines, the national election is held for the presidency every 6 years
and the senate and local government for every 3 years. Last May 2022
were the national and local elections where, according to the Commission
on Elections (COMELEC) Director James Jimenez, 52% of the total
registered voters are young adults. That equals around 31 million out of
the 60.46 million registered as of September 11, 2021. The COMELEC
has recorded more than 4 million new voters belonging to the 18 to 21 age
group. The data from the Information Technology Department of the poll
body as of October 14 showed that a total of 4,094,614 young adult
Filipinos are newly registered (Patinio, 2021).

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Voters today have become cynical about politics (Murcia & Guerrero,
2016). The most important factor for them in choosing the candidates are
those from whom they will benefit most, as preference was universally
noted to be modified by decision-making processes, such as choices
(Sharot, De Martino, & Dolan, 2009), even unconsciously (Coppin,
Delplanque, Cayeux, Porcherot, & Sander, 2010). The shifting focus of
voters’ likes and dislikes of presidential candidates over the past
half-century mirrors the shifting content of campaign advertising – and that
the policy content of ads has produced a more policy focused electorate,
despite significant declines in the reach and policy content of campaign
news coverage (Gilens, Vavreck & Cohen, 2007). Thus, being both
conscious and unconscious of their choice, its effect in the election
outcomes gives the most concluding factor to the growth of one’s own
governance. First-time voters believe a candidate who has a clean
political record, outstanding leadership experiences, degree holder, and a
vision for the country and its people are the most important qualities they
must possess to be a good and effective leader. Furthermore, the family,
school, peers, and political parties have a vital role to play in influencing
the preferences of a first-time voter. Social media is also one of the most
powerful campaign platforms according to the first-time voters, it can

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either educate voters or a breeder of misinformation. Meanwhile, de
Figueiredo et al., (2009) study suggests that revealing a candidate's
corruption record in public can influence voters' decisions, but the results
are still dependent on how important a clean government is to the people.
As a result, the impact of increased transparency which reveals the
corruption record of a politician can result in a situation where one is
punished while the other is not.
Pre-election surveys also have significant influence on the voting
preference of the voters in the 2019 senatorial election. This supports the
work of (Blais et al., 2002) which argues that pre-election surveys are
influential to the voting preferences of voters. Meanwhile, the finding that
candidate orientation is least associated with voting preferences refutes
the claims of previous studies which reject candidates’ party affiliation and
rather explain candidate-centered factors as pivotal determinant in
explaining the voting preferences of the Filipinos (Murcia and Bolo,
2016).Looking at the current election climate in the Philippines, it can be
inferred that the candidate's preference is determined by their membership
in pro-administration or opposition parties. Additionally, pre-election polls
affect the preferences of young voters. This is reportedly related to the fact
that the public has regular access to the findings of pre-election surveys,
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especially since these studies have become widely accepted in all media
channels, particularly social media, and have been regularly done and
published during the campaign season. As a result, they could influence
the voters by creating a bandwagon effect. Overall, the study's findings
diverge from the prevalent political tendency identified in the literature,
which holds that Filipino voters' preferences are explained by
candidate-centered criteria.
Meanwhile, de Figueiredo et. al (2009) study suggests that revealing
a candidate's corruption record in public can influence voters' decisions,
but the results are still dependent on how important a clean government is
to the people. As a result, the impact of increased transparency which
reveals the corruption record of a politician can result in a situation where
one is punished while the other is not. Hossain et al., (2017) found out that
candidates’ qualifications, especially their educational attainment, had the
highest effect on voting decisions. As a consequence, citizens want
candidates to exhibit certain required traits to a larger degree than they
exhibit themselves (Dynes et al., 2019). A leader should be mature,
experienced, compassionate, and educated, as well as comprehend the
feelings, thoughts, and visions of others. And it all stems from our moral
lives and education (Catchuela et. al 2017). B.PAC (2020) emphasized
that political leaders are crucial because they define how power and
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money are distributed through government policies, form relationships with
other stakeholders, and make decisions that can have a significant impact
on a country's well-being and population. Above and beyond any
short-term personal rewards, political leadership experience necessitates
a focus on a country's long term improvement. Strong political leadership
necessitates a blend of charm and honesty, as well as the ability to assess
a situation and make decisions based on what is best for the majority.
Research Literature
A number of studies have been conducted regarding national elections
such as the study conducted by Majumder and Nguyen (2017) that the
impact of the 2016 US Presidential Election was detrimental on
Americans' mental health as well as their well-being that it has piqued
public interest. Election-related stress and anxiety risk factors have yet to
be investigated. Some groups of Americans appear to be more vulnerable
than others.
Goggin, S. N., Byrne, M. D., & Gilbert, J. E. (2012). Post-election
auditing: effects of procedure and ballot type on manual counting

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accuracy, efficiency, and auditor satisfaction and confidence. Election Law
Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy, 11(1), 36-51.
Furthermore, a study made by Goggin, Byrne and Gilbert (2012)
wherein their study looks at how different group counting procedures and
ballot types affect the accuracy, efficiency, and subjective usability
judgments of a post-election audit. Their findings show that well-defined
procedures, as well as a division of labor among group counting members,
contribute to more accurate and efficient ballot audits.
Moeller, J., de Vreese, C., Esser, F., & Kunz, R. (2014). Pathway to
Political Participation: The Influence of Online and Offline News Media on
Internal Efficacy and Turnout of First-Time Voters. American Behavioral
Scientist, 58(5), 689–700. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764213515220
Moeller, de Vreese and Esser et al. (2017) Their study investigates the
impact of online and offline news media use on adolescent internal
efficacy growth. According to the findings, actively participating in the
online communication process of political information has the greatest
impact on internal efficacy. In turn, internal efficacy is discovered to be a
significant predictor of first-time voters.

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Crosby, L. A., & Taylor, J. R. (1983). Psychological commitment and its
effects on post-decision evaluation and preference stability among voters.
Journal of consumer research, 9(4),
Crosby & Taylor (1983) For high commitment voters, social motivation
moderates the influence of social versus personal outcomes in
post-decision evaluation, but not for low commitment voters. A high level
of psychological commitment to a vote decision produces halo effects in
subsequent evaluations of election outcomes and is associated with
greater preference stability. Preferences of low-commitment voters are
more volatile and subject to less cognitive mediation.
According to Batara et.al (2021), based on the previous Philippine
elections, the said election periods were characterized by having the
presence of a weak party system, histories of dynamic rule, as well as the
importance of media celebrities in elected political offices. Thus, it was
highlighted in the article the importance of knowing the candidates’
background. With this upcoming election 2022, all of the candidates, may
it be for Presidential or Vice Presidential positions possess different
backgrounds or histories. Example past professions of the candidates was

32
being a boxing legend, former actor, as well as a dictator’s son. Hence,
knowing the former profession of the candidates gives an impact on the
perspective of the voters regarding the candidates' effectiveness.
Additionally, Robert Denning of Southern New Hampshire University
said that understanding the past and how various individuals are affected
by it helps foster empathy for others in the present who hold different
views about their social and economic classes or groups. Every one of
them is rumored to have a history that deviates from the norm. Denning is
also persuaded that historians hold the view that understanding the past
can help us decide what to do and avoid in the present, despite the fact
that they assert that having the exact circumstances rarely occurs and
that, as a result, these circumstances are most likely to have different
analogies from the past.
In addition to this, there is a term called ‘political dynasty’ where it is
being referred to a situation where members of a certain family are
occupying different government positions which can be with the same
position but different eras, or all at the same era and time but in different
government positions. According to Beda Jr., et.al (2013), the political
dynasties in the Philippines are common within areas with cases of severe
33
poverty. Thus, some citizens are not in favor of candidates that are known
to have connections with former leaders that have negative reviews from
the people. On the other hand, if the relatives of the candidate made some
great things during their administration before, those citizens that are
originally not in favor might change their stand and opinions to being in
favor.
As a result, it has become clear how important it is to understand each
candidate's familial connections and career history when deciding who
each voter would support.
According to Alindogan (2021), if we are to talk about Philippine
politics, there is no such thing as permanent allies or friends, only
permanent political ambitions. Moreover, according to Reyes (2020), there
is sufficient evidence that shows how the political fortunes of Dutertes
have been closely tied with Marcoses, but not sufficient enough to prove
that the former was loyal to Ferdinand Marcos just before he became the
president. With President Duterte’s October 2016 address, he mentioned
that his father was a Cabinet member of the former President Ferdinand
Marcos Sr. during his first term and claimed that his father is one of the
two-member who stood by Marcos when everybody was shifting to the

34
Liberal party, which is to Diosdado Macapagal. Given the political history
of the nation, those assertions were therefore unclear.
According to Quitzon (2021), the battle for the presidency of the
Philippines in 2022 is gaining traction. There are five front-runners among
the dozens of candidates who have submitted paperwork: Ferdinand
"Bongbong" Marcos Jr., Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao, Francisco "Isko
Moreno" Domgaoso, Christopher "Bong" Go, and Maria Leonor "Leni"
Robredo. Meanwhile, the Philippines is still battling the effects of the
Covid-19 outbreak. With just roughly a third of the population completely
vaccinated, a presidential campaign's ability to successfully use social
media and control digital arenas will be critical in influencing public
opinion. Traditional in-person campaign gatherings are also impossible to
organize due to government lockdowns. As a result, candidates will rely
on social media to reach out to voters much more than in prior elections.
Social media is an influential factor in Philippine culture. Given how
slow and erratic internet service can be, it's a straightforward and
convenient way to consume content. Social media is the ideal platform for
influencing public opinion since it is so accessible; as a result, Politicians
will do anything to grab the public's interest. The campaign of Philippine
President Rodrigo Duterte was the first to use social media virality to its
35
advantage. According to Nic Gabunada, Duterte's social media manager,
his campaign deployed a legion of online trolls to "amplify" his message
throughout Philippine cyberspace. These trolls carry on spreading lies in
support of Duterte's policies.
The election candidates for the following year will be affected by
Duterte's erratic social media marketing. These strategies have either
been embraced or rejected by candidates and their supporters. The mayor
of Manila, Isko Moreno, has added his own spin to Duterte's demagogy by
denouncing "decent" and "moralistic" Liberal Party legislators. In reaction
to the #WithdrawIsko hashtag being used by Leni Robredo's supporters,
he used a press conference to disparage her and her supporters.
Naturally, Robredo supporters responded negatively on Twitter,
heightening the negativity of social media.
Additionally, Bongbong Marcos and his family continue to work covertly
to modernize the decades-old disinformation campaigns they have been
supporting. Influencers, Facebook pages, and YouTube channels support
claims that alter the public's perception of the Marcos family by often
downplaying or disputing the kleptocracy and human rights violations that

36
took place under Martial Law. The Marcos campaign has come under fire
for "whitewashing" his father's brutal rule as a "great moment" for the
Philippines and for disseminating falsehoods and exaggerations about the
Marcos family that date back to the 1960s, when the elder Marcos served
as president.
Misinformation spread via social media threatens to further polarize
Philippine society and politics. As a result, each contender will have a
tough struggle in the 2022 elections. Because just a simple majority is
necessary to win the presidency, the proper mix of fury, virality,
disinformation, and trolling might be enough to shift the scales in any
candidate's favor. The stakes for this election are high: Filipino voters will
decide whether the country's democratic institutions are strengthened or
weakened.
One of the most important attributes in choosing the best politicians is
their competence in their duty and responsibilities. However, most of the
people perceived that some politicians are incompetent due poor
governance (Wang & Wan Wart, 2003).They tend to talk more but act less
(Kepplinger , 2002; Jones, 2005; Lietz, Wagner, Bleier & Strohmaier,
2014). We know that some politicians are good only in presenting

37
solutions, ideas and ways but not good enough in implementing it properly
(Smith, 1999; Demiralp, King & Scotti, 2016). It is because they lack the
ability (Latour, 2003) or skills to do so. Politicians can only be reliable if
he/she is true to his words and actions. Hence, if people see that they try
their best to find ways and solutions in order to fulfill their promise to the
public then this makes the people gain trust to the politicians
People frequently assess the effectiveness of political candidates and
the
governmental control by politicians. They are able to judge the fairness,
integrity, and effectiveness of the politicians. And the more contented
people are, the more capable they are of trust. Additionally, people rely on
political leaders who are sincere and truthful in their job for their trust.
People grow more assured and self-confident as a result. However, when
politicians are linked to bad things like corruption, more people tend to
lose faith in them and start to question the legitimacy of both the
government and the elected officials.
They believed that politicians are generally selfish and dishonest
(Rijkhoff & Ridout, 2013) in a way that they show no concern about
treating people fairly (Taylor, 2003). Another reason that fuels their distrust
38
towards the government is that they noticed that the government is not
able to take serious action against the major problems encountered in our
country (Rogers, 2004). It seems that the problems are getting worse and
people suffer the consequences of it (Van de Walle & Bouckaert, 2003).
The attitude of politicians matters most to the people and is a common
basis of who deserves their votes (Lenz, 2013). The attitude of politicians
matters most to the people and is a common basis of who deserves their
votes (Lenz, 2013).
Synthesis
The above research have been reviewed to be useful in this study.
Previous research has found that Filipinos’ voting references are heavily
influenced by other factors and that politics have a significant effect on
Filipinos’ personal lives. In accordance with previous research, this study
aims to examine the voting preferences of students, as well as the
aftermath of the elections.

39
Researchers have discovered that politics today, which has been
marred by various political issues, have had an effect on people’s public
trust in the government, which has resulted in a more cynical population.
People can assess politicians' fairness, integrity, and effectiveness. The
more contented people are, the more trusting they are. People place their
trust in political leaders who are sincere and truthful in their work.
People lose faith in politicians when they are linked to bad things like
corruption. Over the last half-century, the shifting focus of voters' likes and
dislikes of presidential candidates has mirrored the shifting content of
campaign advertising - and the policy content of ads has produced a more
policy-focused electorate, despite significant declines in the reach and
policy content of campaign news coverage (Gilens, Vavreck & Cohen,
2007).
Several factors have also been found to influence the voting
preferences of voters. People value politicians' attitudes the most and use
them to determine who deserves their votes (Lenz, 2013). As a result of
being both conscious and unconscious of their choice, the effect on
election outcomes provides the most conclusive factor to the growth of
one's own governance. Voting in national and local elections will be a new
experience for first-time voters. However, because they are first-time

40
voters, they may have little to no idea who to vote for in national and local
elections. Voters' preferences for candidates are based on their expertise,
image, quality, trust, and attractiveness, according to Arkorful et al.,
(2020).
Each factor has an impact on the others. The candidate's level of
expertise may serve as a barometer of their attractiveness and/or increase
the voter's trust in the position. Candidates with a positive image are more
likely to be trusted or deemed worthy of the position for which they are
running than candidates who lack the trusted qualities. The attractiveness
of the candidate also influences how voters perceive the candidate's
quality and the likelihood of being perceived as worthy of the position
(Arkorful et al., 2020). According to the findings of the de Figueiredo et al.,
(2021) study, exposing a candidate's corruption record in public can
influence voters' decisions, but the results are still dependent on how
important a clean government is to the people.
The previously mentioned literature is found to be useful as it
provides insight into the voting preferences of voters, as well as the effects
previous Philippine elections have already had on voters. That will be
beneficial to this study as this study focuses on the voting preferences of

41
students, as well as the effects the current elections have had on these
students.
Chapter III
METHODOLOGY
This chapter presents the methods used in this study. This chapter
will include the respondents, general procedure, and the materials and
instruments used in the process of conducting this research. Information
about the respondents’ backgrounds will be found in this chapter.
Research Design
This research is categorized as a phenomenological study and was
conducted in the qualitative method. The main purposes of

42
phenomenological research are to seek reality from individuals’
narratives of their experiences and feelings, and to produce
in-depth descriptions of the phenomenon. Phenomenological
research studies in educational settings generally embody lived
experience, perception, and feelings of participants about a
phenomenon (Yüksel & Yildirim, 2015). The researchers chose
“phenomenological study” since this research focused on the
experiences of the respondents during the 2022 Philippine
elections. In this process, the researchers attempted to understand
the effects of the respondents’ experiences to themselves. This
research design proved useful to the researchers in their attempt to
achieve the goal of this study since a phenomenological study is
suitable, fitting, and captures the essence of this research.
Respondents of the Study
The researchers chose senior high school students and college
students from a private university in Quezon City, among the ages
of 18 to 21 years old of both genders as respondents for this
research. The researchers chose 5 respondents among the
undisclosed number of students who were willing to participate in

43
this study. The researchers chose to categorize the respondents in
this manner since they believe that these students will be the most
fitting respondents to aid in the attempt to attain the conclusion of
this study since students under their category are most likely to be
first time voters and most likely to give useful answers for this
research. The researchers chose students in a specific private
university in Quezon City for convenience reasons. The
researchers chose students aged 18 to 21 since individuals with
this age are most likely to be voters and most likely to have
participated actively during the 2022 Philippine elections. The
researchers chose 5 respondents since that amount of respondents
will be enough and manageable for the researchers to come to an
informed and educated conclusion.
Sampling Procedure
The researchers conducted their interviews via the Zoom
application. The researchers compiled the results and reviewed
them individually and then as a group to discuss the findings and
applied them to this study.
Sampling Technique
44
The sampling technique used in this study is “Purposive Sampling”.
Purposive sampling refers to a group of non-probability sampling
techniques in which units are selected because they have
characteristics that you need in your sample. In other words, units
are selected “on purpose” in purposive sampling. Also called
judgmental sampling, this sampling method relies on the
researcher’s judgment when identifying and selecting the
individuals, cases, or events that can provide the best information
to achieve the study’s objectives. Purposive sampling is common in
qualitative research and mixed methods research. It is particularly
useful if you need to find information-rich cases or make the most
out of limited resources. (Nikolopoulou, 2022). The researchers
believe that this technique of sampling proved very much beneficial
to the researchers in the process of conducting this research.
Purposive sampling is the most fitting method to be used among
the other types of sampling since the researchers focused on the
point of view of the respondents, which the researchers used for
the purposes of this study.
Data Gathering Instrument

45
The data gathering material and instrument the researchers used is
through an interview with the respondents through an online app.
This interview consisted of questions regarding the 2022 Philippine
elections and the experiences and insights of the respondents
regarding the aforementioned phenomena. The respondents
verbally answered questions with no time limit in order for them to
be able to express their answers in detail.
Data Gathering Procedure
The researcher presented the interview questions to the assigned
validators to determine if the questions will be well-suited for their
study, as well as determine if the questions do not violate any of the
rules and standards of the respondents’ (and researcher’s) school
and/or general research gathering procedure. Data privacy
protocols were observed. The researchers requested the consent
and permission from the respondents. Upon granting consent, the
respondents began verbally answering the questions in the
interview. Upon completion of the interview, the recorded response
of the respondents was forwarded to one of the researchers. The

46
researchers began conducting interviews in-between the months of
February and March 2023.
Data Analysis
This study utilized the thematic approach in the analysis and
interpretation of the data. The thematic approach is a process by
which researchers, before, during, and after their data gathering
procedure, analyze repeating patterns in all available qualitative
data in line with the research questions or STPs on hand. This
approach shall include a coding process to be facilitated by the
researchers before, during, and after the data gathering procedure.
Pre-set codes shall be the product of the coding process before
and during the actual data gathering procedure while emergent
codes shall be considered later in the analysis and interpretation.
The data will be interpreted using verbal prose and based on the
chronology of the stated problems. Gathered data will be analyzed
vis-à-vis reviewed literature and theoretical framework (if available).
Themes are to be synthesized to organize the analyzed data.

47
CHAPTER IV
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA
The researchers processed the interview data using thematic
analysis. It is a method for finding, evaluating, classifying, ordering,

48
describing, and summarizing themes found in a set of data. The
researchers were able to identify complex, sophisticated, and granular
patterns in the data using this strategy, which was customizable. The
validity of the qualitative data was also confirmed through
member-checking and triangulation among respondents.
Issues Experienced by First-time Voters on the 2022 National
Elections
The following themes were generated based on the transcribed
interview transcripts and the coding process as part of the
phenomenological data analysis: (1) The elections seemingly divided the
country even more; (2)The voting process is chaotic; (3) Seemingly
questionable election results.
The elections seemingly divided the country even more.
One of the core themes generated from the interview data is the
fact that the elections seemingly divided the country even more. The
experiences of the participants articulates the idea that when political
parties and candidates appeal to different groups of voters, they

49
emphasize their differences and create a sense of “us” vs. “them”
mentality. This was proven to lead to increased tensions and animosity
between supporters of different candidates and parties, particularly if the
campaign rhetoric becomes negative or even hostile.
One of the interview participants shared “My family wanted me to
vote for *censored* and the other side of my family supported
*censored* and wanted me to vote for him. My friends told me to
vote for *censored*. I voted for *censored* even though he lost.
Because of differences in preferences and beliefs regarding who to
support, I feel like we are divided and we have lost many friends
because of this.”
Based on this statement by one of our interviewees, it is clear that
the recent national elections have caused a stir in our country and created
factions among Filipinos. The feeling of needing or being obligated to
show support for a candidate and prove to others that their candidate is
better than the others created a gap between family members, friends,
co-workers, and everyone else who voiced out their political ideologies.
Our interviewee said, “I lost many friends because of this.”. This only
shows how personal Filipinos take elections and how they judge a person
50
based on their beliefs and ideals. Politics is very important for Filipinos
despite most not being educated enough regarding this.
“I was denied the opportunity to be educated by them (family) and their
experiences because of how bias they are. “
As stated, the interviewee's remarks provided insight on the widespread
biases that influenced several Filipino families throughout the election,
resulting in one-sided and stubborn approaches. These biases were the
reason why the interviewee was unable to benefit from their family's
experiences and insights being a first time voter due to these prejudices.
This supports the findings of the study of Dastagir (2020) that respondents
agreed that election results can divide the country even more.
The voting process is chaotic.
Throughout the interview, a recurring theme emerged regarding the
challenges that first-time voters faced during the election process deeming
it “chaotic”, despite the pandemic-related restrictions. The interviews
underscored the need for more accessible and streamlined procedures to
ensure a smoother voting experience for all.

51
“The voting system was and still is, chaotic. The process took a
long time.”
“This election was chaotic.”
“execution of the election last year since it was during the time of
the pandemic, resulting in the overall election process being strict
aside from many factors being affected because of Covid 19. I
recall there were issues about the voting machines”
Based on these quotes from two of our interviewees, the recent
national elections were unorganized owing mostly to the limitations
brought upon by the pandemic and the Covid 19 virus. However, these are
statements from first-time voters, and they have no basis for comparison
regarding their experience seeing as it is their first election. It opens the
possibility of the recent national elections being fairly organized and that
first time voters might have been a little overwhelmed by the whole
process. But then again, this was during the pandemic. The 2022 national
election is unique in its own way. It is no secret that the majority of
supporters a specific presidential candidate had were mostly teenagers
(underaged Filipinos who are not permitted to vote as of yet). Their belief
in this candidate was high (almost resembling/similar to a cult following)
and their support for this candidate was one of the major contributing
factors in the divide and separation of Filipinos with different political

52
ideologies. It is also during this election where negative campaigning was
very much present and the youth (mostly the aforementioned supporters
of the specific candidate) was a major factor in this as well. The concept of
campaigning and the elections as a whole is uncharted territory for first
time voters and nonvoters (underaged youth/supporters of the previously
mentioned candidate) and therefore led to this election being chaotic and
“toxic”. In 2022, Sixty million Filipinos have gone to the polls, but the
election has already suffered the double blow of political violence and
voting chaos as a result of faulty automated voting machines
(Henderson,2022) .
Seemingly questionable election results.
With issues arising from the electoral results, many of the
interviewees were left wondering whether the election was conducted
thoroughly, which raised concerns about its fairness and accuracy.
“I think this election was too fast. I guess credibility is questioned.”
“I recall there were issues about the voting machines.”
There are questions of speculation and conspiracy that revolve
around the recent elections regarding its credibility being questioned. This
belief became more popular amongst the Filipino people especially after
the elections. Two quotes from our participants seem to support this
53
theory. The first one states that the electoral process was too quick in her
opinion. Yet again, it must be emphasized that these responses come
from first-time voters. . It is possible that the recent elections ran at a
normal pace and that our respondents simply expected the whole process
to take longer than it should have. However, the second statement is true
and issues were in fact encountered in the voting machines. This research
can fall down a deep rabbit hole of speculation just by starting with how
the current president won the election, how fast the current president won,
the amount of votes our current president garnered, but in the spirit of
objectivity and accomplishing a non-biased paper, the researchers will
stop here.
When people think that election results are rigged, it can lead to a
loss of faith in the democratic process and institutions. This can result in a
range of negative consequences, such as political instability, weakened
democracy and damage to the rule of law. If a large number of people
believe that the election results are rigged, it can lead to protests, civil
unrest, and even violence, which can destabilize the political system
(Rosales, 2015). A lack of trust in the electoral process can lead to
decreased voter turnout and participation, which can weaken the
legitimacy of the democratic system ( Herp, 2018), Also,iIf people believe

54
that the election results are rigged, they may become more entrenched in
their political beliefs and less willing to compromise or work together with
those who hold different views and they may lose faith in the rule of law
and the institutions that uphold it, which can erode democratic norms and
values (Montana, 2019).
In short, the belief that election results are rigged can have serious
consequences for the stability and legitimacy of a democracy. It is
therefore important to ensure that the electoral process is transparent, fair,
and free from manipulation, and to address any concerns about the
integrity of the election results in a timely and transparent manner.
Opportunities Experienced by First-time Voters on the 2022 National
Elections
phenomenological data analysis: (1) The youth of the country was really
engaged and actively shared their political views in the recent elections;
(2) Filipinos remain positive after the elections regardless of the results.
55
The youth of the country was really engaged and actively shared
their political views in the recent elections.
Throughout the election, the youth became far more open to
political beliefs. This shift in attitude led them to become more vocal and
open to concerns; many young people actively sought out knowledge
about the candidates and the issues, and were ready to participate in
conversations about their country's future.
“I observed that the youth of the country was really engaged and
open to political views in the recent election.”
“The involvement of youth in this past election is enormous and we
saw them rallying for a better society on the streets. “
During the recent elections, the act of voicing out political opinions
(through different social media platforms) would be diminished by
comments questioning the credibility and education of the person
attempting to display his or her opinion. This would in turn force (give a
feeling of obligation) the person to do his or her own research regarding
the candidate they are trying to support or the candidate they are trying to
defame. As we have now observed, involvement from the youth during
elections inspires more people to do research and conduct background
checks on presidential candidates.

56
"I think it should be lowered because I don’t base maturity by age.
We all mature at our own pace"
This notable theme of patriotism among the youth was also the
reason why some of the interviewees thought that lowering the age
restriction for voting is justified as they don’t base maturity through age.
The data shows that the respondents desire for change. Young
people often have a desire to see change in society and may see voting
as a way to make their voices heard and bring about the change they
want. Also, they feel empowered to participate in the elections. Voting can
give young people a sense of empowerment and a feeling that they are
making a difference in the world.
However, Alhem (2019) posited that young people may feel
pressure from their peers or social groups to participate in elections and
may be more likely to do so if they see their friends and colleagues getting
involved. On the other hand, Bartolome (2022) explained that young
people may be particularly interested in issues that affect them, such as
education, employment, and the environment, and may see voting as a
way to influence policies related to these issues.

57
Overall, youth engagement in elections is important for ensuring
that the voices and concerns of younger generations are represented in
the democratic process and that policies and decisions are made with
their interests in mind.
Filipinos remain positive after the elections regardless of the results.
Despite the disappointment expressed to the elections by the
interviewees, they remained optimistic of what is to come for the country
although showing remorse.
“(The elections) made me realize that there is still a chance we
could improve ourselves.”
After the elections, we need to be united even more regardless if
we have different opinions and we support different candidates. We
have to remain hopeful that those who were voted can bring
positive change to our country and to the society.
As we all know, based on the previous responses and the
general mood and morale of the Filipino people today, everyone’s
lives were affected by the elections. How this affected them differs
based on who they support or which candidate they’re aligned or
associated with. The response above from one of our interviewees
shows how Filipinos stay true to the Filipino spirit and values of
58
looking at the brighter side of things. As we can see, the statements
show that our interviewee focused on the fact that elections and the
process of electing has room for improvement instead of
complaining about how the elections could have gone better.
Realization by First-time Voters on the 2022 National Elections
phenomenological data analysis: (1) Importance of voting as part of one’s
contribution to nation building; (2) Young people can make wise decisions
for the country in terms of voting for the right candidate; (3) Social Media
plays a crucial role during elections.
Importance of voting as part of one’s contribution to nation building.
In the interview, voting gave the participants a sense of involvement in the
country's change; by voting, they felt a sense of responsibility and
accountability towards their fellow citizens and the country as a whole, and
were motivated to play an active role in promoting positive change and
progress.
“Aside from it being a right, the importance of voting is its
instrument as the voice of the people.”

59
“For me, voting means you love your country. It is a patriotic act. It
means you want your country’s future to be prosperous.”
“I think it’s really important for the country as a whole.”
In this study and during the interview sessions, we were able to
identify how important voting is for this generation. This question is an
important one regardless of the nature of our study. Not everyone views
voting and elections as an important aspect of life. As we can see in the
three statements above, the patriotic Filipino spirit is not lost in today’s
generation and youth. People still value the state of their nation and are
more than willing to contribute for the improvement of the lives of every
Filipino.
Young people can make wise decisions for the country in terms of
voting for the right candidate.
It is evident that maturity doesn't come from age, this led many of the
interviewees to specify that young people are capable of making decisions
that greatly benefit the country and as well as them, age should not be the
only factor in determining an individual's ability to contribute to society.

60
“(The age limit for voting) should be lowered because it is the
younger generation who will benefit from this. The youth should get
to decide for themselves and have access to voting because it’s for
them.”
“Teenagers are educated as well. They’re old enough to make a
decision for the country. Their age gives them credibility because
teenagers (in today’s society) are more open minded and educated
about the issues of our country and society.”
Some may argue that what our country needs is involvement from
the youth during the elections in order for the purpose of elections
to be fulfilled (elections is a popularity contest) (if the youth
outnumber the elderly, then the winner of elections did not win by
popularity, defeating the purpose of elections). The statements from
our respondents above answer WHY our country needs youth
involvement in elections. The second statement argues briefly, but
in detail, how and why young people can make wise decisions for
the country in terms of voting for the right candidate. It is still up to
debate whether teenagers today are more educated about politics
compared to teenagers in the past. However, as mentioned in one
of the previous themes, the recent elections gave our youth a
reason to be educated regarding politics and the candidates for

61
president during last year’s elections, which supports the second
statement shown in this theme.
Social Media plays a crucial role during elections.
Due to the risk of the pandemic, social media played a significant
role in the recent national election. It was prominent as most candidates
advocated themselves there besides the campaign rallies, and it was
where most citizens voiced their concerns and opinions. It was also the
main source of information as almost everything was accessible there.
This led many interviewees to notice that social media became crucial for
most presidential candidates.
“The recent election was the one where social media was used the
most. Social media is all over. Everyone has access to it. It was a
big factor during the elections. People got most of their information
through social media.”
“Many people were blinded with lies from social media.”
Because of the lack of proper education and information
dissemination regarding politics, economy, the presidential
candidates and their platforms, some Filipinos were forced to use
social media as their library of information. The two statements
above support this fact. With the presence of negative campaigning

62
(no candidate is being pointed out and it is general knowledge that
more than one candidate has used negative campaigning as a
campaign tool), the internet was used as a tool to defame rival
candidates and to spread misinformation regarding candidates to
either gain support or lessen support. This ruins the credibility of
information gained from social media (social media information was
never credible in the first place but the lack of sources left people
with no choice).
CHAPTER V
SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary
The country as a whole was impacted by the problems, possibilities, and
reflections surrounding the most recent elections. The main goal of the
study was to highlight the wisdom and challenges of first-time voters. This
will assist educate other Filipino residents, first-time voters, and potential
voters on the effects that the experiences and reflections of the other
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interviewees had on their spirits and overall quality of life. The outcome
may be the application of the lessons from the interviews, respect for one
another's viewpoints and voting goals, and voting for the development of
our nation. Semi-structured interviews and the non-probability purposive
sample technique were used in this study to help create an accurate and
thorough understanding of the topic.
To determine and analyze the information provided and acquired, the
interviews were done online with a total of 5 participants. The researchers
were able to better grasp first-time voters' reflections, experiences,
viewpoints, and lessons by using the study's findings, as well as the
first-hand information they had gathered, which was both important and
helpful to the study. Five senior high school students who registered to
vote for the first time during the recently held 2022 Philippine Presidential
Elections served as a substitute for this in the demographic profile of the
respondents.
Findings
1. In The election seemingly divided the country even more theme;
one participant of our interview quoted that “"One side of my family

64
wanted me to vote for censored, while the other side supported
censored and wanted me to vote for him." Friends advised me to
vote for censored. Even though censored lost, I voted for him. As a
result, I lost a lot of friends." According to one of our interviewees,
the recent national elections have caused a stir in our country and
created factions among Filipinos. The feeling of needing or being
obligated to show support for a candidate and demonstrate to
others that their candidate is better than the others created a
schism between family members, friends, coworkers, and everyone
else who expressed their political ideologies.
2. In The voting process is chaotic theme, Two participants quoted
that “"The voting system was and continues to be chaotic." The
procedure was lengthy."
"This election was in shambles."
According to these quotes from two of our interviewees, the recent
national elections were disorganized due to the pandemic and the
Covid 19 virus. However, this was during the pandemic. It was also
during this election that negative campaigning was prevalent, and
the youth (mostly the aforementioned supporters of the specific
candidate) played a significant role in this. The concept of
campaigning and elections in general is uncharted territory for

65
first-time voters and nonvoters (underaged youth/supporters of the
previously mentioned candidate), resulting in a chaotic and "toxic"
election.
3. In the Seemingly questionable election results theme, Our
interviewee said, "I think this election was too quick," "I suppose
credibility is called into question," and other similar phrases. The
first responds, "I remember there were problems with the voting
machines. Meaning that the election was conducted too quickly. It's
possible that the most recent elections passed without a hitch and
that our respondents simply had unrealistic expectations about how
long the entire process would take. The second statement,
however, is true; there were issues with the voting equipment. In
The youth of the country was really engaged and actively shared
their political views in recent elections, one quote from our
participant was that “I observed that the youth of the country was
really engaged and open to political views in the recent election.”
Comments questioning the credibility and education of the person
attempting to express his or her opinion would diminish the act of
voicing political opinions via the internet. This would then compel
the person to conduct independent research on the candidate they
are attempting to support or defame. As we have seen, youth

66
participation in elections inspires more people to conduct research
and background checks on presidential candidates.
4. In the Filipinos remain positive after the elections regardless of the
results theme; As we all know, based on previous responses and
the general mood and morale of the Filipino people today, the
elections have had an impact on everyone's lives. This affected
them differently depending on who they support or with whom they
are aligned or associated. “The elections made me realize that
there is still a chance we could improve ourselves.” this response
from one of our interviewees exemplifies how Filipinos maintain the
Filipino spirit and values of looking on the bright side of things. As
we can see, our interviewee focused on the fact that elections and
the electoral process have room for improvement rather than
complaining about how the elections could have gone better.
5. In the Importance of voting as part of one’s contribution to nation
building theme; "Aside from being a right, the importance of voting
is its instrument as the voice of the people," said one participant in
this study and during the interview sessions. "Voting, to me, means
you care about your country." It's a patriotic gesture. It means you
67
want your country to prosper in the future." "I believe it is critical for
the country as a whole." Voting and elections are not important to
everyone. As evidenced by the three statements above, the
patriotic Filipino spirit is alive and well among today's youth and
generation. People still value the state of their country and are
eager to help improve the lives of all Filipinos.
6. In the Young people can make wise decisions for the country in
terms of voting for the right candidate theme; Some may argue that
our country requires youth participation in elections to fulfill the
purpose of elections , that elections are a popularity contest. That if
the youth outnumber the elderly, then the winner of elections did
not win by popularity, defeating the purpose of elections. It is still
debatable whether today's teenagers are more politically educated
than previous generations of teenagers. However, as mentioned in
one of the previous themes, the recent elections provided an
opportunity for our youth to learn about politics and the presidential
candidates during last year's elections. These were the statements
from our participants “(The age limit for voting) should be lowered
because it is the younger generation who will benefit from this. The
youth should get to decide for themselves and have access to

68
voting because it’s for them.” “Teenagers are educated as well.
They’re old enough to make a decision for the country. Their age
gives them credibility because teenagers (in today’s society) are
more open minded and educated about the issues of our country
and society.”
7. In the Social Media plays a crucial role during elections theme;
According to our interviews, some Filipinos felt compelled to use
social media as their informational resource due to a lack of
effective education and information dissemination regarding politics,
the economy, presidential contenders, and their agendas. There is
social media everywhere. Everyone has access to it. That was
quite important in the elections. The internet was used to disparage
rival candidates and spread false information about candidates in
order to gain or lose support, undermining the credibility of social
media information. "People got the majority of their information from
social media," "Social media lies blinded many people."
Conclusions
The researchers reached both positive and negative results after
collecting and carefully examining each participant's responses:

69
Positive lessons for first time voters

- Participants noticed that the Filipino youth were more involved,
active and engaged during the elections, revealing the quality of
patriotism, resulting in some participants to believe that the age
limit for voting (18) should be lowered and leaving them to believe
that other candidates might have had a chance if this was the case.
- The act of voting was perceived as a highly valued obligation

among this current generation of first-time voters.
- Each first-time voter had a unique and diverse experience during

the elections. Various factors influenced the participants'
perceptions of what and what not to expect. These factors shaped
their individual experiences of the election process.
- For the participants, voting is the most suited way of electing

government officials as voting is seen as in-line with freedom of
choice.
- The elections increased the morale of first time voters saying that
the election gave them hope.
- Following the electoral results, this proved that there were

reasons to improve, realizing it through the mistakes made during
the elections.
70
- It gave us a better understanding that the education system

needs to be reformed here in the Philippines, which is a vital part of
voting, not just relying on opinions and other non-credible sources.
- The election was a big eye opener for the Filipino people,
prompting that we needed camaraderie and to face the reality of
our country.
- A lot of political ideologies and beliefs were shifted after the

election. Some participants were made more aware and others
adapted a much more political stand.
- The elections made participants more aware of their political

ideologies.
Negative outcomes for first time voters

- For first time voters, they experienced being overwhelmed with
how organized and well handled the election was despite the threat
of the pandemic, but for most participants, they were not satisfied
with the accommodation and the slow process during the election,
citing that it was "chaotic" comparing to what they saw during the
last pre-pandemic elections.
- The recent election for most of our participants was proof that
misinformation and lack of education was prominent in the
Philippines.
71
- All of the interviewees were not satisfied with the electoral results
knowing that their candidate had the potential to conduct change
for the country, believing that the Filipino people should be held
accountable by being educated about their candidates' platform and
responsible for the state of the nation.
- The national elections' lack of credibility was notable as some

factors such as faulty voting machines had first time voters question
it.
- The interviewees were discouraged and expressed their

disappointment following the results of the election, with whichever
candidate they voted for.
Recommendations:
The researchers advise the subsequent actions:
1. Since it was mentioned during one of the interviews that people
take a voter’s political views, beliefs, and opinions personally (if the
person does not support the same candidate, it is taken as an
attack on their person and an insult to their country) and that

72
“friends were lost”, it is probably best if political views, beliefs, and
opinions are kept a secret to avoid discussion and broken relations.
2. Everyone should be educated about politics and economy in order
to make an informed and better decision when it comes to voting
for their president that they may choose a candidate skilled in those
areas and hopefully deserving of the position, and in connection to
that, everyone should be well-informed about a candidate’s
background and platform in order to make an informed decision.
More focus on education regarding politics and economy, as well as
an inclusion of subjects related to these and to be made mandatory
for elementary, high school, and senior high school students.
3. Fake news regarding presidential candidates (and fake news in
general) should not be tolerated.
4. Use of trolls (people who use the internet to sway public opinion)
should be banned.
5. That the Philippines apply the American style of public office
selection wherein when a candidate wins the election, his running
mate will automatically become the vice president, removing the
need to vote for a vice president (to ensure that the president and
vice president will always be on the same side and not plotting
against each other).

73
6. That the Philippines will allow only two opposing political parties
during national elections to limit the choice and avoid too much
division between the Filipino people.
7. Tax incentives and/or discounts for those who vote (valid until the
end of the year the election results came out).
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Appendix A
Interview Transcript for Student #1
*number is based on the orders that they were interviewed
Interviewer: Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Student 1: Hi! I’m …… and I’m 18 years old.
Interviewer: What made you decide to vote in the recent national
elections?
Student 1: Aren’t we supposed to vote? Isn’t it in the law? It’s your
responsibility as a Filipino citizen to vote. Perosnally, I really wanted to
participate since it would be my first time and I would like to apply
principles in my actions and life.

84
Interviewer: Can you tell us the positive and negative effects of the recent
election?
Student 1: The positive effect I observed is that the youth of the country
was really engaged and open to political views in the recent election. The
negative effect I observed is the execution of the election last year since it
was during the time of the pandemic, resulting in the overall election
process being strict aside from many factors being affected because of
Covid 19. I recall there were issues about the voting machines.
Interviewer: How important do you think is voting for the people?
Student 1: Aside from it being our right as Filipino citizens, like I said
earlier, this is when and where we execute our principles in life. It is there
we discover if our political beliefs are aligned with our life decisions,
especially when choosing a candidate.
Interviewer: Do you believe that the age restriction for voting should be
lowered or increased?
85
Student 1: I think it’s perfect the way it is. The legal age in our country is
18 isn’t it? I guess one of the privileges that come with being of legal age
is the right to vote. It doesn’t mean that I think people under the age of 18
aren’t mature enough to vote. I’d like to give “getting a driver’s license” as
an example. If an age restriction is placed there, then that means age
restrictions in general matter.
(off-script question) Interviewer: If the age restriction for voting were to be
removed before the election, do you think the results would be different
today?
Student 1: I think the effect would be major. Many underaged people are
easily swayed by the opinions and political views of other people and by
what they see on social media. However, I wouldn’t be able to say which
candidate would have won.
(off-script question) Interviewer: Do you think that our country would have
a different president if the electoral age restriction were to be removed?
Student 1: Yes.
86
Interviewer: Can you tell us about your experience as a first time voter?
Student 1: It was a really quick process. I didn’t expect it to be that quick
since I was under the impression that elections were a long process. I
would often hear from adults that one must vote early to avoid being stuck
for hours waiting in a line. In my experience however, it took no longer
than 30 minutes to vote. My family’s political views affected my experience
as well. I wasn’t able to share my beliefs with them since we supported
different candidates. Because of that, I was denied the opportunity to be
educated by them and their experiences because of how biased they are.
Interviewer: Are you satisfied with the electoral results?
Student 1: No comment.
Interviewer: How did this experience affect your life?
Student 1: So many things happened before and after the elections. We
saw the results of our actions. The political views of the Filipino people
became significant for me because of the elections. Before, political views
and opinions of people surrounding me didn’t matter. I wasn’t in the

87
position to say that I was accountable for what happens in the country.
Now, I give importance to a person’s political views especially when
they’re someone I just met. I’m more inquisitive regarding a person’s
political beliefs and principles. I believe that this is how you base
someone’s personality.
(off-script question) Interviewer: So for you, a person’s political views
matter now? Whereas before, you opted to give little importance and
settled with respecting their opinion?
Student 1: Somehow, yes.
Interviewer: Will you be voting in the next presidential election or any
election, local or national, any time soon?
Student 1: Yes.
Interviewer: Do you think that everyone is required to vote regardless of
their desire not to?

88
Student 1: Yes. We live in a country TOGETHER. Everyone is affected by
the electoral results and the leaders we choose. One person’s decision
matters.
Interviewer: Do you think voting is the right system for public office
selection in our country?
Student 1: In my opinion, voting is the best system.
Interviewer: What is your main takeaway from this recent national
election?
Student 1: Everyone has their own side of the story. You just have to
choose who to listen to. You should know whose opinion is legitimate.
Interviewer: What is your message for the future first time voters?
Student 1: Learn to evaluate information you gain. Not everything you
hear or see is true. You have to see for yourself who is trustworthy and
who isn’t.
89
Appendix B
Interview Transcript of Student #2
Student 2: Hi! My name is …. And I am a student at ……… ………
elections?
Student 2: Firstly, it was just the oportunity to vote since it was really
interesting to experience. At the same time, I wanted something else for
our country since the former president didn’t perform his duties well and I
wanted that to change. I wanted something new to happen to this country.
election?
90
Student 2: Somehow, the recent election was organized and that’s positive
for me. I was under the impression that elections were chaotic and
scattered. However, it was well handled and pushed through despite the
pandemic. I am not sure if this is negative, but, I think this election was too
fast. I guess credibility is questioned.
Student 2: Aside from it being a right, the importance of voting is its
instrument as the voice of the people. For me, voting is one step for
change because change cannot begin with one snap.
Student 2: I think it should be lowered because I don’t base maturity by
age. We all mature at our own pace. I think the age restriction should be
lowered because it is the younger generation who will benefit from this.
The younger generation should get to decide for themselves. It’s not age
that defines maturity. The youth should have access to voting because it’s
for them.
91
Student 2: During that time, Covid was rampant. There were no boosters
nor vaccines. It was really risky. I didn’t attend to my classes just to vote. It
took me the whole day just to register.
Student 2: No.
Student 2: Everything seems to be hopless now. I started to question my
future. I became unmotivated when the results came out. I became a
critical thinker regarding politics. I used to base my opinions from the
opinions of my elders. I used to be one sided. Now, I realize that I
shouldn’t support a candidate just because my family does. I now critize
both the good and the bad sides of politicians.

92
Student 2: Yes.
Student 2: I would hope so. I believe voting is not only a responsibility, but
also an opportunity for them to contribute to the country.
Student 2: I think we should introduce other systems of public office
selection to our country similar to that of monarchies or political dynasties.
If we had a system like those, then the next in line for president could be
groomed, trained, and educated before his or her term. If the previous
president had unfinished plans, then their child or successor can nourish
and continue them.

93
Interviewer: What is your main take away from this recent national
election?
Student 2: There is no certainty. Regardless of how much you want a
candidate to win or how much you feel they will, that can all change in a
day. Its okay to expect, but the world will not always revolve around you.
Student 2: Know your purpose while doing it. You’re wasting time if you’re
voting for clout. You have to realize that everyone will be affected by your
vote. Take this as an opportunity to be able to do something others
cannot.
Appendix C

94
Student 3: Hi! I’m ……. ….., my nickname is ….., and I’m 21 years old. I
was born in Bulacan, but now, I reside here in Quezon City.
elections?
Student 3: I voted in the elections because I am of legal age. For me,
voting can help the Filipino people.
election?
Student 3: For me, the positive effect is that we revealed who really
deserved to win the elections and that we now know that our education
system needs to be reformed. The negative part of this is that there are
lots of uneducated people in the Philippines.

95
Student 3: For me, voting means you love your country. It is a patriotic act.
It means you want your country’s future to be prosperous.
Student 3: Neither. The voting age is perfect the way it is.
Student 3: Many things happened. My family wanted me to vote for ….
and the other side of my family supported …… and wanted me to vote for
him. My friends told me to vote for …….. but for me, we should be able to
make our own choice and to cast our own vote without peer pressure and
influence. I voted for …. …… even though he lost. For me, he was
deserving of the title of president. My experience has been a rollercoaster
ride. I lost many friends because of this.

96
Student 3: I’m not that satisfied because the candidates I voted for didn’t
win since they weren’t as popular as the other candidates. The people I
voted for weren’t popular but they had the experience and potential to
maneuver the country into a higher position.
Student 3: It didn’t affect my life as much, but it affected my point of view
of the Philippines and the Filipino people. We need to be more rational
rather than impulsive. We should not base anything on emotions. We
should be objective. It made me realize that there is still a chance we
could improve ourselves.
Student 3: Yes. I will be voting.

97
Student 3: It depends on their beliefs, but for me, it is important to vote
because it is a right and it is also our contribution to the Filipino people
and to the nation.
Student 3: For me, voting is still the right system because there are still
many people who have yet to reach the legal age for voting and who are
more enlightened and educated with the state of the nation than our youth
nowadays. If the senate or congress were to choose the next president of
our country, what about the rights of the people? How can they express
support and choose for themselves? If other systems were introduced to
our country, there would be no more freedom. We will never know which
candidate is better or which candidate has more economic reform. If it
were to be a political dynasty, we will never see improvement for the
needs of our country. The successor will always be questioned about how
deserving he or she is of the position. Our previous president focused
mainly on combating illegal drugs. If it were to be his son or daughter in
public office, they will obviously focus on the same objective. Without the
98
choice of candidates, we may never know or experience a president
focusing on something else entirely. For me, the right system is voting.
election?
Student 3: My main takeaway is that we should focus more on informing
our fellow Filipinos about who they can elect and who they’re electing.
They should be informed about the background of every candidate. There
should be no sugarcoating. We should all be able to witness the truth. We
should be aware of what each candidate achieved.
Student 3: Don’t listen to your family. Don’t listen to your friends. Let them
criticize you. Vote who YOU think has the guts and heart to lead the
country and the Filipino people.
Appendix D

99
Student 4: My name is ……and I just turned 20. I’m from Quezon City.
elections?
Student 4: It was because of the candidates. I wanted something new. For
the very first time, I saw hope that the Philippines can change. That is why
I registered for the first time.
election?
Student 4: The positive effect is that I felt like I contributed to the country.
The negative for me is that the voting system was and still is, chaotic. The
process took a long time.

100
Student 4: I think it’s really important for the country as a whole. It is in our
hands to choose who will lead us. At the end of the day, the decision lies
with us. It’s important for voters to know who is deserving of the position.
Student 4: I think it should be lowered. Preferably 16 and above.
Teenagers are educated as well. They’re old enough to make a decision
for the country. I believe that their age gives them credibility because
teenagers are more open minded and educated about the issues of our
country and society. They should be given a chance.
(off-script question) Interviewer: Do you think your candidate would win
the election if the age restriction were to be lowered?
Student 4: I think so. Most of my candidate of choice’s supporters are
teenagers.
101
Student 4: It was fun. I had no idea what to expect. It was exciting. I woke
up early, waited in line. It was such a great experience.
(off-script question) Interviewer: As a …. supporter, did you attend any
rallies?
Student 4: I wanted to, but I couldn’t. There were so many people. It was
hard to attend.
Student 4: It would have been better if the Filipino people were more
educated about the platforms of the country.
(off-script question) Interviewer: Do you think social media had an impact
on the way Filipinos saw candidates?
Student 4: I really believe that. Social media is all over. Everyone has
access to it. It was a big factor during the elections. People got most of
their information through social media.

102
Student 4: During voting, I really had hope. It gave me positivity in life. The
results didn’t affect me as much aside from being a little bit sad. Now that
there is inflation in our country, I guess I lost a little motivation. But of
course, there is still hope at the end of the day.
Student 4: For sure. If I see a candidate I like and if there is time, I’d vote.
Student 4: For me, I don’t see it as a requirement. If you can vote, why
not? Every vote counts. However, I don’t think it should be imposed. It
should be up to you.
103
Student 4: I don’t think it’s the best, but it’s right. It should be implimented.
It is a question of freedom. People should be given a chance to choose
who they want for president. Besides, it’s their responsibility to choose,
therefore, the results and accountability will fall unto them.
election?
Student 4: It opened opportunities. The recent election was the one where
social media was used the most. It was the one where teenagers were
engaged and involved more than before. Eyes were opened on the
condition of the Philippines. People became more aware of what is right,
wrong, real, and fake.
Student 4: Do your research. Know who you SHOULD vote. If you vote for
someone who can’t lead the country, you wasted your vote.
104
Appendix E
Student 5: Hello! Good evening! I am …… ….. and I’m 19 years old. I
study at ……. ……. and I am in the STEM strand. I plan to take a medical
course in college.
elections?
Student 5: Influence by the current injustices and problems of our country.
election?
105
Student 5: It showed how the youth is willing to voice out and fight for what
is right for the country. For the negative however, this election was chaotic.
Many people were blinded with lies from social media.
Student 5: It is important because everything is political. We should vote
because our lives depend on who we vote for.
Student 5: It should be lowered. The youth should be educated. They
might vote for the wrong candidate.
Student 5: I was with my mother. I didn’t know where to go. I voted in a
school. Everyone was really friendly.

106
Student 5: No. I’m a …. supporter.
Student 5: My family were … supporters. They told me to vote for him.
Regardless, I voted for who I wanted and stood with my decision.
Student 5: Yes. I want to be part of it again. I want to vote again. I want to
voice out what I want.
Student 5: Yes. They live in this country. They have to contribute.

107
Student 5: Voting is the right system. It gives everyone freedom to choose
and it gives a chance for those who wish to run for president.
election?
Student 5: It was an eye-opener. I became more aware of politics.
Student 5: Every vote matters.

108
109

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1

UST ANGELICUM COLLEGE

ISSUES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND REFLECTIONS ON THE 2022

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the

Jay Steven M. Cuyco

THE PROBLEM AND ITS

A populace selects a person or people to hold public office

through a formal group decision-making process called an election.

carry out representative democracy in modern times. Elections may be

held to fill legislative, occasionally executive, occasionally judicial, and

occasionally regional and municipal positions. In contemporary

representative democracies, elections are a means for choosing

representatives. To elect is to "make a decision or a choice". In the case

of national elections, this would mean to vote for one’s personal

been the cause of arguments and debates between supporters of

practicing one of the earliest forms of democracy. This is mostly due to

an individual or group’s beliefs, relation, and/or loyalty and devotion to

their candidate or political party of choice. The issue of the negative

not limited to the Philippines. Elections are essential to the effectiveness

of a nation's government and have the power to significantly progress or

impede a nation's long-term democratic growth. Oftentimes, an election

would almost certainly produce a deeply divided result between voters

In the case of the 2022 Philippine elections, the country suffered

one of the most intense and long lasting feuds of disagreement,

specifically between the voters and supporters of two presidential

difference in beliefs and candidate choice. The 2022 Philippine

presidential and vice presidential elections were held on May 9, 2022,

and also included active participation from non-voters (mostly minors).

Moreover, it is sometimes argued that the emphasis on divisive issues

could be a response to electoral pressures (Hillygus and Shields, 2014).

Because of elections, people often feel obligated to show and/or give

support to their desired presidential candidate and/or political party. This

is due to a desire to be involved in an individual’s country of residence’s

candidate to win, having believed that their candidate of choice would

countrymen. This is also due to their desire to improve a country’s

economic and political state. A few of the issues and causes of

divisiveness between voters and supporters during the 2022 Philippine

elections are the dissemination of false information or “fake news”, and

to personal attacks between voters and supporters on the intellect and

personality of the voters and supporters of their presidential candidate’s

rival, and vice versa.

Some candidates have allegedly been paying individuals to

create fake accounts called “trolls” to spread false information to drive

voters to support their political party. According to a report by

humanitarian organization Mercy Corps, political disinformation

campaigns play out in three phases: The development of core narratives;

onboarding of influencers and fake account operators; and dissemination

and amplification on social media. And this is how “politicians are

weaponizing disinformation now”, said De La Salle University professor

different political camps. Everyone seems to be in on it. They feel that

issue is the use of negative campaigning by the candidates, which

somehow influenced their supporters to tolerate this act and to do the

present their arguments. Issues such as vote buying and intellect

shaming were present during the 2022 Philippine elections. Situations

intelligence and education, became common during the 2022 Philippine

Elections. The International Observer Mission (IOM), funded by the

International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines, reported in an

restrictive climate observed since the period of dictator Ferdinand