Vote Buying Culture
By Cryne28
@Cryne28 (74)
Philippines
May 14, 2007 3:28am CST
It's my first time to paticipate in the election and i'm pretty much ok with what i've seen and heard from diffent people. It is not much of a secret that candidates give money to the people at thses times. In fact they've even made a TV program against it. But my question is "Is it really that big of a problem if candidates for certain goverment positions give money to the people in there hopes of the people voting for them.?"
I mean think about it, if you were a buyer, would you buy something that you have no assurance would be yours. I know of a person who got money from opposing parties in his area. He received money from all the candidates who gave money but none of these candidates have the assurance that he would vote for them. In fact he didn't even vote. But even if he did, no one would ever know who he voted. So is it really buying?
I guess today in the Filipino culture, giving money during election isn't vote buying anymore but a tradition of helping the "masa". Candidates who give are thanked one way or another while those who don't are attached with a bad reputation of being selfish of the fortunes he has. And in this sense, why would people vote for such a person if even in his campaign he isan't able to give to the needy?
4 responses
@ryanphil01 (4182)
• Philippines
15 May 07
i should congratulate you for the right(s) you exercised yesterday. hopefully you will participate more on the days ahead. as rizal said, "youth is the hope of the fatherland."
regarding your topic on vote buying, i would say that the timing is the big issue here. why only now at this particular period of their campaign or during election time they are showing their "concern" to the people! they should have helped the poor long time ago...too bad that it's only a "tactic" they deploy to woo the votes of the masses and it's very sad to note that our people gets easily hooked to this kind of "trap" that dirty politicians always think of. i don't know when will filipinos learn from their mistakes?
@Cryne28 (74)
• Philippines
15 May 07
tnx for the comment. I know of that too but here in our place its a different story. Almost all of the candidates are helpful to our community. I know this because i know a lot of them. Some i have lunch with, or play badminton with and some are relatives. For me, we really should blame all of it to them. Afterall, it is what society dictates them to do. They don't just help during elections but also on other times when the people need them.
The main problem that i can see is the mindset of people. My granddad was the longest serving mayor in our place and not once did he buy any vote. I know of this because i was always with him all the time. And i mean always. He helped everyone who needed help and even when he was already dying he chose to help others. Yes he did win before a lot of times i may say but in his last campaign he did not win. His opponent who was from another place who had lots and lots of money was the one who won. So it really is not completely the politicians fault completely but also the people.
@ryanphil01 (4182)
• Philippines
15 May 07
it is because we allowed it to happen. we tolerated this illegal act "giving gifts" in exchange of favors. again, we demonstrated our innate trait as filipinos of our "utang na loob" or our way of showing gratitude or indebtedness to somebody.
helping someone in need should be done sincerely and unconditionally.
@andak2007 (3229)
• Philippines
15 May 07
i think it has indeed become a tradition, where a voter receives money during elections. People do expect to receive money from politics and some even gets meadi if they havent received any amount at all. My officemates went home to their respective provinces so that they can vote and it is true that money is really huge in the provinces, at first i really was not aware that its happening but now i know its true and it made me realise that people are to blame why corruption is so massive in our country, why else will the politician give money if he wants to be elected so it is understood he will get that money back when he is already seated in that position right? so in short people were to blame.
@erminiasanjose (1588)
• Philippines
15 May 07
Helping the masa could be done anywhere, anytime, even if an individual is not vying for any position and so therefore a candidate giving out anything of value has the intention to buy votes. And if the voter is influenced by this, then he sold his vote. In your example however, the candidates are not intelligent enough to succeed with their intentions and the voter is not conscientious enough to do his duty and does not care whatever happens to his country. Well, each of us has his own principles and we do whatever we like. There is freedom at least. But we have to suffer from whatever consequence resulting from our acts.
@joice86 (1078)
• Philippines
14 May 07
People are just trying to be practical especially in the provinces. They really don't care if there are vote buyers as long as they receive money from the candidates. Though, it is illegal, they still want to receive money. That's really what happens when you already have nothing to it... And those people getting money, they will just vote for those who gave them greater amounts compared to those other candidates.
@Cryne28 (74)
• Philippines
14 May 07
The people are indeed trying to be practical. And the money they get really benefits them a lot. My point is, if its widely accepted by the many, why does it still stay illegal.
About the amount, its not always the case. Actually its rarely the case. Filipinos are not stupid. They may accept the money but most of them vote for who they think is right for the job. I'm not saying all filipinos are like that but most are. And there are only a few who feel obligated to vote the person who givess them higher amounts of money or any money at all.
