Supreme Youth Vote: Political tweets

MANILA, Philippines – I’ve been asked to explain the concept of Twitter to a lot of friends lately. This might help: http://ping.fm/562nu,” tweets presidential aspirant, Mr. Palengke himself, Sen. Mar Roxas.

This is probably the first time a Philippine senator talks about the phenomenal social networking site Twitter.com (especially after Oprah Winfrey launched her first tweet in April). Better yet, this is the first time a soon-to-be presidential candidate tweets (writes a short note or blog) about his everyday activities. Talk about life in the public eye. But showbiz freaks might wonder why he hasn’t posted details about his wedding plans with the future Mrs. Mar Roxas — a.k.a. news anchor Korina Sanchez. The good thing is that Mr. Roxas can focus on tweeting about significant social matters. Citizens, especially young voters, are able to peek into the mind of a political candidate.

In the world of Facebook, youth favorite Sen. Chiz Escudero uses his page to voice out opinions on issues like the justice system, Cha-Cha and the automation of the 2010 polls. And that’s not all. The tough guy is leading the Facebook race with 19, 876 supporters as of May 19. Senators Loren Legarda and Manny Villar and MMDA-chairman-slash-TV-celebrity Bayani Fernando have also joined the Facebook bandwagon. Camera favorite and opposition spokesperson Adel Tamano, on the other hand, has been utilizing his Multiply account to circulate information on his social campaigns (and for fans to check out his face pics). Social networking sites shall change the way we see electoral campaigns. Twitter, Facebook, and Multiply will possibly become influential political agents towards the 2010 national elections. As we approach the campaign period, expect candidates to rage the menagerie that is the interweb.

It’s pretty obvious that a lot of campaign efforts are targeting the youth. Hence, we get the feeling that candidates are going to turn to younger supporters like their celebrity relatives and “all the peddlers of shampoo, toothpaste, soap, soda, diet juices, etc.” as writer-musician and frequent political critic Lourd de Veyra would say.

“But it’s important for a campaigner to know the candidate’s platform, his party’s platform, his own thoughts. You have to know your product very well,” Mila Magsaysay-Valenzuela reminds young supporters and remembers the days when her father, the late Pres. Ramon Magsaysay, and her brother, former Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr., ran for office.

It’s the best time for young people to be involved. All you need to do is google the name of the candidate and get informed. Find out what the cyber-world has to say about our future honchos.

“The youth was [more] apathetic. Now, young people have their own opinions, are more independent, more intellectually prepared,” she adds.

Whatever those opinions are, expect these political fresh meats to tweet and post on their walls very soon.