Reasons to register

Today would probably be the last day of the registration for the election, should it push through this year or the next. The Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections should have taken place last year but due to some congressional and senatorial magic, it was postponed. By the nature of their office, the Commission on Elections resumed voter registration in the hopes of gathering more voters for the next election period.

The right to suffrage is deemed as the most important in a democracy. Its absence is equivalent to a dictatorship, a little bit less than a monarchy. The narrative is being controlled by those in power, when the power should come from the people itself. I get why the commission is hell-bent on campaigning for more voters to register, as it is their duty to keep this privilege alive.

I have known many individuals who have refused to register themselves for the election. Others have also refused to participate in the polls. The frustration comes from the reality of leaders not returning their promises of a better life for the Filipinos and I totally get that. However, we must also be responsible citizens.

It is also important to have a record at the commission to legitimize residency. In theory, we are considered visiting residents if there is no concrete evidence of the period stayed in a certain area. The best way to put that on record is to register and choose the right leaders to govern it.

Another reason for registering would be to fulfill the role of being a Filipino. It is like a disservice to our ancestors who have fought hard to have the right to choose leaders if we don't even participate in it. I know how disappointing administrations can be, but we can join in the fight of making better choices when the election nears.

It reminds me so much of the musical "Hamilton" where the lead, along with other revolutionaries, fought hard to have their own government by reclaiming their land from the British forces. Characters highly regarded the gift of being able to choose who to lead them. We were also once like them, only longer. I secretly hope we have learned from the mistakes of the past and never repeat it again. While the pattern seems obvious, there's something we could still do, hopefully.

As Comelec wraps the registration today, last-minute patrons will race to make it before closing time. That's how Filipinos are, as usual. I look forward to the day where we have to replace our village chiefs so that it wouldn't be as chaotic as it has been historically. The polls during these times are more intense, even siblings run against each other and fight it out in public. May every Filipino take this sacred duty to heart. If divine intervention will be needed in picking the right leader, then so be it. However, credentials and track records will also prove the same to guide us in making the right choices.