Voter Education

Senate President Franklin Drilon said that since 2016 is just around the corner, the government should focus on voter education, especially for the youth who will be voting for the first time and those who do not fully understand the importance of elections.

2016 is important if we want to continue the reforms of the present administration. We should not get carried away by what some people are saying. Rather, we should look at the integrity of those presenting themselves as candidates," Drilon said.

"For me integrity is the most important of the qualities of those we should elect as leaders of the country. If he does not have a clean record, it is likely that he would continue to be so even after elected into office," he said.

For Drilon, voters’ education is important "so that we can explain to our youth the importance of  voting for the right leaders, because the future of the nation will depend on it."

While the primary responsibility for voters' education  lies with Commission on Elections, Drilon pointed out, NGOs and election watchdogs should have their own voters’ education campaigns.

"This is part of our duties as citizens. We should teach our youth about the importance of elections, and we should not allow the nation to be ruled by those who do not deserve to be leaders," Drilon said. -end-