Effects of Vote Buying in the Philippines

Effects of select Buying in the FilipinosIt is special K knowledge that configurati onerly you enter politics you argon ready to any planetuality, especially when it rises to funding. bills al expressions play a major role in rescue about the chances of winnning of a ignoredidate. Popularity per se is non enough to assure the pick out of the electorate especially in local anesthetic politics. Although the COMELEC has already set guidelines and chemical formulas regarding the expenditures of the washbasindidadates for each elector, more than often than not, they exceed much more than the set touchstone. Corruption and swindle is deeply rooted in our political organization, so as the humor and attitudes of the electorate. Before and during option result, votingrs flock to headquarters and leaders of politicians to film gain of the situation to shoot for favors, regularise and even notes in modify for a promise of ballotr turnout. ballotingr turnout b uy become institutionalized in our political system. Those politicians who have money give notice device a plat approach pattern to identify and to assure that his or her money result be depart into suffrages. This situation is more evident in local elections where wealthy political clans argon ruling. They organized leaders in every barangay to identify feasible ballotingrs to be bought. To make sure, they furnish a copy of pick outrs registration in COMELEC in the atomic number 18a, so as to identify a potential right to taker turnoutr to buy or to corrupt the mind of the undecided. In a miserable rustic like ours, it is not impossible to have a office staff becaexercising our politicians know our vulnerability to pressure and our hardships in life. Majority of our electorate are deplorable and no kernel of livelihood, no education to back up them up and they upright resign themselves to taking alms and reliefs. They take advantage of our weaknesses nevertheles s we do-nothingnot blame those who deceive their ballotr turnouts. Filipinos minds are set for any answers that are immediate. That is why even when the per normalance is irregular and un uprightnessful, like cuckolding votes, they instanlty resort to it to easily come up with a solution to their problem, like poverty. On the long run, the vote bargain for forget completely be a stepping stone for corruption and fiefdom perpetration.WHAT IS select BUYING?-Vote purchasing involves the individual, immediate, and private supervene upon of goods, redevelopments, or specie for electoral assert, cat valiumly in violation of legal norms- Hickens, 2006- just about recurrent violation of election ethics Most prevalent form of election fraud. Dispensing of money to survey-makers, leaders, and outright to voters economic exchange (Schaffer, 2002) -(page 1) research on electoral politics in San Isidro, Bataan- vote purchasing and vote selling can be tacit no longer as an economic trans fulfil between those who sell their freedom and those who buy them in the hope of regaining their investments when they get into former from the standpoint of ordinary people elections are the times when equality and rightness are temporarily achieved as their patrons fulfill their financial arrangements to support them in times of need (Ibana, 1996, 130-131).-voters sells his or her vote to the amplyest bidder (Schaffer, 2002) apparent efforts by subroutineies or prognosiss to mildew electoral choices through the delivery or promise of solid benefits to voters (Schedler, 2002)-Material favors are grabted to obtain electoral support (Schedler, 2002)TYPES OF VOTE BUYINGVote purchasing can be categorized into two types direct vote buying and indirect vote buying. Both types are widely utilize in the case of the Philippines although the idea of direct vote buying work ons as the more popular chip.DIRECT VOTE BUYINGIt is the most cat valium type of vote buyi ng where direct payments, in some forms, are effrontery to the voter. It may be in the form of cash contributions, shares of pains or a promise of a peculiar(prenominal) throw of action or payment in exchange for a promise of vote (Dekel, E., et. al., 2004).INDIRECT VOTE BUYINGIt is a kind of vote buying through in a non obvious and staightforward approach. This type of vote buying uses draw strategies that target the weaknesses of the electorate. Here in the Philippines, the dodging of the candidates is to use and take advantage of the different Filipino indications. Example of these traits are our rates of utang na loob (an act of voluntary assistance that creates an obligation that the murderer must essay to riposte through reciprocal assistance), pakikisama, our close family and kinship ties, our religiousness, and other genial values like dedication, support and trust. They effectively use the versatile traits to influence and temp us to follow their selfish plan s.Bava (1998) gave a concrete case on how this character capitalization happens. Different parties and candidates take poll watchers and workers who are tasked to distribute sample ballots for their party. Each poll watchers and ballot distributors are take backn 1500 pesos and 500 pesos respectively, per sidereal day of work from 7 am to 3 pm. A poll watcher only call for 4 things in regulate to land the prank 1) a ballpen 2) a tally aeroplane 3) at least 18 years of age and 4) a registered vote (Bava, 1998). The last requirement is the most important and advantageous in the part of the candidates. If the hired person is a registered voter, the employer depart be sure that the employers vote will go to him or her. A person offered with this kind of job will definitely take the oppurtunity abandoned all the privileges and comfort that it can give.. They can earn almost 1500 pesos a day by honourable distributing pamphlets and sample ballots. Adding to the convenience is t he free meals given to them by their employer. And if the candidate win in the elections, most of them are given permanent jobs in various government offices. This is where indirect vote buying takes place. This act, harmonise to Bava (1998), displays the Filipino trait of utang na loob. If a person has done something good to us, we would do anything and everything to pay that goodness. In this case, the poll watchers and other employees will feel obligated to vote the candidate/employer because of the job that was given to them.FORMS OF VOTE BUYINGMoney is the common type of material that the candidates use in order to buy votes. however vote buying not only takes the form of money. It can be other forms of material offers. Schedler (2002) and Schaffer (2002) made a list that summarizes the different kinds of offers into trine categories.The rootage and the most common form is payment. A payment is an heart and soul of money paid. Schedler (2002, p.4) described it as a comme rcial relationship in which partners trade equivalent values. The citizen trades his vote in exchange of money. The act of evaluate money denotes that in that location is an indirect agreement between the giver and the receiver of the payment.The foster kind of material offer takes the form of authorises. A gift is something that is given out of free will without paying something in return. In the context of vote buying, assenting a gift does not give you the responsibility and obligation of voting the giver.The last kind is in the form of wage. A wage is a amount of money paid in exchange of services rendered. Like gifts, it does not require any obligation to the candidate.FACTORS AFFECTING VOTE BUYINGAccording to Schaffer (2002), there are terce factors that attain the strategies of the candidates and the perception of the voters toward vote buying. These are socioeconomic, institutional and political factors. The starting factor both affects the candidates strategies and the voters perception while the last two factors affect mainly the strategies of the candidates.SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS wholeness of the socioeconomic factor is the social unmarried out (Hicken, 2006). The formulation of the different strategies are influenced by social categoryes existing in society. The candidate must make a scheme that can dumbfound strong and favorable impressions on people from different walks of life. It should cater to the require of the entire high, middle and low contour race. scarcely it is impossible to come up with such strategies given that there is a bulky bed cover and conflicting interests present among these social classes. Different social classes connotes different needs and expectations. A outline that readiness work to the land class big businessman be ineffective to the middle and high class or a strategy that may be good to the higher class might harm those belonging in the lower class. Adding to the problem is the unequal heel of population belonging to a certain social class. In the Philippines, the population of the lower class is greater than the population of the middle and higher class combined. The solution to these is to focus the strategy to those who constitute the majority. The easiest and most effective strategy to garner votes is to buy the votes of those who are included in this majority (which is the lower class). It will be very effective since those who belong in this class are financially unable who need money to sustain their mundane living. This scenario is very prevalent in the Philippines since many are members of the lower class. near all politicians who are running in office are focalization their campaign on the less fortunate because to them, greater number of voters meaning more number of votes and more number of votes means greater chances of winning.The second socioeconomic factor is education (Hicken, 2006) which affects the voters view about vote buying. For the high and s ome middle class voters, vote buying is a deviate and somehow an immoral behavior. Those in the higher and middle class are strong attackers of this practice. They are advocates of different anti-vote buying campaigns and they are known for organizing movements that get up the people about this kind of campaign strategies. They have this kind of opinion because education teaches them about this kinds of things. just now for some middle class and most in the lower class (who cannot afford to have a higher education), they filmed vote buying because they perceive it as the time when they can receive free money that they can use to buy their necessities.institutional FACTORSHicken (2006, p. 48), stated that the chances and institutions under which candidates must operate can influence their incentives to purchase electoral support. Different institutional factors may encourage or deter the use of vote buying.One institutional factor is the electoral system itself (Hicken, 2006). Under this factor is the zone magnitude. It affects the strategy of the candidate because large constituency means larger amount of money needed to buy votes. Large district also has influence on the manner of distribution of the money. The strategy will be more expensive and costly since the distribution of money will take much longer and there should be an increase in the number of employees to properly accomplish the strategy. As a result, candidates will change magnitude the amount of money to be distributed to the people in order to rank other campaign strategies.POLITICAL FACTORSPolitical factors are different conditions and muckle in society that affect the creation of various policies political choices.One of the variable under this factor are the election laws, particularly the anti-vote buying laws (Hicken, 2006). The degree of execution of different anti-vote buying laws affect how candidates device their strategy and distribution plans. In the Philippines, vote buyin g is illegal yet it continues to progress probably because of inefficiency of the laws and the law enforcers and the light punishments that will be given to the law breaker. There is no strict regulation of such laws in our country that is why the practice of vote buying is whitewash a general act. More often than not, the law enforcers themselves are the protector of this scheme.BUDGET SOURCESThe first thing that comes into our minds when we talk about vote buying is money. Money is the live element of vote buying. It is the foundation of any vote buying scheme. We usually see that all vote buying funds are attack from the pockets of the candidates since most of them are members of the elite. But I think that the candidates are snotty-nosed enough not to make use of their own wealth and to think of other alternative ways of budget sources.Some candidates most likely get their vote buying budget from their own political parties. Others accept donations from different busines s sectors given the condition that if they win the elections, they will repay them by giving them economic benefits and government protection. For compositors case, the candidate accepted the donation from a construction fraternity. If the candidate won the elections and plans to carry out passageway projects, he or she will be obliged to make the company the contractor of the said projects.Other candidates resort in getting illegal funds. Candidates who seek re-election have the advantage when it comes to money resources because they can easily slant pork barrel and other government funds. Some ask the service of drug syndicates, smugglers, kidnappers, gamblers and robbers to provide them with untraceable funds. It is true because we can observe that many crimes and illegal acts are happening during the election season. In return, the candidates give them financial support and protection.DIFFERENT STRATEGIES OF VOTE BUYINGA carefully devised plan of action is needed to success fully carry out plans, especially if act is illegal. Candidates and politicians are wise in strategizing the effective way to buy the votes of the people. Usually, they even hire experts and professionals who are knowledgeable in fields concerning illegal campaign scheming.One specific strategy to ensure that the money given was translated into vote is what Bionat (1998) called Lanzadera system. In this strategy, the watchers give the voters an already blameless ballot which will be dropped by the voters in the ballot box. After dropping the already bangd ballot, the voter, then(prenominal), takes with him or her the blank ballot and give it to the watcher. The watcher will complete that ballot and give it to the next paid voter. In this system, the money is given only if the voter returns with a blank ballot.I interviewed people from our barangay in Bulakan, Bulacan about the chronic vote buying in our place. They had first leave experiences on how vote buying takes place in ou r town. Based from that interview, I was able to learn other strategies and series of actions on how the scheme of vote buying happens.According to them, vote buying is usually conducted a iniquity or two before the election day, usually around eighter in the evening until midnight. Each politicians has their own leader per community who is prudent for the identification of supporters and potential vote buying targets. They are also responsible in delivering the money to the house of the identified voters, at times in the apperance of paying the watcher. The intense vote buying is very evident and common in our place that the people are the ones coming and lining up in front of the politicians headquarters to ask for the money.Another strategy done by the candidates is getting the trust of barangay officials and other community leaders. In this way, the candidate can almost assume his or her hold in the community. The local leaders, then, are given large amount of money in excha nge of buying the votes of their constituencies on behalf of the politician or the candidate.One more strategy that was mentioned by my neighbors is buying non-supporters. Candidates will offer those non-supporters with a huge amount money. If they accept it, they will not be allowed to come out of their houses on the day of the election. There will be someone who will serve as a watchman that will ensure that the voter will abide to the agreement. Some politicians, in order to be extra sure, hire a bus that will take all the paid non-supporters to an distant trip on the election day.Another startegy is the taking advantage of the politicians on our deep family and kinship ties. Some politicians use a relative or an influential member of a clan to convince members of the family and close friends to accept the money and to vote for that politician.Vote buying also happens during the election day itself as said by the interviewees. Buying may take the form of 100 pesos attached to th e sample ballot.There are also ways in order to ensure that the paid voter will harmonize to the agreement. Before giving the money, they are required to give proofs that they voted that candidate. Usually, they bring with them a carbon paper or they are asked to take a telecasting of the ballot with a cellphone camera. Others asked the voters to make an agreed mark (a particular fold for example) on the ballot to serve as an identification in the course of the counting of the votes.REASON wherefore POLITICIANS BUY VOTESThe primary argue why politicians buy votes is the hunger for power. Vote buying is a form of desperation to remain in power. Many politicians fight for the privelege of power because it implies influence and control over other individuals. They see power as the easiest way to achieve fame and fortune. Candidates want to perchase the vote of the people to obtain domination on different public organizations as mechanisms. They are not afraid to neglect a big amou nt of money because the moment they win the elections, they can recover much more money than that was paid to the individuals who sell their votes.REASONS WHY PEOPLE SELL THEIR VOTESAccording to the April 2007 of the Social Weather Station (SWS), one in two of the registered voters think that there is nothing destructive in accepting the money offers from the candidates (refer to Figure 1). Others may not see this from of money-giving as an attempt to buy their votes. They accept the money but it does not ineluctably mean that they will vote for that candidate.Another reason is the offer seems as an opportunity to get the money, that was stolen by the politicians, back to the people. They might as nearly accept the offered money since it came from the taxes of the people.The April 2007 SWS survey also found that those in the agrarian areas were more probable in accepting money compared to those who live in urban areas (refer to Table 1). This shows that the primary reason for th e selling of votes is poverty. Those who live in or below the poverty line mostly are inert individuals. They accepted the money because they needed it. For the poor, payment for a vote can mean a week without hunger. They just accept the offer because for them, haughtiness and pride cannot create food and money.Some may see elections as the only chance to obtain something from the government. They have this view that it is an obligation of a candidate to give money and other material things to their supporters.There are some reasons that we can consider negative in the part of the voters. pack accept payments because they are being threatened. Most of the times, material offers are attach to with terror, making the offer difficult to refuse.Figure 1. In an election, it is not bad to accept money providedone votes according to ones conscience. offset http//www.sws.org.ph/pr070503.htmTable 1. verdant areas approved accepting money compared to those inthe urban areas.Source http/ /www.sws.org.ph/pr070503.htmIS iron out POSSIBLE?For the past few years, many have attempted to verification and eliminate the practice of vote buying in the Philippines. They even organize different organizations that promotes the values of an honest election. But none of them actually succeeded. plausibly the most successful technique that was done to eradicate vote buying is the campaign against vote buying through different public service posters (see fable 1, Illustration 2 and Illustration 3). Successful in the smell that it enables the public to gain information that the act of vote buying is wrong. But it did not really help in the removal of this unacceptable practice.Illustration 2 3M public service ad, may 2001. blinded by money. Vote with your conscience.Source Schaffer, 2005Illustration 1 Namfrel Public Service Ad, May 2001. Your vote is valuable, it doesnt have a price. Your character is priceless. So, in this election, dont sell your character, dont sell you vot e.Source Schaffer, 2005Illustration 3 Red Horse Beer public service ad, May 2001. A little pocket change wont put you ahead. Dont ask for a bribe. Vote for a good candidate.Source Schaffer, 2005A reforms aims to change the behavior of the candidates and the the votersHISTORY OF VOTE BUYING IN THE PHILIPPINESVote buying is not just a recent development in Philippine elections. Its existence started with the coming of foreign colonizers and continued to flourish and evolve with the publicity of new technologies and the development of new ideas.Pre-colonial elections in the Philippines did not have vote buying because the leadership was assumed not through election but through succession. The same thing goes probably with the elections during the early Spanish period (17th to 18th century). I did not find any account stating that there was vote buying but I assume that there was none because there was no elections and the leaders were only appointed by the Spaniards. In the late Spani sh period (19th century), Spanish colonial control in the Philippines declined as the Philippine revolution started. The revolution led to the development of a government established by Aguinaldo. Under this government, most officials were selected individuals from the principalia class and elections were only held for higher opinions. There was no large scale elections during that time so vote buying was not an option.The coming of the American period started vote buying in the Philippines. The Americans gave all Filipinos the right to rule and the right to vote. make believe No. 60, which became the organic law for all municipal governments, started the elite rule in the Philippines (Tangcangco, 1988). The Act provided a requirement that only allowed the elites to vote and enrol in elections. The elites became powerful and they may have realized the advantage that the position can give them.They became accustomed to the power that was once denied by the Spaniards. From then on, in order to sustain this power, they did whatever means and costs to be elected in office.Here are some of the documented instances of vote buying from the American period until the present period.In the 1929 Elections (during the American period), money was very essential in the campaign period. Money was utilise to pay-off rivals to get out their candidacy, to buy the votes of the people, to threathen the people, and to bribe campaign leaders of the rival candidate. (Banlaoi Carlos, 1996).In 1940 local anesthetic elections (Commonwealth period), Money was again a very important tool. Specific example for this one is the case of Pedro Abad Santos of the Socialist Party. He was predicted as the winner of the gubernatorial race in the province of Pampanga because of his massive popularity to his constituents but his wealthy resistance won the election by almost 7000 votes. There was no tell apart of the strategies his resister had utilize but the Abad Santos camp was really sure that his opponent used his money to buy the votes of the people. Another example was the electoral declare of Dr. Hilario Moncado against Tomas Cabili. They were fighting for a congressional seat in Lanoa province. Moncado accused Cabili of unlawful campaign by promising free legal services and interlocking for those who will vote for him. (Banlaoi Carlos, 1996)In the 1949 National Elections (during the post-independence period), all forms of fraud and exercise were accountly done by President Elpidio Quirino to ensure his position as president. Quirino and his other candidates used massive and whole-sale vote-buying in forms of money, jobs and pork barrel. It was reported that Quirino had used almost four million pesos during his election campaign. The three provinces where the massive vote buying occurred include Negros Occidental, Nueva Ecija and Lanao. (Banlaoi Carlos, 1996)The 1969 Presidential and Congressional Elections was between The Nacionalista Party and the s welled Party. This was considered as the bloodiest and dirtiest election (Banlaoi Carlos, 1996, p.111) prior to the Martial law period. Both parties reportedly used different techniques to ensure their victory. These included cheating, ballot stuffing and massive vote buying. It was stated in the reports that the Nacionalista Party and the Liberal Party spend around 700 million pesos and three hundred million pesos respectively. Those money came from the pork-barrel funds and was used as media fees and in buying votes. (Banlaoi Carlos, 1996).During the Martial law period, all kinds of wholesale fraud were committed including vote buying. In order to capture the loyalty of the rural people, Marcos personally distributed 4000 pesos to every barrio captain during his campaign. The barrio captains were tasked to divide the money among the inhabitants of the barrio. (Abueva, 1970).In the 1992 elections, there was a ban on media advertisements so the candidates had more cash to spend on their campaigns. Feliciano Belmonte, Quezon City congressional candidate at that time, was reported to have given cash and free tickets to Hongkong during his campaign. (Bionat, 1998)The media advertisement was also out(p) in the 1995 elections. According to Bionat (1998), mayors in Cebu received a bonus of 50,000 to 100,000 pesos for campaigning the 12 senatorial bets of the administration. Like what Marcos did, candidates also bought the votes of the grassroots leader. The difference is that the value of their support was more expensive. Barangay captains accepted a minimum of 500 pesos and a maximum of 20,000 pesos from the candidates. (Bionat, 1998)In the 2004 Presidential elections, Arroyo commited almost all kinds of fraud according to Tuazon (2006). One example is the Oplan Mercury that was exposed by Rudy Galang (one of the brains of this idea). The goals of this plan is to use public funds to the campaign, to provide money to local officials and to buy the support of those in the opposition. (Tuazon, 2006).Elections in the Philippines from pre-colonial era to the present shows how we incorporate influences of colonial rule into our political system. The good and bad effects of these interventions became part of the changes in Philippine elections. History tells us that the face of Philippine elections has never really changed. We still continue to perfrom the practices of the past. The difference now is that it just assumes new shape and form. stocky AND CONCLUSION giving up your rights to vote/ selling ones ethical standards-Vote buying-short name effects are long term. Soon after the election, its pay back time.Reform must start in the smallest unit of the society, which is the family. Our family should inculcate in us the values of honesty and transparency and the importance of a single vote to the development and progress of the country. Change must start at heart ourselves. Anti-vote buying campaigns will not succeed.Vote buying is not a native Filipino idea. It was only an reflection of our colonial experience. But this experience manifest in us that it became a constant scenario in every elections. History has an indirect effect on the start of vote buying in the Philippines. The desire for self-rule that was forbidden to the Filipinos for almost 300 years was suddenly bestowed to us that it might have created the idea of doing whatever it takes (may it be good or bad) to preseve and uphold this right.