The document discusses suffrage under the Philippine constitution, defining it as a privilege granted by law rather than a natural right. It notes that suffrage allows citizens to participate in government and stresses the importance of exercising the privilege responsibly. The document also outlines qualifications for suffrage such as citizenship, residency, age, and literacy.
The document discusses suffrage under the Philippine constitution, defining it as a privilege granted by law rather than a natural right. It notes that suffrage allows citizens to participate in government and stresses the importance of exercising the privilege responsibly. The document also outlines qualifications for suffrage such as citizenship, residency, age, and literacy.
The document discusses suffrage under the Philippine constitution, defining it as a privilege granted by law rather than a natural right. It notes that suffrage allows citizens to participate in government and stresses the importance of exercising the privilege responsibly. The document also outlines qualifications for suffrage such as citizenship, residency, age, and literacy.
The document discusses suffrage under the Philippine constitution, defining it as a privilege granted by law rather than a natural right. It notes that suffrage allows citizens to participate in government and stresses the importance of exercising the privilege responsibly. The document also outlines qualifications for suffrage such as citizenship, residency, age, and literacy.
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Article 5 of the 1987 Constitution section 1 states that, Suffrage may be exercised by all citizens of the
Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law, who are at least eighteen years of age, and who shall have resided in the Philippines for at least one year and in the place where in they propose to vote for at least six months immediately preceding the election. No literacy, property, or other substantive requirement shall be imposed on the exercise of suffrage.
Then what is suffrage? By definition, suffrage is not a natural right of the citizens but merely a privilege to be given or withheld by the law making power subject to constitutional limitations. It is not a necessary accompaniment of citizenship. It is granted to individuals only upon the fulfilment of certain minimum conditions deemed essential for the welfare of society. This is the reason why some classes of persons, by reason of public policy, is not allowed to cast their votes like the minors and convicts. In the sense of a right conferred by the constitution, suffrage is classified as a political right, enabling every citizen to participate in the process of government to assure ‘that it delivers its powers from the consent of the governed.
As a Filipino, it is not our right to vote, it is a privilege given to us by the law in order to participate in our nation’s decision making process. It is necessary that we understand that not all Filipinos are given this privilege so we must not waste our votes. It is our way of participating in the development of our country. As a democratic nation, we are lucky to have this kind of privilege.
Some important qualifications in the exercise of suffrage are first, citizenship. A voter must be a citizen of his/her state, that is, he must signify loyalty to the state and perform this function as a duty for the betterment of his/her county. Second is the residency requirement. A voter must be a legal resident of a place where he/she proposes to vote. Third, age. It is necessary that the voter must be within the age of maturity. Lastly is the literacy requirement. It does not mean that the voter must have a formal education. This requirement states that a voter must be literate enough to be informed about the candidate’s qualifications, and to know how to express in writing his/her choices without being manipulated. If all of this are met, then you must be a qualified voter.
Now that you are informed, do not let it go to waste, think wisely now that the election is near. Suffrage is power, we have the power. What waits in the future is dependent on how we uses this power.
