LOWERING THE VOTING AGE REQUIREMENT OF

VOTERS IN THE PHILIPPINES FROM 18 YEARS OLD

TO 16 YEARS OLD
(AFFIRMATIVE)

GROUP ZOBEL DE AYALA

9-CURIE
CABALLERO, RON EDWARD B.
CERALDE, KATHLEEN KYLE S.
CRISTOBAL, JASMIN NICOLE B.
EBALIN, KIANNA LEIGH M.

QUEZON CITY SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL

A.Y. 2017-2018
 I. INTRODUCTION

A. BIRTH OF THE ISSUE/CONTROVERSY

EVERY 6 OR 3 YEARS, FILIPINOS, AT LEAST 18 YEARS OLD, ARE

MANDATED TO VOTE FOR THE CANDIDATES THEY THINK WOULD BE
THE BEST FIT TO LEAD THEM. HOWEVER, CORRUPT POLITICIANS HAVE
BEEN VOTED ALL OVER, AGAIN AND AGAIN, BY THE SAME VOTERS.
CORRUPTION IS ONE OF THE MAIN PROBLEMS FACED BY THE
PHILIPPINES, LEADING TO MORE COMPLICATIONS LIKE POVERTY AND
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES BECAUSE OF THE GREED OF THESE
POLITICIANS VOTED BY THE PEOPLE. SINCE THEN, IT HAS BEEN
DEBATED IF LOWERING THE MINIMUM AGE OF VOTERS TO 16 YEARS
OLD WOULD SOMEHOW STRAY AWAY THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT
FROM THE CONTINUOUS CORRUPTION HAPPENING IN THE COUNTRY
RIGHT NOW.

B. OPINION ON THE ISSUE

OUR HOUSE BELIEVES THAT LOWERING THE VOTING AGE

REQUIREMENT OF FILIPINO VOTERS FROM 18 YEARS OLD TO 16 YEARS
OLD WOULD BE A GOOD CHOICE AND A GOOD START FOR THE
COUNTRY’S BETTERMENT. A LOWER VOTING AGE WOULD FORTIFY THE
VOICE OF THE YOUNG AND FLAG THAT THEIR OPINIONS MATTER. IT
WILL LIKEWISE EMPOWER CIVIC-MINDEDNESS AT A PRIOR AGE AND
SET UP AN ENTHUSIASM FOR THE POLITICAL FRAMEWORK, WHICH
WILL BE PROCEEDED ALL THROUGH A MAN'S LIFE.
ACCORDING TO STATISTICS, 56.03% OF THE PHILIPPINE
POPULATION ARE MADE UP OF YOUNG PEOPLE, EMPHASIZING THE 16
TO 19 YEAR OLDS, THEREFORE THERE WOULD BE A LARGER GROUP OF
VOTERS WHICH WILL INCREASE TURNOUT RATES. FURTHERMORE,
WITHIN LIMITATIONS, THE WIDER POOL OF VOTERS WE HAVE, THE
BETTER IT IS FOR DEMOCRACY, AS IT INCREASES REPRESENTATION.
 THERE ARE ALREADY A FEW COUNTRIES WHO LOWERED THEIR
VOTING AGE REQUIREMENT TO 16 AND WE CAN SEE HOW IMPROVED
THEIR GOVERNMENT IS. THEY INCLUDE BRAZIL, ARGENTINA, AUSTRIA,
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, NICARAGUA, ECUADOR, CUBA, JERSEY
AND GUERSNEY. THESE COUNTRIES ARE ALL FIRST-WORLD AND
SECOND-WORLD COUNTRIES, EXCEPT FOR ONE, CUBA. CUBA IS A
THIRD-WORLD COUNTRY JUST LIKE THE PHILIPPINES. IN CUBA, THERE
ARE EXCELLENT FREE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM WHICH ATTRACTS
PATIENTS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND ELSEWHERE FOR
TREATMENTS, A RICH SPORTING LIFE IN SCHOOLS WITH PROMISING
CHILDREN GIVEN THE CHANCE TO BECOME WELL-REWARDED
INDIVIDUALS, AND UNIVERSAL LITERACY AND A GOOD EDUCATION
FOR ALL. IF CUBA CAN DO THIS BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE VOTED BY
CUBAN VOTERS AT LEAST 16 YEARS OLD, WHY ARE WE RESTRICTING
PHILIPPINES?

ABOVE ALL, THERE ARE NO WRONG VOTES. WILL YOU VOTE

“WRONGLY” JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE 16 OR 17 YEARS OLD? NO, YOU’RE
NOT. ALL VOTERS HAVE THEIR OWN EXPLANATIONS BEHIND VOTING.
WE MAY DIFFER WITH THEIR REASONS, BUT WE MUST RESPECT THEIR
RIGHT TO MAKE A DECISION.

II. PERSONAL OPINION ON THE MATTER/CONTROVERSY

A. OPINIONS ON THE ISSUE

AS A 15-YEAR OLD STUDENT, I PERSONALLY DO THINK THAT WE

SHOULD LOWER THE MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT FROM 18 TO 16
BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF TEENAGERS MY AGE OR NEAR MY AGE
THAT ARE VERY POLITICALLY ENGAGED AND AWARE OF OUR
COUNTRY’S SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND ECONOMIC ISSUES. GIVING THE
OPPURTUNITY TO THESE PEOPLE FOR THEM TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO
VOTE WILL GIVE THEM THE VOICE TO TRULY LET THEM STAND FOR
WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN AND NOT JUST LIMIT THEMSELVES TO RANT
ON SOCIAL MEDIA ON WHAT THEY DISLIKE OR DISAGREE WITH THE
GOVERNMENT’S SYSTEMS OR WHAT KIND OF LAWS AND REGULATIONS
THEY IMPLEMENT IN THE COUNTRY. THIS OPPURTUNITY WILL GIVE
THEM A SENSE OF PARTICIPATION IN THE BIGGER RESPONSIBILITIES
THEY DESERVE WITH THEIR MATURITY AND INTELLIGENCE
REGARDING THE CURRENT EVENTS HAPPENING IN THE COUNTRY. THIS
RESPONSIBILITY WE ARE GIVING TO THEM AS WE PUSH THIS
CONTINGENCY WILL URGE THEM TO THINK MORE CRITICALLY SINCE
IT WILL GIVE THEM THE OBLIGATION TO CHOOSE WHAT THEY
PERSONALLY THINK IS THE BEST FOR THEIR COUNTRY.

MOST ADULTS THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE A PERSON IS BELOW

18 YEARS OLD, THAT PARTICULAR PERSON IS VULNERABLE TO WHAT
TRULY IS HAPPENING IN THE COUNTRY. GIVING THEM THE RIGHT TO
VOTE WILL PROVE THAT THE YOUTH, ESPECIALLY 16 AND 17 YEAR
OLDS ARE NOT VULNERABLE TO WHATEVER IS HAPPENING IN THE
COUNTRY. ACCORDING TO THE PEOPLE WE HAVE INTERVIEWED, THEY
THINK THAT LETTING THESE YOUNG PEOPLE VOTE WILL ALSO PROVE
THAT THEY ALSO HAVE THE MINDSET OF AN ADULT AND THAT THEY
CAN THINK AND DECIDE FOR THE COUNTRY AS WELL.

TEENAGERS ALSO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT OUR COUNTRY,

ESPECIALLY ITS ISSUES. IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT SINCE SOME
YOUTHARE YOUNGER THAN AND AN 18 YEAR OLD, WE DON’T KNOW
ANYTHING ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT OR ITS SYSTEMS OR HOW
POLITICS WORK. MOREOVER, MOST OF THESE 16 AND 17-YEAR OLDS
ARE FROM THE 10TH TO 12TH GRADE OF HIGH SCHOOL. ADULTS,
ESPECIALLY THE GOVERNMENT, SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT THESE
YOUNG PEOPLE ARE VERY AWAKE WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE
COMMUNITIES AND IN THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND THEM MORE THAN
EVER BECAUSE OF SOCIAL MEDIA. IN ONE CLICK, WE CAN READ NEWS
AND SINCE MOST OF THE YOUTH ARE ALWAYS ON THE INTERNET,
THEY ARE ALWAYS UPDATED ON THE AFFAIRS AND CONCERNS IN THE
PHILIPPINES. I BELIEVE THAT THE YOUTH TRULY KNOW WHAT THEY
ARE DOING FOR THEIR COUNTRY AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AS THE
YOUTH TO CARRY OUT THEIR AMENIBILITY NOT ONLY FOR THEIR
FELLOW YOUNG PEOPLE THAT THEY REPRESENT BUT FOR THE REST OF
THE COUNTRY.

B. SUPPORTING INFORMATION ON THE ISSUE

TEENAGERS, OR THE YOUTH IN THEIR LATE TEENS, ARE GIVEN

THE SAME RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN ADULT BUT NOT THE SAME
RIGHTS. PEOPLE DO NOT REALIZE THAT THESE YOUTH ARE ALREADY
ACTIVE MEMBERS AND PARTICIPANTS IN THE SOCIETY BUT THEY ARE
NOT TREATED LIKE SO. MILLIONS OF TEENAGERS HAVE THE
RESPONSIBILITY TO RUN A BUSINESS, CARE FOR AND AILING FAMILY
MEMBER, MAKE SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THEIR
HOUSEHOLD AND ACTUALLY, BECOME BILLIONARES BUT THEY ARE
NOT GIVEN THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHAT IS THE BEST FOR THEIR
COUNTRY ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BARRIER WHICH IS THEIR AGE.
YOUNG PEOPLE ALSO HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF ACCOMPLISHING SO
MANY EXTRAORDINARY THINGS BECAUSE OF THEIR COMPLEX MINDS
AND INTELLIGENCE. IF THEY HAVE SUCH CAPABILITIES THEN I AM
SURE THAT SIMPLY CAN APPOINT A LEADER WHO WILL BEST
REPRESENT THEIR IMPORTANCE.

EVEN THOUGH THESE TEENAGERS ARE DENIED THEIR RIGHT TO

VOTE, THEY STILL MAKE SURE THAT THEIR VOICES ARE STILL HEARD
THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER FORMS OF PLATFORMS. BASED
FROM MY OBSERVATIONS AND ALSO PROVED BY RESEARCH, THE
YOUTH IN THIS GENERATION PUTS AUTHENTICITY AND CREDIBILITY
FIRST AND FOREMOST AT ALL TIMES. MOST YOUNG PEOPLE IN THIS
GENERATION ARE VERY LIBIRATED ON WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN AND
WHY EVERYONE ELSE SHOULD BELIEVE IN THEIR IDEOLOGIES TOO.
PUTTING POLITICS IN THE SUBJECT, THE YOUTH BEING VERY SURE OF
THEIR IDEALS ON WHAT IS RIGHT, WHAT IS WRONG AND WHAT IS BEST
FOR THE COUNTRY IS GOING TO MAKE THEM PRACTICE THEIR
POLITICAL MINDSETS WHEN THEY ARE GIVEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

C. EVIDENCES SUPPORTING YOUR STAND ON THE ISSUE

MILLIONS OF TEENAGERS AGED 16 AND 17 ARE EMPLOYED AND

HAVE JOBS AND THEY DO VOLUNTEER WORK IN THEIR BARANGAYS,
THEIR COMMUNITIES AND IN DOING SO, THEY ARE NOT ONLY GIVEN
THE SENSE OF INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION BUT ALSO THEY ARE
HELPING THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM AND THE ENVIRONMENT. PEOPLE
UNDERAGE 18 STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO WIN A NOBEL PRIZE,
CONDUCT CANCER RESEARCH, TEACH A GRADUATE LEVEL COURSE, BE
PUBLISHED AUTHORS, RUN THEIR OWN SCHOOLS, WORK FOR NASA,
RISK THEIR LIVES AND BE WHOEVER THEY WANT TO BE AT A VERY
YOUNG AGE. IF THEY CAN DO SUCH EXTRAORDINARY THINGS, I
BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD GIVE THEM THE SIMPLE
RESOLUTION TO DECIDE WHAT IS BEST FOR THEIR PEOPLE.

AS I’VE MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES, A KEY FOR THE YOUTH TO

EXPRESS WHAT REALLY IS IN THEIR MINDS IS THE MEDIA. THROUGH
MEDIA, SO MANY TEENAGERS FORM POLITICAL GROUPS IN THEIR
SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZE PROTESTS AS A WAY FOR THEM TO BE
INVOLVED IN POLITICS, SINCE THEY ARE ALREADY NOT ALLOWED BY
THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT TO VOTE. I SUGGEST THAT IF THEY
BADLY AND COMPLETELY WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS POLITICAL
PROCESS, AS WELL AS THE ISSUES AND CONTROVERSIES THAT COME
WITH IT, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD FINALLY ALLOW THEM TO PUT
INTO ACTION THE IDEOLOGIES THEY GET FROM WHO AND WHAT
INFLUENCED AND INSPIRED THEM.

ASIDE FROM THE MEDIA, THERE ARE SEVERAL YOUTH WHO

PARTICIPATE IN POLITICAL ACTION COMMITEES AND MANAGING
CAMPAIGNS AS THEY ADVOCATE THEIR RIGHTS IN FRONT OF
 THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, MOST OF WHICH ARE
EDUCATED ADULTS. THE IDEOLOGIES THEY GET FROM THE MEDIA,
ESPECIALLY FROM FAMOUS AND STRONG ACTIVISTS LIKE MALALA
YOUSAFSAI, EMMA WATSON, THE OBAMAS AND MANY MORE WHO ARE
VERY POLITICALLY ACTIVE IN THE MEDIA, SHAPE THE WAY THE
YOUTH THINK AND INFLUENCE AND INSPIRE THEM TO BE MUCH MORE
LIKE THEM. ACCORDING TO CONDUCTED RESEARCH, 16 TO 17-YEAR
OLDS FIND VOTING AS A PRIVILEGE, THUS RESULTING TO 75% OF THEM
ACTUALLY GOING TO THE BALLOT AREAS AND VOTE. ON THE OTHER
HAND, 18 TO 25-YEAR OLDS VIEW VOTING AS A CHOICE INSTEAD OF A
DUTY AND THAT IS WHY ONLY 54% OF THEIR POPULATION CHOOSE TO
VOTE. NOT ONLY WILL THIS OPPURTUNITY OF 16 AND 17-YEAR OLDS
TO VOTE LET THEM HAVE A VOICE AND PRACTICE WHAT THEY REALLY
DO WANT FOR THE COUNTRY BUT ALSO, THE YOUTH IS MORE
ACCURATELY REPRESENTED BY THESE CHOSEN INDIVIDUALS WHO
VIEW VOTING AS A PRIVELEGE AND RIGHT INSTEAD OF JUST A MERE
CHOICE.

III. CONCLUSION

A. SUMMARY

THE YOUTH COMPRISE MOST OF THE PHILIPPINES' POPULATION: TO

HEAR THEIR VOICE IS TO HEAR THE VOICE OF THE MAJORITY. SINCE
THEY SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME IN SCHOOLS, THEIR MINDS ARE
MORE ACTIVE AND RETAIN THE KNOWLEDGE THEY ACQUIRED INSIDE
THEIR CLASSROOMS. ACCESSIBILITY OF ONLINE SOURCES AND SOCIAL
MEDIA PLATFORMS ALLOWED THEM NOT ONLY TO BE AWARE OF THE
POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CLIMATE FROM DIFFERENT SECTORS OF THE
SOCIETY, BUT ALSO PARTICIPATE AND CONTRIBUTE IN FIGHTING
SOCIAL ISSUES. THEIR OPEN BUT SKEPTICAL MINDS ALLOW THEM TO
ENTERTAIN AND INTRODUCE FRESH IDEAS IN BUILDING OUR NATION.
THEREFORE, WE BELIEVE THAT LOWERING THE MINIMUM VOTING AGE
REQUIREMENT FROM EIGHTEEN TO SIXTEEN YEARS OLD WILL BE
BENEFICIAL TO OUR COUNTRY’S FUTURE.

B. PLANS OF ACTION

1. INTEGRATE PHILIPPINE HISTORY AND CURRENT

EVENTS TO THE CURRICULUM

MEMBERS OF THE SAID DEMOGRAPHIC SPEND THE

MAJORITY OF THEIR DAY IN SCHOOLS. EDUCATING THEM
IN THE STATE OF OUR COUNTRY IN THE PAST AND THE
PRESENT THROUGH THE EXISTING ACADEMIC
ENVIRONMENT WILL BE ESSENTIAL IN HELPING THEM
MAKE A DECISION IN CHOOSING THE NEXT LEADER.

2. UTILIZE SOCIAL MEDIA TO RAISE AWARENESS

A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF THE MENTIONED

POPULATION ARE ACTIVE USERS OF SOCIAL MEDIA
PLATFORMS, SUCH AS FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND TUMBLR.
THE FOLLOWING PLATFORMS GIVE THEM NOT ONLY
ACCESS TO INFORMATION, BUT ALSO PROVIDES THEM AN
AVENUE TO SHARE THEIR IDEAS AND EXPRESS THEIR
OPINIONS ON RELEVANT SOCIAL ISSUES.

3. EXPOSE THEM TO REAL-LIFE SOCIAL PARTICIPATION

ACTIVITIES

GROUP CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES AND STUDENT

ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE SUPREME STUDENT
GOVERNMENT ARE PLATFORMS THAT ALLOW STUDENTS
TO HONE THEIR LEADERSHIP SKILLS, PARTICIPATION, AND
COOPERATION THROUGH EXPERIENCE. BY GAINING
EMPIRICAL KNOWLEDGE THROUGH THE SAID PROGRAMS,
 THE SAID DEMOGRAPHIC MAY MAKE MORE EDUCATED
DECISIONS IN VOTING.

IV. BIBLIOGRAPHY

A. PRIMARY SOURCES
 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM VARIOUS SCHOOLS
 QUEZON CITY SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL (ALYSSA SUNGA,
KHRISTINE MACUSI, THERESE SAGADRACA, RAFFY
PEREZ)
 UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS (JAMES ANZO)
 MIRIAM COLLEGE (PIA SANTOS)
 DE LA SALLE ARANETA UNIVERSITY (LAWRENCE
LERCANA)

B. SECONDARY SOURCES
• SITES
HTTPS://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/ELECTORAL_PROCESS_IN
_THE_PHILIPPINES
HTTP://WWW.INDEXMUNDI.COM/PHILIPPINES/DEMOGRAPHI
CS_PROFILE.HTML

• ARTICLES
WILLIAMS, GEORGE, LOWERING THE VOTING AGE TO 16
WOULD BE GOOD FOR DEMOCRACY, THE SYDNEY MORNING
HERALD, MAY 31, 2015.