If you find yourself waiting in line for your turn before the final deadline of voter’s registration, turn to these filters and playlists (hello SB19, BINI, and even James Reid) to while your time in between.
When setting out for a long day of errands, school or work, and perhaps, you know, saving the future from further peril, you bring with you the essentials. Apart from the necessary water, snacks, a power bank, and the will to live, you have your trusty phone in hand, where you can while the time away in between with time spent on social media, streaming sites, and Spotify. Whatever your agenda may be, all these help and more, especially when time or lines stretch far too long than intended. This couldn’t be made more clear than in the case of the rush to the last few days of voter’s registration for the upcoming Philippine elections in 2022.
No day goes by without seeing at least a handful of digital imprints making it known that whether it be a young’un eligible to vote for the first time or a disenchanted adult exercising the constitutional right and civic duty to the electoral decision, finally, they are scaling the steep challenge of voter’s registration
Look, it already isn’t made easy in the Philippines where one has to set aside time to physically go through the process of enlisting oneself for the voting system, but as evidenced by the nearly two years of the persisting and punishing pandemic, it has proven to be difficult to say the least. From lockdowns and community quarantines to necessary limits, as well as of the resonating calls to extend the voter’s registration, heeding the call of democracy, especially at a most crucial national elections is nothing less of an undertaking.
Before The Mad Dash
With a lot of effort directed to the voter’s registration, such as decentralizing it from COMELEC offices to satellite sites, as well as of making things easier with online aspects to the process, there has been a swell in the spirit of accountability, which has equated to a surge in the voting population. As of September, the COMELEC has logged in 63 million voters for the May 2022 Philippine elections.
“As of September 11, we already processed 63,364,932 registered voters,” declares COMELEC Chairman Sheriff Abas, which is already above the initial projection of 59 million. “Our new registrants are around five million. Some 871,000 people [reactivated their data], while 3.2 million [applied for] transfer of voter data.”
While this is well and good, at this point, every new register and vote matters. After all, at the end of the day, the elections is a numbers game. Now, with three days left to the last day of voter’s registration, it is anticipated that it will be a mad dash, as seen during the initial deadline of COMELEC.
While You Wait
Here, we saw a ballooning of crowds, snaking of lines, and a lot of confusion and frustration. While this has been defrayed in the past few weeks, it also served as a lesson for those heading to voter’s registration. While people have been better prepared this time around, internalizing the process mentally and physically, the good folks over magparehistroka.com has rolled out more ways to not only encourage people to register, but to also be entertained while they’re at it.
Instructional and interactive as it was, it is expanding its scope through digital efforts that are entertaining and educational, all while waiting in line. With the MagpaRehistroKa Pila Instagram Filters and Pila Playlist, your time spent will at least be a little bit more bearable.
While you already are going to take photos and selfies documenting your turn at voter’s registration, the Instagram filters by Mullenlowe Treyna will definitely add an interesting layer. Whether it be upon arrival at the venue, while waiting in line, or after registration, snap a photo, add the filter, and post. As the heroes on your shoulders will say, “Today is da day we register!”
Magparehistro Ka
Meanwhile, a Spotify and YouTube Pila Playlist has been curated for your time and efforts to staking a claim in your future through the electoral process. Filed according to the featured heroes on the Magparehistro Ka website, namely the Ya Softboi Rizal (“El Feelings-busterismo”), Kween Melchora A (“Girl Power! #SoraNotSorry”), and Bonifacio’s Supreme Rakrakan (“Punitin ang inyong mga eardrums!”), all your musical needs are well considered. From What? by SB19, Tatsulok by Bamboo, Sugod by Sandwich, Born To Win by BINI, Ate Sandali by Maris Racal, Tala by Sarah Geronimo, Nadarang by Shanti Dope, and Cool Down by James Reid, and so much more hits and hidden gems, it won’t be long before you notice that it’s your turn to hand in your requirements and have your biometrics taken.
While these are cool and fun, nothing is as impactful as committing to the process first and foremost. This means doubling down on the remaining days of voter’s registration, whether you are a first-time voter, reactivating your status, an address transferee, or even a concerned citizen trying to get more people involved in democracy. All efforts are important at this point, because as anticipated, it is going to be the most important Philippine elections we’ve had so far. Remember, your vote is not only important, but is at this point, a matter of life and death. So, what are you waiting for? Sugod mga kapatid.
CONTINUE READING: WHY VOTE IN THE 2022 ELECTIONS? BECAUSE YOU ARE MORE POWERFUL THAN THE ELECTED
