This was originally posted on the author’s Facebook page:

This is an open letter to the ever-so-righteous Filipino voters and to those who aren’t even registered:

Dear ever-so-righteous Filipino voter,

Here are some of the reasons behind the “I won’t vote” mindset:

• “I don’t like the candidates.”
• “They’re just the same.”
• “Nothing will really happen once they are elected.”
• “They are all TraPo (Traditional Politician).”
• “I’m not a registered voter.”
• “I don’t care.”

If you have this mindset, hear me out:

1. You don’t like them? 

Whether you like it or not, one of them will win and eventually become your president, vice president, or whatever. You are a citizen of your country, you have laws to follow and one of those laws is to recognize that whoever gets elected will be your leader, unless you renounce your citizenship and get out of your country. What happens if your bet loses? At least you can say that you had exercised your right to vote and you have the legitimacy to oppose your new leaders based on the standards, reasons, and merits you had when you voted.

2. They’re all just the same? 

Do you have data and evidence to support this? The campaign season hasn’t even started, wait for televised debates or attend programs in your area if ever they visit your place. If not, use social media. They say social media will play a very vital role in the 2016 national elections. (READ: #TheLeaderIWant)

We are the social media capital of the world. You know, to be honest I’m also an #AlDub fan, I hope that when the campaign season starts, we can have that same energy when we participate on intellectual or rational online debates.

We must use social media to widen the perspectives of everyone to register, to vote, to scrutinize the candidates, to research about them, and to fact-check them. After all, in one click we can have access to almost all the information we need and want. If we can set a world record for tweeting #AlDub over 12 million times, perhaps we can also show the world that we can do better when we’re talking about the future of our country.

3. Nothing will happen once they are elected? 

Since when did you realize that you can see the future? Better make that a business to have extra income then. Kidding aside, it’s easy to say that but what are your bases?

Have you prejudged candidates because of their names, popularity, or their connections? Is that a valid reason? If you say yes, ask yourself this: have you done something to make things better? Not just for you, but for your community. If you’ve done something, well and good. Do not stop, the struggle continues. But if you’ve done nothing, more than complaining online, do something. Move.

4. TraPo? 

Well, this is the common reason we don’t vote for certain candidates, right? They are Traditional Politicians because of how they promote their names, how they approach people, how they make decisions, how they do everything. Because their names have been there for quite a while, they must be TraPo.

So who is not TraPo? Who does things the other way around? That’s an ideal candidate, we all want that, but before you support someone who isn’t like that, do your research first. You just might have missed his ads on TV, YouTube, radio, or even billboards in some provinces.

I’m not saying I’m all for TraPo, what I want to point out is that we have this certain mentality to put everyone down, to highlight their mistakes (which is also okay), to label them and to never acknowledge the good things they’ve done. But remember to also recognize their merits, if any.

Ideally, some politicians are where they are now because of the good things they’ve done in the past. If they messed around along the way, then scrutinize them.

5. Not a registered voter? 

Then what are you waiting for?

Don’t tell me you’re one of those Filipinos scrutinizing candidates or complaining about the government, and yet you’re not a registered voter? Shame on you.

I’ve always said this and I will say it again, if you are eligible to register but you decided not to register and vote, you have no right to criticize the government. It’s your fault for not participating in the first place.

I’ll respect your opinions only if you have registered and voted. The deadline for registration is on October 31, you still have time. Visit the offices of the Commission on Elections in your city hall or surf the Internet for more details like the Tatak Botante Facebook page.

6. You do not care? 

Then to me, you are a selfish person.

As long as you are a citizen of the Philippines, as long as you are using the roads, the sidewalks, being protected by the police, or enjoying any kind of services that the government offers, it is your obligation to care about your country. How? By showing that you care. You must think of your country’s future. One simple way is to vote for the fittest leaders who will steer our country towards a better state than where we are today. 

That’s all for now, you righteous one. – Rappler.com

Jules Guiang is a TV host and youth leader. He is the founder and board chairman of the National Alliance of Youth Leaders and the Tatak Botante voter education campaign.