Why I vote

On my Facebook wall the other day, I saw my friend's post saying she might not vote this coming May for the national and local elections. "Why bother when nothing has changed all this time?" she said. Now that may or may not be true depending on your vantage point.  From a poverty standpoint, indeed nothing much has changed since 2006, if we are to believe government data. Many of the poor are still poor.  From a macroeconomic standpoint though, there has been progress. The infamously sick man of Asia is becoming a tiger, says the World Bank.  From my own microeconomic point of view, my P1,000 a few years ago could buy a lot of groceries. Nowadays, the P1,000 can barely cover 12 items, qualifying me for the express lane in the supermarket. And yet there's progress from my small vantage point: government services like renewal of passports and driver's licenses can now be done in the growing number of malls, in between grocery runs. Now that's a bit of progress to me. But back to my friend's post: she has decided she's not going to vote. I, on the other hand, am scheduling a trip to the Comelec head office in Intramuros this weekend to take advantage of the early voting for media practitioners. This is the first time journalists are being allowed to do this, giving us the same privilege as soldiers, teachers, and other government workers who have election duties. Many more of my colleagues will be able to vote. Now that's a positive change too. I'm going to vote just like what I've done in all the elections in the country since I turned 18. Whether it's an election for president or just the barangay chair and his/her group of kagawads, I have trooped to the polling place to cast my vote all these years. Why do I bother? Why brave the heat, the crowd, the chaos, the madness of it all when my one tiny vote will most likely not change the world and make it a better place? Because it's my right and privilege to vote, and I want to help choose who will be my next president, vice president, senator, congressman, mayor, councilor, barangay chairman and kagawad. OK, the party-list group to represent me too. My choices may or may not win, but I'd rather vote than kick myself one day for not having done anything to keep Mr. or Ms. Corrupt out of power. Sure there's no guarantee my choice won't resort to corruption, but if ever he/she does, problema na niya 'yon; he/she is accountable to God, country, and fellow citizens. I want to be able to say, hey I did what I could and helped select my leaders -- or rather my subordinates; I'm the boss, right? PNoy thinks so. If my choices win, then that's great. If they don't, well, I'll just accept that. Voting is like life. Sometimes you get what you want, and sometimes you don't. Still that's no reason to give up on this country.  In fact, I think, deep down, that's my reason for voting: it's because I'm not giving up on this country. The future is bright from my vantage point. I see progress. And that's something that should keep you and me going to the polls. – GMA News