Cynicism Is Not Destiny

Filipinos are not blind to the imperfections of our elections. In fact, they are remarkably clear-eyed.

A recent national survey by WR Numero found that only one in three Filipinos believe the 2025 midterm elections will be completely clean, fair, and free. Another 41 percent expect them to be only partially fair. That leaves just over a quarter of the electorate with little to no faith in the process.

On the surface, that data might sound discouraging. But look again. It tells us something deeper—and more powerful: that even in the face of vote-buying, machine doubts, and skewed campaign rules, the majority of Filipinos still choose to believe in the ballot.

That is not naïveté. That is civic courage.

The cynicism some express about elections is not apathy—it is accountability in disguise. Voters are asking why the rules seem to favor incumbents, why vote-counting machines remain opaque, and why promises of reform rarely survive after the votes are tallied. They are not turning away from democracy. They are demanding it live up to its name.

We must honor that demand.

We must insist, again and again, that elections—despite their flaws—remain our most powerful tool for shaping the nation and holding leaders accountable. That belief is not wishful thinking. It is backed by every barangay volunteer who guards the precinct, every youth-led campaign that counters disinformation, and every first-time voter who refuses to sell their vote.

Yes, the challenges are real. The WR Numero survey shows vote-buying as the top concern among those who doubt the fairness of the polls. Others cite doubts about machine accuracy, threats to safety, biased poll workers, and the dominance of dynastic candidates.

But here is what must be said, clearly and without retreat: these are not reasons to withdraw. They are reasons to participate more. They are reasons to organize, to watch the polls, to ask hard questions, and to hold the line.

A flawed system does not fix itself. It is improved by people who show up.

Elections are not promises. They are tools. They are only as fair, honest, and inclusive as the pressure we place on those who run and regulate them. If we want better elections, we must demand better candidates, cleaner campaigns, stronger institutions—and yes, we must vote.

And we must do so not with blind faith, but with wide-eyed resolve.

To the watchdogs, teachers, journalists, civic groups, and ordinary citizens working to uphold the credibility of the vote: your work is the firewall between democracy and decay. To the voters disillusioned by past betrayals: your skepticism is valid—but change does not come by surrendering your voice. It comes by raising it.

Let us make this clear: the path to clean elections is built by those who insist on integrity, even when the odds are uneven.

There may never be a perfect election. But that is not a reason to stop believing. It is a reason to keep building.

In 2025, let us not only vote—we must watch, organize, report, and resist every attempt to diminish the vote’s power.

We cannot let cynicism define our future. Even flawed, elections are our weapon.