Words by Andrea Ebdane, Rachel Ogsimer, and Bianca Roque
Art by Andrea Ebdane and Rachel Ogsimer

The 2022 National Elections are fast approaching. The experiences we’ve had over more than one and a half years of lockdown are key to determining which leaders can pull us forward, through, and hopefully out of the continuing pandemic.
And with less than a year before the elections, it’s imperative to remember that the most important thing isn’t just that we vote — it’s that we should know who we are voting for and why.
With that in mind, here are five quotes from COMELEC’s James Jimenez about the how’s and why’s of voting:
1. The youth dictate the future.

“Youth, age from 18-35, account for about 51% of the voting population, which means the young people already outnumber the older people.
That’s a very good development because you guys can change the shape of government. You have it in your power, as a voting block, to dictate the shape of the future government, which means kayo ang pipili ng mga leader natin.”