THE COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) signed an agreement on Thursday for a voter education campaign directed at students in colleges and universities nationwide.
“We want those who have the right to vote, especially our youth and higher education students, to be empowered by giving them proper information and the benefits of voting,” CHED Executive Director Cinderella Filipina S. Benitez-Jaro said during the signing ceremony at the Comelec office in Manila.
“Especially in this age of social media, now that we have plenty of information, we have to make sure that we have the correct information.”
Data from Comelec show that about 52% of the 67.4 million registered voters for the May 9 national and local elections are under the youth category or those aged 18-40.
She noted that CHED had already implemented similar voter education programs before the agreement with Comelec.
The campaign will offer non-partisan forums and activities at universities across the country to give accurate information on candidates and a voter’s rights, according to Ms. Jaro.
She stressed that the activities are designed not to influence students on voting for specific candidates, but providing a venue that will help them make informed choices.
“What is important is that voters should understand the election processes so they can vote intelligently and efficiently,” Comelec Executive Director Bartolome J. Sinocruz, Jr. said at the ceremony.
He added that the two agencies aim to increase voter turnout, especially among higher education students. — John Victor D. Ordoñez