Poor provinces voted in droves

The Commission on Elections has always bragged about the high voter turnout in the Philippines. This, the poll authorities say, is an indication of a healthy and thriving democracy. Last elections, 77 percent of registered voters nationwide trooped to the poll precincts to cast their ballots. This year, Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos estimates a 75 percent turnout. Seventy five percent -– a good exact figure, a statistic for the record books. The figure represents the number of people who voted, but does not measure the sentiments of the Filipino voters who fill out those ballots for their own, different reasons. Virginia Perin is a 36-year old housewife from Torrijos, Marinduque. She never misses an election. “Kaya nabotos ay para mapili ang karapat-dapat mamuno sa atin," she says. She believes that the candidates she picks will be able to help her in times of need –- the usual state of existence where she is. Marinduque is a poor province. Its poverty incidence has been higher than the national average for a decade since 1997. It is also among the provinces with a consistent high voter turnout. A GMA News Research study of the voter turnout in the 2001 and 2004 elections finds that voters in the poor Philippine provinces participate more actively in elections. The figures are based on Comelec statistics and National Statistical Coordination Board’s 2000 and 2003 poverty incidence figures. More than 60 of the 79 provinces had voter turnout higher than the national average. Of these 60 provinces, 43 are poor, or with poverty incidence higher than the national average.

VOTER TURNOUT (Source: COMELEC) 2001 76.30 2004 76.99

POVERTY INCIDENCE (Source: NSCB) 2000 27.5 2003 24.4

Institute for Political and Economic Reform’s Ramon Casiple said that patronage system and the possibility of padding the voters list may be among the reasons voter turnout is high in these areas. “Land owner-tenant relationship is most often observed on election day -– when voters show their utang na loob by voting," he says. “It is in these places where voters flock to the precincts by the truckloads –- sometimes provided by the ruling party or candidate." The Institute of Philippine Culture of the Ateneo de Manila University gives a different perspective on the “poor vote." The 2004 study notes that the poor do take the vote seriously, ranking education, experience, platform, and track record as among the most important criteria for choosing candidates. The leaders should also be pious, helpful, sincere and responsible. These are the same qualities that Perin looks for in government leaders: “magaling mamalakad, maka-Diyos, marunong makipag-kapwa tao, at tumutupad sa pangako." There are also rich provinces with high voter turnout. Six provinces consistently fit the bill: Apayao, Bataan, Batanes, Cagayan, Cebu, Ilocos Norte. Batanes is a good example, having the highest voter turnout in 2001 and 2004 and is among the provinces with an impressive human development index. The opposite scenario applies to these six provinces: Benguet, Bulacan, Cavite, Davao del Sur, Pampanga, Rizal. These are rich provinces, mostly urban areas, with consistent low voter turnout. According to Casiple, voting is regarded less highly in these areas than in rural communities. He said fewer citizens actually cast their votes in urban communities. The poor provinces with low voter turnout are in Mindanao. The possibility of violence has been a factor why voter turnout is low in these provinces. Eighteen provinces did not show any trend from 2001 to 2004. --with reports from Brenda Barrientos and Ederic Eder