LOOKING FOR MR. RIGHT (THE RIGHT VOTER)

LOOKING FOR MR. RIGHT (THE RIGHT VOTER)

Every election season, we hear the same familiar refrain—“We need the right candidates.” It’s a noble sentiment, of course. Everyone wants leaders who are honest, competent, and sincere. But let’s flip the coin for a moment and ask: What about the right voters?

We keep talking about finding “Mr. Right” among the candidates, but what if the real search should be for Mr. Right the voter—the kind of citizen who cannot be bought, who studies the issues, and who votes not for personal gain but for the common good?

Because let’s face it—no matter how many “right candidates” we find, they will lose if they face the wrong voters. And no matter how many times we hold elections, nothing will change if the voters themselves are not yet ready to vote wisely.

I have often heard the argument that what we need is voter education. I agree completely. But voter education should not end with teaching people how to shade circles or check names. It should be about values formation, about cultivating the conscience and confidence of citizens to choose leaders based on principles, not promises.

For me, Mr. Right the Voter is not just intelligent—he is independent. He stands on his own two feet because he doesn’t need to sell his vote to survive. Sadly, that is where the real problem lies. Many of our people remain trapped below the poverty line. When election time comes, the few hundred pesos offered for a vote can mean food on the table for a day.

It is a vicious cycle: poverty breeds dependence, dependence breeds patronage, and patronage destroys democracy. So while it’s true that we need smarter voters, what we really need first are freer voters.

It may sound idealistic, but the long-term solution is clear—lift people out of poverty so that they can vote with dignity. A person who is not hungry will not sell his vote. A person with livelihood will not be swayed by a sack of rice. A person who has hope for the future will not exchange that future for a few coins today.

Another part of the solution is to replace what I call the politics of patronage with the politics of performance. Too often, politicians win not because of what they have done, but because of what they can give—tarpaulins, freebies, fiestas, and favors. We need to shift the mindset of voters from “What can I get now?” to “What has this leader actually accomplished?”

What would Mr. Right the Voter look like? Let me paint a picture:

• He is informed, not just influenced. He reads beyond headlines, checks facts, and listens critically.
  
  

• He is principled. He votes based on values, not giveaways or last-minute “ayuda.”
  
  

• He is community-rooted, thinking not just of himself but of his barangay and his neighbors.
  
  

• He is future-facing, voting for policies that protect his children’s tomorrow—on education, environment, and justice.
  
  

• He is accountable, because his job doesn’t end when the votes are counted. He follows up, attends consultations, and holds leaders responsible.
  
  

Now imagine if every voter were like that. We wouldn’t have to “find” the right candidates—they would emerge. Because good leaders come from a good electorate.

Unfortunately, our current system often rewards the opposite. We see voters who are weary, cynical, or disillusioned—people who say, “Wala namang nagbabago.” That is precisely why civic education must go beyond posters and slogans. We must build community-based voter clinics, where people can discuss local issues openly, learn to compare platforms, and understand how governance affects daily life.

In some countries, local governments organize what they call “citizen juries”—small groups of residents who review policies or interview candidates. Imagine if we did that here at the barangay level, led by youth councils or cooperatives. We could even have a “Mr. Right Awards” to honor model voters—people who have consistently voted wisely and engaged in civic action.

And yes, humor helps. We can use satire, skits, and social media parodies to expose voter manipulation. After all, sometimes we learn better through laughter than through lectures.

But underneath the humor, the message must be serious: democracy is not a spectator sport. It demands participation, vigilance, and moral courage.

According to a 2024 Pulse Asia survey, over 80% of Filipinos believe vote-buying still happens regularly in elections. That means that despite decades of “voter education,” the culture of transactional politics remains alive and well. Until we change that culture—through livelihood, education, and accountability—we will keep getting the government we deserve.

The next time you hear someone say, “We need the right leader,” tell them: Yes, but we also need the right voter. Because democracy is not about finding a savior—it is about building a society of responsible citizens who can choose wisely, demand accountability, and never again sell their dignity for a day’s worth of relief.

So, as we look toward the next elections, maybe it’s time to stop searching for “Mr. Right” the politician—and start becoming Mr. Right the voter.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres

iseneres@yahoo.com, senseneres.blogspot.com 03-19-2026