SUFFRAGE is the right to vote. This right was at the start a statutory right. It was granted to Filipinos by the Philippine Legislature of the American period of our history.
In due time it evolved into a constitutional right. Under the 1935 Philippine Constitution, suffrage became a constitutional right granted by the sovereign people to a definite portion of the population possessing certain qualification.
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However, under the 1973 Philippine Constitution, the right to vote was coupled with the duty and obligation to register and to vote.
The obligation to register and to vote was removed from the 1987 Philippine Constitution. Moreover, the right to vote was given to everyone who is at least eighteen years of age, whether he be literate or unlettered.
Under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, "Suffrage may be exercised by all Citizens of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law, who are at least eighteen years of age, and who shall have resided in the Philippines for at least one year and in the place wherein they propose to vote for at least six months immediately preceding the election. No literacy, property, or other substantive requirement shall be imposed on the exercise of suffrage." (Section 1, Article V, Constitution)
Suffrage as a right carries with it the duty to vote intelligently and responsibly. This duty becomes important when one considers that there is no literacy requirement in the 1987 Philippine Constitution.
Therefore, illiterates and disabled are given the right to vote. The Commissioner Napoleon Rama of the 1987 Constitutional Commission argued that, "for a strong electoral system what was needed was not numbers but the intelligence of voters." He pointed out to the experience under the 1973 Constitution, which indicated that the illiterates were exploited by unscrupulous politicians. Illiterates were used for the perpetration of various types of election fraud thus making the phrase "to widen the political base" nothing more than "a sonorous incantation of principles that are not in touch with reality."drag racer v5 online game Jigsaw puzzles
However, Commissioner Rama's advocacy was voted down by the majority of the 1986 Philippine Commission, "that so precious a right as suffrage should not be held back from those who are so unfortunate as to be unable to read and write."
Commissioner Joaquin Bernas, S.J. summed up the issue stating that "The representative quality of a government is determined by the voting base...Therefore, as many as possible should be allowed to choose their representatives so that those who profess to be representatives can say that "yes, we are representing even the illiterates" because they have been chosen by the illiterates."
Finally, Commissioner Bernas declared, "I am very disturbed--very disturbed--by the elitist tendency of narrowing the mass base. I think it is a retrogressive act, and it will do a disservice to the efforts of the nation to promote social justice and to uplift the condition of the masses..."keyword research Best Web Hosting
The Filipino voters, both the literates and illiterates, will be going to the polls this May 14, 2007 to elect their senators, congressmen and local officials. The results of the elections will validate the right to vote by all qualified Filipinos, and whether the corresponding duty to vote is exercised responsibly and intelligently.!~!
In due time it evolved into a constitutional right. Under the 1935 Philippine Constitution, suffrage became a constitutional right granted by the sovereign people to a definite portion of the population possessing certain qualification.
Sun.Star Network Online's Sinulog Festival Coverage
However, under the 1973 Philippine Constitution, the right to vote was coupled with the duty and obligation to register and to vote.
The obligation to register and to vote was removed from the 1987 Philippine Constitution. Moreover, the right to vote was given to everyone who is at least eighteen years of age, whether he be literate or unlettered.
Under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, "Suffrage may be exercised by all Citizens of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law, who are at least eighteen years of age, and who shall have resided in the Philippines for at least one year and in the place wherein they propose to vote for at least six months immediately preceding the election. No literacy, property, or other substantive requirement shall be imposed on the exercise of suffrage." (Section 1, Article V, Constitution)
Suffrage as a right carries with it the duty to vote intelligently and responsibly. This duty becomes important when one considers that there is no literacy requirement in the 1987 Philippine Constitution.
Therefore, illiterates and disabled are given the right to vote. The Commissioner Napoleon Rama of the 1987 Constitutional Commission argued that, "for a strong electoral system what was needed was not numbers but the intelligence of voters." He pointed out to the experience under the 1973 Constitution, which indicated that the illiterates were exploited by unscrupulous politicians. Illiterates were used for the perpetration of various types of election fraud thus making the phrase "to widen the political base" nothing more than "a sonorous incantation of principles that are not in touch with reality."drag racer v5 online game Jigsaw puzzles
However, Commissioner Rama's advocacy was voted down by the majority of the 1986 Philippine Commission, "that so precious a right as suffrage should not be held back from those who are so unfortunate as to be unable to read and write."
Commissioner Joaquin Bernas, S.J. summed up the issue stating that "The representative quality of a government is determined by the voting base...Therefore, as many as possible should be allowed to choose their representatives so that those who profess to be representatives can say that "yes, we are representing even the illiterates" because they have been chosen by the illiterates."
Finally, Commissioner Bernas declared, "I am very disturbed--very disturbed--by the elitist tendency of narrowing the mass base. I think it is a retrogressive act, and it will do a disservice to the efforts of the nation to promote social justice and to uplift the condition of the masses..."keyword research Best Web Hosting
The Filipino voters, both the literates and illiterates, will be going to the polls this May 14, 2007 to elect their senators, congressmen and local officials. The results of the elections will validate the right to vote by all qualified Filipinos, and whether the corresponding duty to vote is exercised responsibly and intelligently.!~!