CROSSING BRIDGES: Youth urges voter's education outside social media for the older generations

by Gem Marquez and Ia Faylon

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People line up to register to vote at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Quezon City.

(Image source: ABS-CBN News Online)

The chronicles of change in the Philippines and its long-standing claim for its democracy have always had the Filipino youth's involvement and unwavering participation. They have always been the backbone of fighting for societal change that covers many of society's issues and voids. However, as more amplified youth voices are being heard at present, there are also differences to be confronted from younger and older generations' political views, voter preferences, and now, social media use.

Last September 11 of this year, Commission on Elections (COMELEC) director James Jimenez announced to the public that as of July 2021, out of the 60.46 million Filipinos who have already registered to vote for the 2022 elections, 52% of those citizens are youth. This speaks volumes, a loud cry for change and a vigorous protest. The 52% signifies the number of young people who are more than ready to go out of the echo chambers of social media and walk the talk.

For Kabataan Partylist National President Raoul Manuel, the youth understands that society and the system can still be improved, and there will always be room for improvement. As the 2022 election season gets closer and the Philippines is about to hit another transition stage, the thirst for change in the political system of the country gave the Filipino youth the urge to grab every chance they get to change the course of their future and the future of the entire Filipino nation.

“‘Yong older generations mas madali sila maging hopeless eh compared sa mga kabataan...for them ‘yon na ‘yong kinalakihan nila, ‘yon na ‘yong normal for them. Unlike us, nandiyan ‘yong hope natin and we want to exhaust all possible means para mabago ‘yong society natin for the better. Factor din ito for the coming elections, kasi ‘yong older generations, if hindi natin sila nakausap o ma-try paliwanagan din sa ideas natin as young people, pwedeng ma-incline sila to vote for corrupt candidates...baka kasi i-accept na lang nila na ganon talaga ‘yong mga politicians,” [Compared to youth, older generations easily get hopeless (when it comes to politics), possibly because that situation is what they are used to. Unlike us, our hope is firm and we want to exhaust all possible means to improve our society for the better. This is also a factor in the upcoming elections because if we (youth) don’t try to reach out and converse with them, they might end up normalizing voting for corrupt candidates] Manuel said.

With the youth's urge to engage with older generations and open them to diverse information and discussions, one must consider some factors that contribute to the voter decision-making of older generations.

Double-edged sword

Dr. Jose Rizal once said, "Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan...” [The youth is the hope of the country]. This statement is a potent reminder that the youth has the power to shape and save society. Social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram play a huge part for the present young generation to somehow prove Rizal’s statement. They fearlessly speak their minds about politics and other societal clamors; they also encourage more people to immerse themselves in it because this could make or break the start of their strong desire to realign the nation for the better.

“We are the next generation, tayo ‘yong magmamana ng lipunan at bansang ginagalawan natin. Kung ano ‘yong sinasabi natin ngayon, iyon ang huhulma sa bansa natin bukas,” [We are the next generation, we are the ones who will inherit the society and country that we are in. Whatever we impart to others will shape our country's future] Paul Roset, a Political Science student of Ateneo De Manila University and Co-Founder and Chairperson of Youth Parliamentarians of Laguna, emphasized.

The youth's voice in social media is consequential, knowing that the Internet could reach millions of people in just a click. The proactive Filipino youth has changed perspectives and managed to be credible sources of political information by those older than them. However, there is still a stumbling block, and the positive noise of the youth in online platforms is only powerful to some extent.

“Powerful ang boses ng kabataan sa social media, pero hindi sa labas.. Powerful tayo sa labas kung lalabas tayo diba? If you are clamoring for change, and if you want for a particular candidate to win, then campaign for them both online and on-ground,” [The youth’s voice is powerful in social media alone but not beyond it. Our voices would be effectively heard more if we would try to engage outside social media, right?…] said Roset.

Unfortunately, social media is considered a privilege. The changes in individuals' perceptions are caused by their complete access to penetrable outlets already available to them.

"Yes, social media is powerful to disseminate information, to amplify our advocacies, our ideas, but at the same time, nandiyan pa rin ‘yong importance ng on-ground mobilization, kasi 'di naman lahat may access sa Internet, kasi 'di naman lahat may Twitter. Iba kasi ‘yong mundo na ginagalawan natin sa Twitter, mostly young people yun, full of idealism pero kapag bumaba ka on-ground sa community hindi ganun, ‘yong ideas natin sa Twitter maaring ‘di mag-work sa totoong buhay and we have to recognize that.” [Because not everyone has access to the Internet or Twitter, on-ground mobilization is still essential. The world we live in on Twitter is different; it's mostly made up of young people who are full of idealism, but when you get down on the ground, in the community, it's not like that; our ideals on Twitter may not work in real life, and we must recognize that] Roset added.

Roset suggested one good example that shows social media’s limits despite its power, which he considers the biggest heartbreak of the youth–the 2019 midterm election–where most of their progressive political bets did not make the final senatorial cut. “Doon natin na-realize na may kailangan pa tayong gawin pa para maabot ‘yong pagbabago,” [During that point is when we realized that we still have to do something else (beyond social media) to attain the change that we want to see] Roset asserted.

Bursting the bubble

Although dominant in social media with undeniably amplified voices, the youth still has to confront a giant "bubble" that they have to open to fully cultivate a more progressive nation that looks back on history, considers current events, and prepares for the future.

For Manuel, social media is capable yet still, imposes limits when used, “Madaling mag-trend, madaling mag-catch ng fire ‘yong mga statements na polarizing, alam mo ‘yong mga maikli lang tapos minsan kulang pa ng context, kaya sa halip na makapag-explain or makapag-start ng discussions na ang objective sana ay mas mapalalim pa ‘yong talakayan sa mga topics, minsan ang dinudulot niya ay mas nagkikiskisan...” [It’s easy to trend (in social media), it’s easy to catch fire with polarizing statements, you know short statements that sometimes lack context. So instead of explaining or starting discussions that primarily have the objective to deepen the dialogue, what it sometimes brings more is friction to one another…]

Polarization can also be exacerbated by internet algorithms that promote hatred and disinformation, obstructing other viewpoints. “Tayong mga kabataan, iba rin ‘yong ginagalawan natin bubble sa social media because of the algorithm, kung ano ‘yong nafe-feed sa atin ng timeline natin, ‘yon lang din nakikita natin, and ganun din ‘yong nangyayari sa mga matatanda. Kaya mahalaga na i-burst natin ‘yong bubble nila,” [We, the youth, we move and belong in a different bubble in social media because of the algorithm, what our social media timelines feed us are the only things that are visible to us, and the same situation happens with older people. That is why it is important that we burst their bubble] Roset said.

“Kung iba-burst natin ‘yong bubble nila, magkakaroon siya ng at least paonti-onting pumapasok sa kanyang timeline na tamang balita,” [If we burst their bubble, they can encounter accurate news, at least little by little] he added.

Social and political ideals are also significant parameters to consider because each generation grew up in different socio-political environments, experienced deviating social upheavals, and reared in different social dimensions. And the prejudices placed on younger generations by older generations are still prominent due to the older and younger generations’ contrasting ideas, beliefs, and technological eras.

The dichotomy between younger and older generations has been conceived as a result of the magnitude of their struggles and, more importantly, the passage of time, resulting in an uninhibited comparison and discussion of who is right, or, more often, who is more superior, widening the gap even further. Nonetheless, Aling Marie, the outspoken dissident sari-sari store owner who caught the attention of numerous Filipino youth on social media after releasing a video of herself in reaction to a "DDS" (Diehard Duterte Supporters) attack online, believes that this is changing.

“Para sa akin, ang mga nai-share ng mga kabataan ngayon, ‘yong mga posts nila tungkol sa mga pulitiko at sa magaganap na eleksyon, isang bagay na napakalaking tulong na yan para sa ating bansa.” [For me, the insights being shared by the youth today about the politicians and the upcoming election season is something that is very helpful for our country.]

“Yan (ideologies) ay aariin din ng mga nakakaintindi at nakakaunawa, bata man o matanda. Isang bagay na rin yan na naiambag mo sapagkat hindi ka nagtutulog-tulugan sa nangyayari sa bansa mo,” [It will surely be accepted by those who can understand and are willing to understand, whether young or old. That is already an outstanding contribution because you are someone who is not ignorant of the realities happening in your country] said Aling Marie.

As the youth gradually enter the "real world," they recognize that they have been left with the legacy of previous generations’ missteps and that there is no room to make the same mistakes this time since it’s the youth who will bear the brunt of the possible consequences of their decisions. According to Manuel, the youth's intense passion on social media platforms is not a way to shut the older people's perspectives but to find a common notion that could somehow unify Filipinos without forgetting to provide accurate political knowledge. “Hindi ito para awayin lang or tratuhin na kalaban ‘yong mga nasa older generations, pero para i-contest ‘yong mga ideas nila at mag-present ng mga alternatives at ipakita kung sino ‘yong mga candidates na mas bukas sa mga values na opposed sa kung ano ‘yong mga norms lang na ina-accept ng older generations,'' [This is in no way looking at older generations as opponents, but this is an act of giving them new ideas, alternatives, and showing them the candidates that are more open to values that are mostly not the usual norms older generations are open to.]

The youth's drive is powerful; however, this also shows that the youth as the country's hope is not supposed to be just a lone uprising but should also be a resounding affair with the past generations to come as one.

What’s next?

In the end, healing a social and political divide between young and old does not need a solution but rather necessitates recognizing a generational gap. The youth must realize that the older generations did not have much means to combat social ills compared to the present-day youth when it comes to using and adapting to technological advances, especially now that there is an expanding social media environment that is overwhelmingly free. “We have this illusion na we are powerful, na we can change the election but look at 2019. We have this illusion that we can actually win through social media.” Roset said.

Roset, who recently filed his candidacy for City Councilor of San Pablo City, thinks that social media is powerful considering the staggering use of the public, but the fight does not end there.

“We have to realize na we can educate people not only through social media but through on-ground mobilization or engagements. Sa social media napakalaking tulong, I’m not dismissing our efforts sa social media, malaking bagay siya, especially sa Facebook kasi nandoon ‘yong malaking audience very diverse ‘yong mga users ng Facebook, pero hanggang doon lang yun kasi marami pa rin Facebook user, marami pa ring nakakulong sa mga bubble nil ana ang hirap pasukin kaya kailangan mo talagang kausapin sila personally in a diplomatic way,” [We must recognize that we can teach people not just through social media, but also through on-the-ground mobilization and participation. It's a great help on social media; I'm not dismissing our work there; it's a significant deal, especially on Facebook, where there's a vast audience of extremely varied Facebook users, but that's all because there are still many Facebook users, many of them are still caught in the bubbles and I t's difficult to get in, so you'll have to speak with them in a diplomatic manner.]

To form a unified front and defeat the spirit of inequity, Manuel underlines that the older generation is not the youth's enemy, as they are also victims of the system.

“Di natin sila trinatrato na parang mga kalaban e like how we treat ‘yong mga dictators or ‘yong mga corrupt officials kasi ‘yong mga older gen part din sila ng Philippine society na nag-suffer din sa anti-people policies sa pagiging inefficient sa mga government services at iba pa.” [We do not deem them as adversaries, as we do to dictators or corrupt officials, since they are also part of the Philippine society who are subjected to anti-people policies due to inefficiency in government service, among other things.]

Unity, however, is harder to attain when no one leads. The youth should understand that it is undeniable that they have to shoulder a more considerable weight of responsibility to obtain political and societal improvement. For Martin Alcantara, a Communication Arts student at the University of Santo Tomas and a Sangguniang Kabataan Councilor; in social media platforms alone, it is our responsibility to not just engage in a healthy discourse but also to block as much fake news, for example, as we can before it reaches the older generations’ online algorithm. As social media natives, the youth has more capacity to protect them from stances that only came from passed-on opinions and not the truth.

“Let us all unite for a democratic force against this looming tyranny of Duterte-Marcos. And let us go out of our ivory towers and bubbles; reach out to the people, reach out to the masses. Yes i-use your social media for your advocacies and campaign but at the same time, let’s recognize na we can do more than that. Kung ang laban mo ay sa social media lang, ‘di mo talaga kaya lumabas, lumabas ka ng Twitter, sa Facebook ka or ssa Tiktok, kasi yun ‘yong mga plataporma ng mga masa,” [Let us all unite together to form a democratic force to combat Duterte-Marcos' looming dictatorship. And let us leave our ivory towers and bubbles; let us go out to the people, the masses. Yes, use social media for advocacies and campaigns, but let's not forget that we are capable of much more. If you just engage on social media and you can't really go out, go out on Twitter, go on Facebook, or go on Tiktok, because those are the mass-oriented platforms today] Roset exclaimed.

There are evident vulnerabilities and flaws with how the majority of the Filipino youth today use their social media platforms as a medium to deliver their political protests, to better inform and empower the Filipinos, and to overcome status barriers. However, the willingness and courageous initiative to use their capability to voice out what they know and what they think should be done that could help make a forward-looking change for the Philippines is what is on the other side of the coin. The chronicles of change in the Philippines and its long-standing claim for its democracy have always had the Filipino youth's involvement and unwavering participation, wanting more than cosmetic changes to better lives from cradle to grave.