PHILIPPINES

CLD Prepares Trainers for Voter Education and Vote Protection Ahead of 2025 Philippine Elections

To capacitate aspiring trainers for voter education and vote protection in the lead-up to the upcoming national and local elections on May 12, 2025, the Center for Liberalism and Democracy (CLD), in collaboration with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation FNF Philippines, hosted two-parter Training of Trainers (TOT) across various regions of the Philippines starting March 2025.

The Voters’ Education TOT titled Vovoto c Zelf!’s (I will vote!) main objective is to equip aspiring trainers with the essential knowledge and skills needed to educate voters in their communities. These trainers will then be responsible for spreading the CLD’s voter education program throughout the country. While voter education initiatives have increased in recent years, there remains a need to focus on schools and communities, especially targeting youth who are first-time voters. The new voter education programs will also fill gaps left by past efforts, providing a more accessible way for voters to engage with civic issues that were previously overlooked.

On the other hand, the Poll Patrol which is the Vote Protection TOT aimed to enhance the abilities of community leaders and trainers to implement effective vote protection strategies in their areas.

The Voters’ Education TOT covered several key topics, including the current state of electoral participation in the Philippines, essential election knowledge, and tips on choosing the right candidates. Participants were also given the opportunity to practice voting on a sample ballot to help them become more familiar with the voting process while the Vote Protection TOT focused on two critical components: vote canvassing, which involves mapping and protecting voters to ensure their ballots are counted, and poll watching, which ensures transparency during voting and helps identify any potential irregularities.

Following the launch of the voters’ education program at Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Manila on March 1, 2025, the first TOT session took place in Quezon City on March 22, 2025,

CLD continued its work last April 8 to 9, 2025 by visiting Cebu City and Sibonga which is part of Cebu Province, the largest province in terms of voter population, with approximately 3.2 million registered voters. Around 50 local participants took part in the training.

During their visit, CLD also led a workshop aimed at jumpstarting youth organizing efforts in the province.

On April 12, 2025, CLD held training in Castijellos, Zambales which saw about 90 participants. Another Training of Trainers is scheduled on May 3, 2025 in Cagayan De Oro city.

With the 2025 Philippine midterm elections on the horizon, these sessions are crucial to empower communities to actively engage in the democratic process. Educating the public on electoral irregularities and vote protection will also contribute to fairer elections by promoting an informed and participatory electorate.

Voters’ education and vote protection efforts are a cornerstone of a healthy democracy as it helps in guaranteeing that the voice of the people is accurately reflected in election results.