The Institute for Policy, Strategy, and Developmental Studies, Inc. (IPSDS) recently concluded a landmark initiative, the #STRONGERtogether Campaign. Spanning from March 15 to May 9, 2022, the project centered around bolstering voter turnout for the 2022 Philippine elections.
The campaign’s objective was two-pronged. First, it empowered the youth to help steer the nation toward a more participative democracy. Second, it aimed to assist Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in exercising their constitutional right to vote. The campaign achieved significant success, mobilizing a total of 1,073 participants, surpassing its goal of 1,000 voters.
Young leaders played a pivotal role in this campaign, driving the mobilization of a diverse demographic: 545 women, 329 men, and three individuals who preferred to withhold information about their gender. The youth, aged 18-25, constituted the majority, with 745 participants. Despite logistical obstacles preventing a full survey of the PWD group, documents from their organizations highlighted that 196 PWDs.
196 PWDs and senior citizens were provided with free transport, snacks, and drinks during the election.
A cornerstone of the campaign was the training of 16 youth leaders who were responsible for fostering The Democracy Network in their local communities. Eleven of these leaders facilitated commitment-signing events, attended by a total of 291 participants, who pledged to uphold the integrity of the democratic process. These commitments encompassed a range of principles from refusing to sell votes to educating themselves on electoral issues, to maintaining accountability for candidates’ promises.
Complementing the on-ground efforts, an online campaign was launched to counter disinformation and rally support for the #STRONGERtogether initiative. On election day, the signatories of the commitment mobilized their networks to participate in the electoral process and complete a survey on political participation.
The #STRONGERtogether campaign successfully established the Democracy Network PH, a youth-led informal organization devoted to augmenting political participation among Filipino citizens.
Members of the Democracy Network PH
Looking ahead, IPSDI intends to leverage the potential of these youth leaders who outperformed their targets. This strategy is crucial given the ongoing spread of disinformation, particularly on social media, even after the elections.
The institute remains committed to fostering democratic engagement, laying the groundwork for future campaigns aimed at encouraging citizens to actively shape the nation’s political landscape.
