Date and Time: November 20, Tuesday, 12:00-14:00, 2018 (you are welcome to bring your own lunch bag to the talk)
Venue: East Building, Room 107 Center for Southeast Asian Studies Kyoto University

Title: Examining the Filipino Citizen/Voter
Speaker: Ronald Holmes (Visiting Research Fellow, CSEAS)

Abstract:
On May 13, 2019, a significant majority of voting age Filipinos will go to the polls to register their choices in a mid-term election where over 17,000 positions are at stake, from local legislators to members of the Senate. Among the various forms of political participation, voting remains the only one that generates significant interest among Filipinos. Why has voting turnout remained significant despite the lack of substantive representation? This presentation aims to identify, based on prior studies and existing survey data. the reasons for such consistently high voting turnout. In addition, the presentation also examines the factors that influence voting decisions that may also explain significant voter turnout.

Beyond voting, however, Filipinos have increasingly shied away from other forms of political participation. Recent survey data indicate that only a small proportion of Filipinos have engaged in what could be regarded as a form of political participation. In this regard, this presentation also addresses the question whether this condition, of limited engagement in politics/governance, reflect a declining commitment to democracy and a slide towards apathy or illiberalism?

About the speaker:
Ronald D. Holmes is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science of De La Salle University. He is also the president of the research organization, Pulse Asia Research Inc..