As 2025 election are getting near, first-time voters are urged to seek facts and data-driven insights, stressing the need for political awareness among the youth.
Political awareness among voters, especially the youth, has taken center stage in a recent discussion led by educator and civic advocate Sir Bryll Regidor on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
Addressing concerns about informed decision-making, Regidor emphasized the need to go beyond the popularized advice to “vote wisely,” urging first-time voters to reflect on the process that defines wise voting in the first place.
In light of the increasing influence of social media, the aldvocate pointed out the increase of propaganda and misinformation, describing social platforms as a “cradle of fake news.” He stressed the necessity of building critical digital literacy among the youth, who are most exposed to online narratives that may distort political realities.
Regidor also underscored a systemic gap in government transparency, noting the lack of publicly accessible data that could serve as a reference point for evaluating elected officials. Currently, mechanisms for assessing political performance are limited to satisfaction surveys, which he deemed insufficient. He proposed the development of an official database that would include not just attendance records, but also qualitative and quantitative indicators of legislative engagement and policy outcomes.
According to him, while teachers and other professionals are routinely assessed based on clear metrics, elected officials often escape similar accountability standards. He highlighted the need for mechanisms that would allow the public to evaluate politicians not just their presence in sessions emphasizing that attendance alone does not translate to actual work in drafting and passing meaningful legislation.
The proposal aims to empower voters with legitimate, accessible sources of information, ensuring that electoral decisions are rooted in verified data rather than social media trends or partisan rhetoric.
