As COMELEC rejects calls to extend voter registration despite the temporary halt in on-site registration in areas under ECQ and MECQ and lockdown restrictions limiting the number of people flocking to registration sites, Junior Chamber International (JCI) Philippines, the first nationally organized leadership development organization established in Asia, bolsters efforts to enjoin more Filipinos, the youth in particular, to register. To engage with the youth in a more organic way, JCI’s #AmbagKo Rehistro. Boto.fuses social media trends and pop-culture with campaign activities to spark conversations about the 2022 polls and get more Filipinos to register online until physical registration processes resumes.
More than 60 million Filipino voters have registered so far, according to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), including 5.7 million brand new voters. #AmbagKo calls on Filipinos to register before the September 30 deadline. Unregistered Filipinos include the 66,069 individuals removed from the voters’ list for transferring from one jurisdiction to another, 17,108 individuals removed due to double registration and 2,704 deactivated for not voting for two consecutive elections.
Fulbert Woo, 2009 JCI Philippines national president and #AmbagKo project head said, “The Filipino youth are very dynamic and engaging them these days calls for greater creativity. This is why we’re harnessing all the platforms available to us and those most used by our youth – we hope to be able to reach more Filipinos across the country and inspire them to register and vote. More than 200 JCI chapters nationwide are one with JCI Philippines in spreading the word about #AmbagKo Rehistro. Boto.. We trust in the power of the youth and the Filipino, and that through the upcoming elections we can carve a better future for our country.”
#AmbagKo invades TikTok
To reach more young Filipinos across the country, JCI brings its campaign to today’s fastest-growing social media app, TikTok.
The recently concluded #AmbagKo TikTok Challenge was open to all Filipinos who are eligible to vote. Entries can be anything from a dance video, a short skit, a storytelling or anything creative as long as they educate and encourage the youth to register. Out of the numerous entries packed with creativity, passion and patriotism, three groups bagged cash prizes amounting to Php5,000.
JCI Philippines realized the need to reach the Filipino youth through topics and platforms that interest them the most and married these with the #AmbagKo Rehistro. Boto. philosophy. More contests and exciting activities are lined up for the coming months.
#AmbagKo live talks
As a youth-centered organization, JCI Philippines has always been supportive of Filipino youth empowerment, organizing online leadership summits and youth conferences even amid the pandemic to continue educating young Filipinos.
#AmbagKo launched its weekly podcast over Facebook live last July. The podcast runs every Tuesday, 7pm. Upcoming podcast topics include choosing for the right leader, voting as right and responsibility, and more.
#AmbagKo supplements the weekly podcasts with the recently launched monthly live talks, also held on the campaign’s Facebook page. These live talks, held once or twice a month, cover timely and relevant topics such as registration and voting processes amid the quarantine restrictions.
The live talks also feature special guests such as youth representatives from universities, local and international organizations, and industry experts. An upcoming live talk features COMELEC Spokesperson James Jimenez.
#AmbagKo collabs with Munimuni
#AmbagKo partners with Munimuni, a local indie band known for its makata-pop, for the campaign song titled Ambag Ko, written and performed by MuniMuni and used during #AmbagKo online activities.
Munimuni and JCI Philippines expressed their excitement about their upcoming social media content featuring members of the band and their music. The band sees this as their ambag in supporting the campaign and its goals.
“You can find the campaign everywhere – FB, Twitter, IG and TikTok — which means we are where the Filipino youth are. We’re cooking up more contests and raffle, simple ways to engage with our audience better. Munimuni is here to touch our hearts with their song that evokes patriotism. Our aim is to inspire all eligible voters to ambag their talents and opinions and more importantly to register if they are not registered yet and to actually vote—that would make the difference,” Woo added.
Voter registration for the May 2022 elections will run until September 30, 2021. Eligible voters can accomplish their application form and set an appointment online through the COMELEC website or go to the nearest Comelec registration site.
To learn more about the #AmbagKo Rehistro. Boto. campaign, visit our website at ambagko.ph and follow our pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
