EDITORIAL: The Real Price of Vote Buying

In every election season in the Philippines, a familiar and disturbing pattern resurfaces: the rampant practice of vote buying. While many already consider it part of the “normal” political routine, it remains a glaring wound in our democracy—a short-term gain that leads to long-term suffering.

What is vote buying?

Vote buying happens when a candidate, their team, or backers offer money, goods, or services in exchange for votes. It’s often disguised as “ayuda,” “transportation allowance,” or simple tokens of gratitude. But make no mistake—this is not generosity. It’s a transactional exchange, where the voter's choice is sold, and democracy is compromised.

Where does the money come from?

This is the question that voters often overlook. Is it from the politician’s own pocket? Sometimes. But more often, there are bigger financiers behind the scenes—businessmen, syndicates, or political kingpins who have their own interests at stake. In some cases, the money used for vote buying may have been sourced from questionable or illegal activities—smuggling, gambling, or even public funds that were diverted from projects meant for communities.

And yes, it could very well be taxpayers’ money. Funds meant for roads, hospitals, schools, or social services could be misused and laundered through shady channels until they land in small brown envelopes distributed during campaign season. When politicians see public office as a return-on-investment venture, that’s when democracy truly begins to fail.

What happens after the election?

After winning, these politicians don’t just sit back. They start collecting. The millions they spent during the campaign aren’t forgotten—they’re recovered through kickbacks, overpriced projects, ghost employees, and corrupt deals. Voters may have received ₱500 or a sack of rice, but what they unknowingly signed up for is years of neglect, broken promises, and stolen opportunities.

Public offices become profit centers, and those who once gave out money during campaigns are now the same ones denying budget allocations for health care, infrastructure, or education—because their priority is to recoup what they "invested."

So, who really loses?

Certainly not the corrupt politician, at least not right away. They get the power, the connections, and the influence. But the real losers are the people—the voters who sold their rights for short-term relief, and the rest of the general public who suffer from poor governance, lack of services, and systemic poverty.

Vote buying keeps the cycle of corruption alive. It creates a political culture where money matters more than merit, and where the poorest are manipulated into choosing leaders who only remember them during campaign season.

In the end, that small envelope is not a blessing—it’s a bribe. And every time we allow it to continue, we’re selling our future for spare change.