“Educating the young generation while seeking their motivation and addressing the decline in their political and electoral participation”. The first time voters’ project is a networking and education program which aims to raise meaningful participation of the youth in Philippine political processes by examining socio-political economic issues and by encouraging voters’ critical choice and active political involvement towards alternative politics and good governance. 4.8 million First time voters were registered last 2004 elections, voters ages 18-25 are 13 million — these could reshape Philippine politics!

-FTV Network


The First Time Voters Project

The First Time Voters project (FTV) started in year 2001, where 4.5 million aged 18-21 years old first time voters were disenfranchised due to lack of awareness on the ongoing registration and the incapacity of the Commission on Elections to register efficiently all the first time voters. Now in its 4th elections-participation campaign, the First Time Voters Project aims to launch a renewed advocacy to register, educate, and mobilize first time voters to engage the candidates and vote on the basis of platforms and reform agenda.

In 2010, an estimated 27.6 million young voters age 18-34 years old will take to the polls. 9 million of these young voters are first time voters that can be located in schools and barangays (villages). These numbers, if harnessed, can make or break the turn out of the elections—for the candidates and for the future of the Philippines.

What is FTV?

The First Time Voters Project is a networking and education program initiated by various youth organizations who remain committed in raising the awareness of the youth in the political system and to raising the youth’s involvement in their electoral engagement towards new politics and transformative governance.

It is a network of organizations and individuals that advocates meaningful participation of young citizens and pushes for electoral and political reforms necessary for democratization and social inclusion of the youth as a means to address the generation’s continuing apathy and alienation to political processes.

The First Time Voters’ Project is a continuing process of developing a new generation of electorate who exercise their right to suffrage and maximize youthful and critical tools in determining the fate of the country and their future.

Vision:

The First Time Voters Project envisions an informed critical young electorate who actively participates in Philippine political processes geared towards new politics and transformative governance.

Mission:

The First Time Voters Project tasks itself to educate the young generation while motivating their involvement and addressing the decline in their political and electoral participation through practical, youthful and action oriented means of intervention and cooperation

Programs:

Now on its 8th year, the network’s pioneering programs remain relevant in engaging first time voters to participate actively in electoral and political processes:

Networking of Youth and Students Organizations
Registration Awareness Drive
Political Education for First Time Voters
Formulation and Monitoring of Youth Agenda
Alternative Youth Events

History:

2001 Special Registration Campaign


• 4.5 million first time voters were disenfranchised as they did not meet the registration deadline due to lack of information-awareness drive by the Commission on Elections
• Stakeholders MASP, SCAP, ALYANSA and Akbayan Youth spearheaded the campaign to extend the registration
• Series of pickets, campus and community tours, leafleting, postering and concerts for the campaign have stirred mass interest—-the issue elicited public opinion.
• President Macapagal Arroyo’s visit at the first time voters’ camp and her administrations’ pledge of support
• The historic call for a special session of Congress by the President to revise the law which limited the time for the voters to register
• The class suit filed against the Commission o Elections to the Supreme Court
• The Unang Boto, Anti-Trapo Campaign

Until now, advocates work to institutionalize the FTV project as our generation’s response in changing the socio-political culture of the youth towards alternative politics and transformative governance

First Time Voters’ Network
c/o Task Force 2010 Secretariat Office
Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan
Loyola House of Studies, Ateneo de Manila University,
Loyola Heights, Quezon City
ftv.project@gmail.com
http://firsttimevotersproject.wordpress.com/
http://www.tf2010.slb.ph/
(02) 426 596


IF YOU ARE…

A Filipino citizen, a resident of the Philippines for at least a year or a FIRST TIME VOTER who will turn 18 ON or BEFORE the May 2010 elections

YOU CAN REGISTER FROM

December 02, 2008 – October 31, 2009

WHERE TO REGISTER

You may register in the Office of the Election Officer (OEO) at the local COMELEC office in your area from Monday to Saturday and on all holidays which would fall on a weekday except on Holy Thursday and Good Friday from February-October 31, 2009, during regular office hours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

There will also be satellite registration venues in certain barangays or areas. A notice of venue and schedule will soon be posted in your local COMELEC office’s bulletin boards and the barangays or areas concerned. These venues will be located in public places and will not accept registrations simultaneously with the EO’s main office.

HOW TO REGISTER

Application forms for Registration (CEF-1A) are available, free of charge, at the OEO, or may be downloaded from the COMELEC website, www.comelec.gov.ph.
If you will apply using a downloaded form, print three copies and fill it up, but don’t sign and put your thumb mark yet. You should only sign and thumb mark it in the presence of the EO to make your application form valid.

You have to appear personally at the OEO or any of the satellite registration venues and give your full name, exact address (including your house number, street name, area, district, purok or sitio, and baranggay, or a brief description of your residence, when necessary) and present any of your current IDs that has your picture and signature (school, library or employee ID with picture, driver’s license, NBI or Police clearance, Postal ID or passport). Community Tax Certificates (cedula) or certifications or IDs issued by baranggay officials will not be accepted.

FOR THE ILLITERATE AND/OR THE DIFFERENTLY ABLED:

1. Applicant takes an oath before the EO.
2. Relative within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, a person of his confidence from the same household, or the EO assists in accomplishing the AF.
3. EO reads aloud the contents of the AF to the applicant to check if the given information is correct.
4. Applicant affixes thumbmark or some other customary mark on the accomplished AF, in the presence of the EO.
5. Assistor accomplishes 3 copies the Certification/
6. Attestation and then attach to the accomplished AF.

Note: Those who are not yet 18 years old but will turn 18 on or before the May 10, 2010 elections may REGISTER but not earlier than May 12, 2009.