The Philippines is now bound to face a new history- a history that will unleash the new leaders of our progressive country as 2013 national elections approaches. We will once again show to the world how we, the free people, choose our leaders and how we execute our liberty in voting.

Each of the citizens has the vital role in elections. All of the registered voters need to choose rightful, trustworthy and responsible leaders to, of course, lead Filipinos and not to lord over us. But we cannot be led by genuine leaders if the voting populace will be deceived by those candidates who masquerade themselves with a veil of deceptions, those who make a mountain of promises and those who demean the dignity of the people by using their money and take advantage of the people’s nothingness and give the latter amount in exchange of their votes.

Electoral campaigns now rule the air over television, radio and they are spread over the pages of newspapers or tabloids. Now the question is: How can we utilize media to promote fair and honest elections?



Any form of media has vigorous impact towards the public for it bears strong credibility of truth and accuracy. It plays over the mind of the audience from knowing what the latest happenings around us are. We are all informed through media. News coming from different areas of the regions across the globe comes over to us as immediate as possible. We are all opinionated, being persuaded or convinced through editorials. We are also entertained and given leisure by magazines or showbiz pages of a newspaper. However, people shall be aware that a story, may it be bold or not, has a deeper angle behind it. We tend to investigate for we want to know the truth behind dim and lies and for us to be able to come up with a clearer and firm idea. This is how Investigative Journalism comes in to motion. Investigative journalism is neither fewer documentaries nor no less hard news. It is a combination of opinion, news, culture, persuasion, analysis criticism and nature. The angles of the stories of investigative journalism have an in-depth understanding and deep discussion.


Investigative journalism is also about finding, reporting and presenting news which other people try to hide. It is very similar to standard news reporting, except that the people at the center of the story will usually not help you and may even try to stop you doing your responsibility. Of course, journalists are not the only people in society who should expose incompetence, corruption or chicanery. We also have parliaments, councils, courts, commissions, the police and other authorities. The police often take people to court for breaking the laws. However, sometimes they don’t have the ability or skills to catch and correct every case of abuse and broadcast it to billions of people. Also, they cannot do anything against people who behave badly without actually violating law. For a guilty or innocent persona, it shall be proven by the law and not proven by rumor, mere allegations or prejudice. So journalists have roles as well. The difference is that when journalists expose malevolence, they cannot punish people. Journalists can only bring fraud into the light of public’s attention and hope that society will do the rest, to punish wrongdoers or to change a system which is at fault.



It is proven by Investigative Journalism that before, during or after elections the nation is at state of chaos. Before elections, electrical posts are filled with campaign posters. Electoral candidates are in altercation and conflicts with their other politicians and critics. During elections, buying of votes fill the air that even if animal insects can vote, the vote-buyers would have bought them just to win and reach the position they desire. They are, indeed, hungry for power. After elections, there are electoral protests of the losing politicians who are coward enough to accept their defeats. There are even killings. Because of the campaign paraphernalia, the streets become so tidy. It is sad to say that it is the reality. These happenings cannot be exposed by a single and powerless human. So, Investigative Journalism plays its vital role.


It is so obnoxious to see that Philippine politics is an unhealthy competition. The Precinct Count Optical Scan or PCOS machines that COMELEC uses to count votes were also used by many countries around the globe since 1990’s. But they don’t use it now for they found it ineffective and inaccurate in transmitting data. It only foresees Philippines being an impoverished country having a shoddy election procedure. The program to reform and modernize the elections should still be pursued because the concluded elections 3 years ago didn’t eradicate old problems like vote buying or “hocus-PCOS”. Politician warlords still deployed private armies to terrorize voters and supporters of their rival candidates. Many voters were intimidated not to vote on Election Day. Bomb explosions rocked various parts of the country, especially in Mindanao.

The power of Investigative Journalism reveals the underground world of a story and tells the audience to commence penetrating the meat what the story is all about and what it conveys. This kind of journalism does vent most of all-time issues like Elections. Most of the products of Investigative Journalism have to do with addressing prime trends that the people need to apprehend and apperceive. Investigation is part of researching evidence to verify and clarify an issue or phenomenon. It magnifies every track of details on elections that will further elaborate why the topic is being investigated; why it is fundamental to know the topic; why the people need to watch closely the elections; and how possibly will the people respond. Through this, such deceiving leaders will not be able to escape, run and hide. There will be no room for election fraud-makers.



Malcolm X once said, “The media’s the most powerful entity on Earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses,” therefore, such powerful entity like Investigative Journalism can influence and persuade the public whatever the story tries to convey. The access to technology, fact-finding through Investigative Journalism will soon lessen; if not totally abolish elections fraud.



Philippines will still continue to experience the zenith of prosperity and economic growth with potent, honest, God-fearing and competent leaders. Rightful leaders will surely promote good and effective governance. We always blame politicians for being so corrupt and dishonest but the truth is we have to blame ourselves for we voted them and put them in the positions that they shouldn’t seat into. We have the power to elect good leaders and neglect vicious politicians. All we need is leaders who serve and volunteer not politicians who do business. This can be materialized with all of us doing our individual roles. And with the journalists as the watch-dogs who perform their jobs no mere profession but a call of responsibility, we can assure of honest, smooth- sailing, laudable and successful elections.