cognizancejournal.com Leonil Brian B. Orzal et al, Cognizance Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, Vol.3, Issue.10, October 2023, pg. 109-118 (An Open Accessible, Multidisciplinary, Fully Refereed and Peer Reviewed Journal) ISSN: 0976-7797 Impact Factor: 4.843 Index Copernicus Value (ICV) = 76.35 Understanding Voters' Preference for Candidates in the Philippine Presidential Elections Leonil Brian B. Orzal*1; Lance Archie G. Toring1; Mayree Angeli A. Coton1; Danie Mae P. Lucenecio1; Rina Mae C. Nunez1; Kandy Bordon1; Dejierey Jade R. Delan1; Mark Christian R. Almazan1 Corresponding Author: Leonil Brian B. Orzal School of Teacher Education, Biliran Province State University, Naval, Biliran, Philippines 6560 * leonilorzal@gmail.com DOI: 10.47760/cognizance.2023.v03i10.009 Abstract: Background: Philippine presidential elections have traditionally been characterized by the dominance of political popularity, populism, and financial interests, often marred by incidents of violence and electoral fraud. In this context, higher education is recognized as a pivotal tool for mitigating voter naivety and fostering informed political engagement. This study seeks to assess the preferences of voters, specifically 108 students from BiPSU (the research population), and to identify the significant sources of information that influence their decision-making about the election. Methods: The research methodology employed descriptive statistics, including frequency distribution and cross-tabulations, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the voters' preferences and their sources of information. The study was conducted on a sample of 108 students from BiPSU, allowing for a focused examination of their perspectives. The researchers used descriptive statistics to analyze the data to provide a meaningful and understandable visualization of the sources of information of respondents and their preferred candidates for the Philippine presidential election. Results: The findings of this study revealed that among the students of BiPSU, the most influential sources of information related to the election are social media and family. Additionally, the study identified specific candidate attributes that resonate with this demographic: a male lawyer with prior experience in elected office, aligning with liberal ideologies, prioritizing education, and possessing a doctoral degree emerged as the most preferred qualities for candidates in the future Philippine Presidential Election. Conclusion: This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by shedding light on the demographic variances in voter preferences. It supports and substantiates previous claims and research on Philippine politics, influential sources of information, and preferences regarding election candidates. The research also suggests potential enhancements for future studies, such as more refined time settings and a more evident diversification of demographic profiles, which could yield further insights into the dynamics of Philippine Presidential elections. Keywords– Philippine Presidential Elections, Voter Preferences, Philippine Politics. ©2023, Cognizance Journal, cognizancejournal.com, All Rights Reserved 109 cognizancejournal.com Leonil Brian B. Orzal et al, Cognizance Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, Vol.3, Issue.10, October 2023, pg. 109-118 (An Open Accessible, Multidisciplinary, Fully Refereed and Peer Reviewed Journal) ISSN: 0976-7797 Impact Factor: 4.843 Index Copernicus Value (ICV) = 76.35 I. INTRODUCTION Every six years, Filipino voters from all over the world participate in the national election for the presidency, vice presidency, and legislative While some highly debatable issues and conflicts are going on in our country right now, it is best to assess whether it impacts the preference of voters on candidates for the Philippine Presidential Election. Philippine elections are won through popularity, populism, and money politics (Loo, 2004). They are often marred by violence, fraud, and irregularities dominated by the country's elite families competing for political power (Velmonte, 2020). Voters are significantly influenced by the candidates‟ characters, government performance, orientations on specific political issues, party identification, and ideology (Reform, 2004). In a world with a massive amount of naivety in the population (Caplan, 2006), higher education plays a big part in nurturing students‟ holistic democratic participation (Johnson, 2017). Developing civic identity and political interests takes time and first-hand experience that schools and personal involvement can provide throughout the years, and initially developing the rationality of voters. The quality of a leader is based on their reputation. Education level was ranked second in the voters‟ choices of consideration. Personality ranked third, the candidate‟s platform/priority ranked fourth in the millennial voting preferences, while profession/occupation was the least of the voters‟ considerations (Murcia, J. B., & Bolo, R. T., 2017). There are many kinds and levels of biases: among individuals, social groups, and countries. This would result in a long list of preferences applied globally. Thus, research suggests that social identity, family voting, gender differences, ideology, and emotions are critical in guiding behavior (Qorri, 2018). Political ignorance and irresponsibility is an alarming issue that triggers harmful consequences. Primarily it demonizes the quality of political representation. Under-represented groups and minorities who receive less information about political parties and candidates became less participative, making their cause and interests less represented in society (Fowler & Margolis, The Political Consequences of Uninformed Voters, 2013). This characterization of uninformed voters proves that to build confidence and bring quality to political participation; there‟s a need to educate voters, especially victims of circumstances. The youth voters did not have a great impression of the electoral process because of what they saw on social media. It is quite reasonable that the youth can discern the wrong sides of the country‟s electoral system. However, it is also worry-worthy because of their indifference to it (Capadocia, Gayosa, Rivera, Roselo, & Uichanco, 2008). The election is the systematic method of choosing a candidate for public office or approving or rejecting a political proposal by voting. Elections demonstrate democracy, as well as give substance to it. The government serves the public and is compensated by the people (Press, 2010). This characterization of uninformed voters proves that to build confidence and bring quality to political participation; there‟s a need to educate voters, especially victims of circumstances. Filipinos are not knowledgeable enough to vote, and the candidates they vote for are not educated enough to serve. Millennials, or young people aged 35 and below, tend to favor candidates based on popularity and to whom they can benefit the most (Murcia & Bolo, 2017). They lack education on the right-to-vote decisions, which leads to being easily swayed and voting for candidates that are popular with ordinary people. And so, these become a way for politicians to exploit such detail as an opportunity to be known by many people and to be chosen. Despite the data presented by the studies beforehand, there have been lapses that our study ought to fill. The study “Psychology Behind Voting Behavior in Kosovo” discusses the issue of exploring implicit biases resulting from the different preferences a voter has and concludes to question how these biases or “preferences” will make their society better. In contrast, the study “Di BOBOto!: First-Time Voters‟ Perceptions on Philippine Elections” was solely centralized on first-time voters and questioned the reliability of the youths‟ choices as it may have only been a result of shadowed preferences from their older peers. Lastly, “Millennial Voters‟ Preference for 2016 Presidential Elections” only provided a limited discussion of the gathered data by (1) not having any relevant conclusion and (2) discussion primarily hinged on attributes of presidential bets. ©2023, Cognizance Journal, cognizancejournal.com, All Rights Reserved 110 cognizancejournal.com Leonil Brian B. Orzal et al, Cognizance Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, Vol.3, Issue.10, October 2023, pg. 109-118 (An Open Accessible, Multidisciplinary, Fully Refereed and Peer Reviewed Journal) ISSN: 0976-7797 Impact Factor: 4.843 Index Copernicus Value (ICV) = 76.35 This study aims to fill those gaps by discussing (1) determining the most considerable domain that voters think would make society better and (2) presenting further frequency discussions based on the voters‟ demographics which includes the discussion of the difference between the older and younger generations‟ preferences, (3) including the discussion of other sources of information that may have impact the voters‟ preferences, and (4) providing general preferences on all candidates for the Philippine Presidential Election. This study sought to determine voters‟ preference for candidates for the Philippine Presidential Election. Specifically, this study sought to answer the following objectives: 1. To determine the respondents‟ media and interpersonal sources of information about the elections and the extent to which these sources have influenced their preferences in terms of: a. Local TV b. Newspaper c. Radio d. Social Media e. Cable TV f. Family g. Friends h. Teachers i. Public Officials j. Civil Leaders k. Church Leaders l. Entertainment Icon m. Neighbor 2. To determine the preferred profile of candidates for the Philippine Presidential Election and how much consideration voters have in each attribute when voting derived from the respondents‟ answers based on candidates: a. Gender b. Profession c. Experience d. Personality e. Priority f. Education g. Religion h. Political Party i. Popularity II. METHODOLOGY Research Design and Sampling This study used a descriptive research design obtained from primary data. The descriptive research design is an observational research method that describes or defines the subject of the study without covering and answering the question „why.‟ The primary data was collected through an online poll sent to the respondents using Google Forms. This method helped determine the preferred profile of voters‟ candidates for the Philippine Presidential Election and the sources of information that may have impacted their preference. There are more than 7000 enrolled college students in the Biliran Province State University and nine colleges: School of Teacher Education, School of Technology and Computer Studies, School of Criminal Justice Education, School of Arts and Sciences, School of Nursing and Health Sciences, School of Graduate Studies, School of Management and Entrepreneurship, School of Engineering, and BiPSU Biliran Campus. The researchers used a literature review or referencing other studies similar to ours, and under the assumption that all are eligible voters, a minimum of 108 students were chosen as respondents. ©2023, Cognizance Journal, cognizancejournal.com, All Rights Reserved 111 cognizancejournal.com Leonil Brian B. Orzal et al, Cognizance Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, Vol.3, Issue.10, October 2023, pg. 109-118 (An Open Accessible, Multidisciplinary, Fully Refereed and Peer Reviewed Journal) ISSN: 0976-7797 Impact Factor: 4.843 Index Copernicus Value (ICV) = 76.35 To accommodate all nine colleges, the researchers used the clustered sampling method; a minimum of 12 students were chosen from every nine colleges as participants. This sampling method divided the population size into small groups called clusters. With the nine colleges as the clusters, the researchers randomly chose 12 students in each cluster to form the designated 108 sample size. Data Gathering Procedures The researchers utilized an adopted instrument from the studies “Di BOBOto!: First-Time Voters‟ Perceptions” (Capadocia, Gayosa, Rivera, Roselo, & Uichanco, 2008) and “Millennial Voters' Preference for the 2016 Philippine Presidential Elections: A Simulation Using Conjoint Analysis” (Murcia & Bolo, 2017) that measured the respondent‟s sources of information, and preferred candidates for Philippine Election. Moreover, the adopted instrument was validated and rated “accepted” (M = 4.358) by research experts using a survey instrument validation scale (Oducado, 2020). It tested its reliability and rated “acceptable” (a = 0.77) by undergoing a pilot test among adult respondents using the Cronbach Alpha‟s Reliability Test before conducting the actual study. The researchers sent a self-administered online research instrument that contained a poll and an evaluation through online Google Forms links. The instrument had a consent form that declared the confidentiality of voters‟ answers and a section for the respondents‟ demographics that exhibited their profiles relevant to the study. The instrument also comprised two main areas, namely: (1) sources of information and (2) preferences on candidates that were both demonstrated through the checklist and 5-scale evaluation. Each section contains a concluding evaluation demonstrated through the Likert Scale. In section 1, with 13 questions, there was an assessment of how these sources have influenced the voters‟ preferences. Section 2, with nine questions, assessed the level of consideration voters have in each attribute when voting. The researchers also sought formal consultation with the Biliran Province State University administration before conducting this study and assured the confidentiality of the data gathered. Statistical Treatment of Data The researchers used descriptive statistics to analyze the data to provide a meaningful and understandable visualization of the sources of information of respondents and their preferred candidates for the Philippine Presidential election. Further, the researchers tallied, tabulated, and encoded the gathered data using frequency distribution and cross-tabulation to provide a different perspective for the collected data. The sources of information and the level of influence on voters‟ preference, the preferred profile of candidates for the Philippine Presidential election, and the level of consideration voters had for the profiles of candidates when voting, all the domains involved were analyzed using the frequency distribution. Meanwhile, through cross-tabulation, the researchers analyzed the relationship between the respondents‟ demographics, sources of information, and their preferred profile of candidates for the Philippine Presidential election. III.RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS Profile of the Respondents Table 1 indicates that 60.18% of the respondents were female, and almost every respondent was aged 16-36. The respondents were also 81.48% Roman Catholic-dominated, and 63.88% belonged to families with a low-income group. Table 1 Profile of the Respondents Variable Sex (assigned at birth) Female Male Generational Age Generation Y (16-36) f % 65 43 60.18 39.81 107 99.07 ©2023, Cognizance Journal, cognizancejournal.com, All Rights Reserved 112 cognizancejournal.com Leonil Brian B. Orzal et al, Cognizance Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, Vol.3, Issue.10, October 2023, pg. 109-118 (An Open Accessible, Multidisciplinary, Fully Refereed and Peer Reviewed Journal) ISSN: 0976-7797 Impact Factor: 4.843 Index Copernicus Value (ICV) = 76.35 Generation X (37-52) Religion Agnostic, Atheist Born Again Christian Roman Catholic Others (Iglesia FI, The Church of Jesus Christ LDS, Seventh Day Adventist) Household Monthly Income Less than ₱11,690 Between ₱11,690 – ₱23,381 Above ₱23,381 – ₱46,761 1 0.92 2 9 88 3 1.84 8.33 81.48 8.33 70 28 10 63.88 26.85 9.24 Sources of Information Table 2 presents the sources of voters‟ information about/related to the Philippine Presidential Election and how much level of influence it gives the voters. 89.81% and 62.03% of the respondents answered that their sources of information are from social media and Cable TV correspondingly. In comparison, 10.18% of the respondents get their information in newspapers. In contrast, in the interpersonal sources, 89.81% and 72.22% answered that their sources of information are from their Family and Friends, respectively, while 15.74% answered church and civil leaders. Table 2 Sources of Information Variables Media Sources Cable TV Local TV Newspaper Radio Social Media Interpersonal Sources Church Leaders Civil Leaders Entertainment Icon Family Friends Neighbors Public Officials Teachers f % Mean Interpretation 67 35 11 25 97 62.03 32.40 10.18 23.14 89.81 4.04 3.83 3.05 3.26 4.59 Much Influence Much Influence Some Influence Some Influence Lots of Influence 17 17 19 97 78 37 39 34 15.74 15.74 17.59 89.81 72.22 34.25 36.11 31.48 3.15 3.35 3.24 4.17 3.98 3.39 3.69 3.69 Some Influence Some Influence Some Influence Much Influence Much Influence Some Influence Much Influence Much Influence Based on the data collected, two of the top three most influential sources of information are media sources and interpersonal sources. Social media has the biggest influence (M = 4.59) followed by Family (M = 4.17) and Cable TV (M = 4.04) respectively. And accordingly, the two least influential are found both in each source. Namely, Newspaper (M = 3.05) and Church Leaders (M = 3.15). The data shows that social media, the topmost influential, can reach far and wide. Because of this, social media has also become the politician‟s platform to promote themselves and, inevitably, a way to cause trouble for the opposite party (Capadocia, Gayosa, Rivera, Roselo, & Uichanco, 2008). And suppose the candidate is notoriously known to people, much more to the less educated and less knowledgeable. In that case, they tend to give their favor based on their popularity. With this, social media and Cable TV are an excellent ©2023, Cognizance Journal, cognizancejournal.com, All Rights Reserved 113 cognizancejournal.com Leonil Brian B. Orzal et al, Cognizance Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, Vol.3, Issue.10, October 2023, pg. 109-118 (An Open Accessible, Multidisciplinary, Fully Refereed and Peer Reviewed Journal) ISSN: 0976-7797 Impact Factor: 4.843 Index Copernicus Value (ICV) = 76.35 way to be known by people that some politicians exploit to gain more influence and hence be chosen (Murcia & Bolo, 2017). The second most influential source, family, parents, and relatives, play a significant role in an individual's voting behavior, and family voting is learned at an early age. This results in being in line with their parent‟s preferred political party or influenced by their parent‟s thinking about politics (Klass, 2016). Moreover, the results in Table 2 support the high possibility that youth voters‟ choices may have only resulted from shadowed preferences from their older peers, as postulated by the study “Di BOBOto!: First-Time Voters‟ Perceptions on Philippine Elections”. Table 2 also shows that the two most minor influential sources are newspapers and church leaders. The ability for newspapers to reach such a vast population isn‟t available for it; much more to be used and read by new adults and millennials (Dangla, 2016), who are the primary respondents of the study. Like the church leaders, their words do not carry as much weight as friends or family. Preferences on Candidates Table 3 shows voters‟ preference in choosing a candidate for the Philippine Presidential Election. Based on the results, the following are considered the voter‟s preferences in selecting a candidate: Gender, Profession, Experience, Personality, Priority, and Education. Based on the data, Males (38.88%) and females (37.96%) almost rank the same. In the Profession, Lawyer (50.92%) ranks highest, followed by Government Official (40.72%), Economist (37.96%), and Agriculturist (33.33%), while Celebrity (2.77%), and others (4.62%) ranks last. Experience as an Elected Official (65.74%) ranks the highest among the other incidents. Furthermore, the Liberal personality (52.77%) was preferred above Traditional (37.96%) and Iron-fisted (26.85%). Education (90.74%) as a priority of the candidates has the highest ranking in importance, followed by Anti-crime and Corruption (77.77%), Economic growth (75.92%), Environment (69.44%), and Health (60.18%). However, Science and Culture (43.51%) and Territorial Dispute (39.8%) rank last. A candidate holding a doctor‟s degree (F=50) ranks the highest for the candidate‟s education; meanwhile, 0% of the respondents think that having an elementary school diploma is the minor education a candidate should have. Table 3 Preferences on Candidates Variable Gender Man Woman Any Gender N % 42 41 25 38.88 37.96 23.14 Profession Agriculturist Businessperson Celebrity Economist Government Official Lawyer Professor Others (Journalist, Nurse, Engineer) 36 24 3 41 44 55 25 5 33.33 22.22 2.77 37.96 40.72 50.92 23.14 4.62 Experience Employed by the government Experience as an elected official No significant experience related to politics 46 71 18 42.59 65.74 16.66 ©2023, Cognizance Journal, cognizancejournal.com, All Rights Reserved 114 cognizancejournal.com Leonil Brian B. Orzal et al, Cognizance Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, Vol.3, Issue.10, October 2023, pg. 109-118 (An Open Accessible, Multidisciplinary, Fully Refereed and Peer Reviewed Journal) ISSN: 0976-7797 Impact Factor: 4.843 Index Copernicus Value (ICV) = 76.35 Personality Iron-Fisted Liberal Traditional 29 57 41 26.85 52.77 37.96 Priority Anti-crime and corruption Economic growth Education Environment Health Science and Culture Social services Territorial dispute Others (Security, Progressivism) 84 82 98 75 85 47 53 43 2 77.77 75.92 90.74 69.44 60.18 43.51 49.07 39.81 1.85 Education Holds an elementary school diploma Holds a high school diploma Holds a bachelor‟s degree Holds a master‟s degree Holds a doctoral degree 6 31 17 54 5.55 28.7 15.74 50 Political participation usually builds up an individual‟s civic and political identities (Ellis, 2004) since lawyers who are known to have experience and an excellent grasp of understanding of the political system in the country; are seen to be the most qualified candidates for the election. In addition, education is the most critical factor in a candidate‟s priority based on the respondent‟s preferences. Education can provide knowledge and skills, but it also plays a big part in nurturing students‟ holistic democratic participation (Johnson, 2017) and eventually developing the rationality of voters. The data in Table 4 indicates the number of considerations voters have for the attributes of the candidates for the Philippine Presidential Election. In general, all attributes were given enough consideration by the respondents when voting. Nevertheless, the result indicates that the Priority (M = 4.75) of a candidate was considered highest by the respondents when voting, followed by the candidates‟ Education (M = 4.74), Experience (M = 4.63), and Personality (M = 4.6). In comparison, a candidate‟s Popularity (M = 3.28) and Political Party (M = 3.6) don‟t get as much consideration. Table 4 Preferences on Candidates (Evaluation) Attributes Gender Profession Experience Personality Priority Education Religion Political Party Popularity Mean 3.64 4.39 4.63 4.6 4.75 4.74 3.72 3.60 3.28 Interpretation Much Consideration Lots of Consideration Lots of Consideration Lots of Consideration Lots of Consideration Lots of Consideration Much Consideration Some Consideration Some Consideration ©2023, Cognizance Journal, cognizancejournal.com, All Rights Reserved 115 cognizancejournal.com Leonil Brian B. Orzal et al, Cognizance Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, Vol.3, Issue.10, October 2023, pg. 109-118 (An Open Accessible, Multidisciplinary, Fully Refereed and Peer Reviewed Journal) ISSN: 0976-7797 Impact Factor: 4.843 Index Copernicus Value (ICV) = 76.35 The results in Table 4 imply that a candidate‟s priority sworn during the election is the most promising factor for them to choose that candidate. As Ansolabehere, Rodden, & Synder (2006) suggested, the effect of issues on voting decisions depends on various factors, including salience and the policy choices parties offer. Moreover, the results in the study “Millennial Voters‟ Preference for 2016 Presidential Elections” on the following attributes: Education, Experience, Personality, and Profession are alike and they also have a high level of consideration for voters. Education generally partakes in cultivating one‟s democratic responsibilities (Johnson, 2017), and the respondents must choose leaders with high educational backgrounds. In addition, a candidate‟s experience impacts voters‟ preference (Murcia & Bolo, 2017), most preferably those with experience in politics. Lastly, all voters know which type of personality they‟re looking for in a candidate (Gul & Pesendorfer, 2006), proving that a candidate‟s personality is something they check out before considering them for the election. Although Popularity and Political Party ranked lower, they were interpreted as “some consideration.” Voters are significantly influenced by the candidates‟ characters, party identification, and ideology (Reform, 2004) which further proves the existence of popular voting and dynastic preference in the Philippines. IV. CONCLUSIONS Through the packaged information brought by the accessible and widely popular social media, the voters are inclined to what they hear and know daily. However, because of the rise of fake news on social media, it is alarming that it may provide voters with false information and black propaganda that will diminish the anticipated clean election and responsible voting in the future. Moreover, families with the most decisive influence on voters‟ preference may signal that the younger voters‟ voices merely echo their parents or older peers. The various experiences, biases, and sources of every voter made them have their preference for candidates for the Philippine Presidential Election. It is also important to highlight that a candidate‟s presentation of priority during the campaign is detrimental to the election outcome. Still, it is also important to note that factors can significantly impact their preferences on attributes such as candidates‟ popularity, number of supporters, money, or any black propaganda, which are highly evident in the history of Philippine politics. The particular struggles that people experience every day impact their preference of candidates. A candidate who shares sympathy and resonates with their experience makes them feel represented in policymaking that could alleviate or improve their situation. Based on the findings and conclusions of the study, the researchers advance the following recommendations. 1. As an academic institution that helps build up the civic responsibility of every student, Biliran Province State University should initiate campaigns on responsible voting and teach the basic principles of the importance of a citizen‟s political participation and all the ethics that come with it. Moreover, campaigns against fake news proliferation should be initiated, especially since social media is the most influential source of information on the upcoming election. Seminars or open forum discussions can spark discourse and awareness among the students of BiPSU and other voters in Biliran. With this, the University Student Affairs Office should also review the existing qualifications for student politics and modify necessary clauses that adhere to poor choice of leaders. 2. The data collected in this study is premature as it could have been more accurate on the actual outcome of the elections if it had been done during a pre-election period when campaign and political propaganda and information were increasing. Thus, it is significant to note that the responses in this study don‟t necessarily reflect the voters‟ actual decisions and participation in the election. 3. Including more attributes on the candidates might significantly impact the respondents‟ current preferences, such as track record. A candidate with all the desired characteristics by the voters might be applauded, but it is known to have a long history of corruption, which might change the outcome. Mentioning other specific attributes, such as religion, may also determine the possibility of a Christianity-dominated country electing an Islamic president considering all the stereotypes they face. Moreover, voters view all possible national political parties highly, resulting in dynastic preferences. ©2023, Cognizance Journal, cognizancejournal.com, All Rights Reserved 116 cognizancejournal.com Leonil Brian B. Orzal et al, Cognizance Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, Vol.3, Issue.10, October 2023, pg. 109-118 (An Open Accessible, Multidisciplinary, Fully Refereed and Peer Reviewed Journal) ISSN: 0976-7797 Impact Factor: 4.843 Index Copernicus Value (ICV) = 76.35 4. Having a more diverse set of respondents with more religions, other generational ages, and occupations would lead to more exciting discussions such as whether non-religious people prefer a more liberal candidate and whether the older generation prefers a more traditional priority and personality a candidate. Including people who aren‟t in school may also change the preference on priority. Education might only be a significant priority for the respondents because they are all students who seek to be assisted by the candidate in whatever situation they are in. 5. It is also relevant to include discussions on the other parts of the voter‟s political experience during a pre-election period, such as the perceptions of the campaign period, and assess the level of influence of the different campaign propaganda, the assessment of knowledge of voters on the electoral process, the evaluation of their current pre-election period experience even vote-buying or other black propagandas and describing their actual intention to vote in the election. V. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First, praises and thanks to the Almighty God for showering them with blessings and strength throughout their research work and now in its success. Secondly, the researchers would like to express their most profound and sincere gratitude to their research instructor, Mr. Mark Christian R. Almazan, for his vision and motivation that deeply inspired them to finish the study. An eternity of thanks also to the members of the Research Committee/ Panelists led by Dr. Ernil D. Sumayao, to the School of Teacher Education headed by Dr. Ryan Teofel P. Arpon, and to the whole BiPSU Research Department and Administration for allowing them to showcase their research study, to which has made them cultivate their critical thinking and potential for research extravaganza. Lastly, all these wouldn‟t have been possible without their families, their primary source of motivation to keep going despite the difficulties faced. The researchers are incredibly grateful for guiding them and supporting their work in every way. These are all for you, and we hope to make you feel proud! REFERENCES 1. Ansolabehere, S., Rodden , J., & Synder, J. M. (2006). Purple America. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 97-118. 2. Berelson, Lazarsfeld, & Mcphee. (1968). Theoretical Models of voting behavior. 3. 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