We all know that voting is a right and not a privilege. In a democratic society, we, the people, have a say on how the country should be run. And so we elect people into public positions who we believe are capable of running their jurisdictions the way we want it.

One problem I see regarding our electoral system is that the positions we vote for in the local elections (not the national elections) are too restrictive. We only vote for local officials in the areas where we reside. But in places in and around urban areas, it’s a fact that many, if not the majority, of people that work in the urban offices do not live where their jobs are. Given that we spend about half of our waking time in the places where we work (or study), shouldn’t we also have a say about who sits in public positions where our jobs are?

This problem is particularly evident in Metro Manila. Many residents of adjacent provinces like Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna commute every working day to and from offices and establishments in Makati, Ortigas, Alabang, and other business districts. Even if you live within Metro Manila, it’s also likely that the municipality or city where you work is not the same one you go home to.

For example, I live in Las Piñas City. I therefore have the right to elect its mayor, representative, city councilors and the like. But I work in Quezon City. My company pays local taxes to QC, and the company’s employees have to abide by Quezon City ordinances. Heck, in order to facilitate the filing of my income tax (BIR Form 2316), I have the convenient option of filing my community tax certificate (aka cedula) with the Quezon City treasurer’s office. Since Quezon City benefits from my working there, shouldn’t I have the right to help decide if Mayor Belmonte would be re-elected? Can’t I vote for Danton Remoto for congressman since my office is in the third district of QC?

Granted, our electoral system is in such a primitive state that adding such complexity is not feasible if not impractical. But in the future, there should be a way for us to decide who gets elected in all public offices that affect our lives. That’s democratic, and it should be our right, don’t you agree?