University of Perpetual Help-System Dalta

Calamba Campus
Calamba City, Laguna

College of Engineering

The Impact of Religiosity to Voting Behaviours of Filipino Voters in

Calamba City, Laguna

De Vga, Jr. Ramiro

Presented in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Course Contemporary World

Mr. Alvin Miranda

Professor in Contemporary World

OCTOBER 2018
 University of Perpetual Help-System Dalta
Calamba Campus
Calamba City, Laguna

College of Engineering
Rationale:

Throughout time there has been a strong emphasis in the understanding of

voting behavior. Religion is a strong indicator of an individual’s voting behavior.

Religion has an important impact in how the voter looks at specific issues, such as

abortion, homosexuality, the environment, and economics. The voter then uses his or

her response to these issues as a guideline to help determine which presidential

candidate to vote for. It is therefore reasonable to understand that religion has a

significant influence on an individual’s voting behavior in presidential elections.

Voting behavior has been studied for quite some time and many conclusions are

made, but what factor influences voting behavior the most? Some say that race is a

factor, others that gender is a factor. Many studies, however, look at the influence

religion, or lack thereof, has on the voting behavior of citizens, thus making religion one

of the most important factors in determining voting behavior. Different religious groups

also have differing opinions on issues regarding abortion, homosexuality, the

environment and economics, thus leading to a variety of conclusions when looking at

influences on voting behavior. Secular groups also have varying opinions on issues

adding more confusion to voting behavior studies. In studying this wide spectrum of

opinions on the issues of abortion, homosexuality, environment and economics, it is

difficult to understand what drives individual voting behaviors.

According to the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines, it declares the separation

 University of Perpetual Help-System Dalta
Calamba Campus
Calamba City, Laguna

College of Engineering
of Church and State shall be inviolable. (Article II, Section 6), and, No law shall be made

respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free

exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or

preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise

of civil or political rights. (Article III, Section 5). This law signifies na freedom of religion

in the Philippines which make this greatly affect the voting behaviuor of FIlipino voters

Religion is still one of the most important predictors of party choice, as is

well established in the literature. Yet we are lacking in knowledge of how religion exerts

this effect. Former studies have suggested three different pathways through which an

association may arise between religion and party preference, two of which are causal: A

direct effect related to historical group belonging and an indirect effect related to shared

values. Despite the literature theorizing or assuming a strong indirect effect, the most

recent, major study on the matter concludes that religion has no indirect effect on party

preference in the UK, but works through group belonging. (Langsaether,2015)

 University of Perpetual Help-System Dalta
Calamba Campus
Calamba City, Laguna

College of Engineering
Objectives:

With that being said, I, the researcher in the University of Perpetual Help System

Dalta – Calamba would like:

 To ascertain the possible effects of religion in voting behaviour

 To find out the important determinants of electoral behaviour comes to have its

effect on people’s political preferences.

 To identify how religiosity affect the political reference of Filipino voters.

Clientele:

 Politicians

 Filipino Voters in Calamba City Laguna

Research Design:
 University of Perpetual Help-System Dalta
Calamba Campus
Calamba City, Laguna
This study adopted a descriptive method which enabled the researcher to gain an
College of Engineering
insider’s view of the field through close association with both participants within the

Citizen in Calamba City Laguna. The data in this study was collected through

questionnaires.The researcher took notes on the important information related to effects

of religion to political reference of filipino voters and how politicians addresses this situation.

Through answering of questionnaires, the data allowed the collection of broad information

on effect of religion to voting behaviour..

Observations were the first step of the data collection and helped to

conceptualize the questionnaires for a more in-depth investigation. The people involved

are the filipino citizens living in Calamba City. Giving and answering of test questionnaires

were conducted through giving the test questionnaires to random people living in the city

of Calamba. The answers from the test questionnaires were collected supplementary and

explanatory information which permitted a deep understanding on how religion affects the

political reference of these voters.

The data analysis in this study employed a descriptive approach which included

the procedure of identifying patterns and developing category systems. The data

analysis also involved comparing the responses to the respondents and the information

collected from test questionnaires. The data of individual respondents were

 University of Perpetual Help-System Dalta
Calamba Campus
Calamba City, Laguna
interpretively analyzed to identify respondents’ views and explanations regarding the
College of Engineering
effects of religiosity to voting behaviour.

Implementation Plan:

Weeks Time Action Budget Checklist

(Done/Undone)

Week 1 10:00 - 1:00 Planning ₱13000.00 Done

Budgeting (Initial Fund)

Materials

Week 2 10:00 - 1:00 Start of the ₱500.00 Done

2:00 - 4:00 Action-Research

Week 3 10:00 - 12:00 Interviewing and ₱1500.00 Done

Feedbacks of

Filipino Voters.

(Data Gathering)

Week 4 11:00 - 3:00 Data Analysis Done

and Presentation

of the output

Bibliography:
 University of Perpetual Help-System Dalta
Calamba Campus
Calamba City, Laguna
Langsaether P. How Religion Affects Party Preference (2015); Department
College of Engineering
Political Science, University of Oslo.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_religion_in_the_Philippines

https://www.mckendree.edu/academics/scholars/issue6/gibbs.htm