A seller's market in 2025

THE cash aid (ayuda) has created a seller's market that could lead to a problem when the elections in 2025 come. The extraneous variable is that if Filipinos (from classes D and E) receive P5,000 or P10,000 before the elections, voters could ask for more. Why? Because if they are receiving ayuda in ordinary times, some voters would expect a higher rate because it is election season. And that's the danger of these ayuda distributions being made pre-campaign and pre-election day. Two things could happen: Voters have already been bought, or since they see how incumbents are splurging left and right, they would ask for more, thereby creating a seller's market rather than a buyer's.

A seller's market in the context of vote-buying refers to a situation where voters are in a position to sell their votes to the highest bidder, often due to economic pressures or a lack of viable alternatives. This phenomenon can significantly impact electoral integrity and the democratic process. Some key factors contributing to a seller's market in votes are economic incentives, lack of political alternatives, cultural norms, weak enforcement of election laws and political competition.