With the nearing of the Philippine Presidential Elections of 2022, the Filipino people are more hyped than ever. Social media platforms are flooded with posts with political content—applauding, criticizing, and comparing presidential candidates with one another. Heated arguments are a recurring theme in the comment section, where the truth tends to get lost when mixed with "fake news." As politics filters into the conversation, the ruse may not just remain political, but rather personal resulting to an everyday struggle to take the high road.
It is hard not to get involved or remain unaffected by the pettiness that circulates along with political posts and comments. It is not to say that there are no reasonable ones; however, most people are up for expressing their thoughts in a sarcastic manner or by mockery, commonly referred to as "bardagulan." Though some may find it entertaining, one could still expect that it could result to a backlash and could further heighten the Philippines being a laughingstock in different platforms.
Issues that involve the government and those that are related to the on-going presidential campaigns are usually famous for these scornful rants, causing the widening of polarization online and offline. The "cancel culture," the act of thrusting an individual out of social and professional circles, also played a major role in this political divide. People supporting a controversial candidate get their support revoked by another group that votes for another. This does not just happen to well-known celebrities or influencers, but also to family members and friends.
As long as this is the case, we will be gradually distracted from the real reason we got involved in politics in the first place: a desire for good governance that would turn the tables on deep-rooted issues plaguing our country. Oftentimes, we overlook the fact that the ploy of politics is affected by factors beyond our control.
According to Jervis Manahan, a news reporter at ABS-CBN Media Network, the biggest challenge that has become overwhelmingly ubiquitous in our society is disinformation. As he covers the campaign of Vice President Leni Robredo, Manahan has witnessed countless times how the flood of false information online has been primarily targeting the presidential aspirant since the announcement of her candidacy. Most of which were edited photos and spliced videos designed to portray her as "stupid," a fake vice president, and a communist. This flow of news disguised as the truth is often believable enough to convince people and distort reality.
Another factor being a root cause of the problem is how the Filipino people choose their candidates. Instead of focusing on platforms, competence, and track records, most voters are swayed by the candidates’ personalities, exhibitions of fame, and political dynasties. Aside from that, some presidentiables are even more determined to participate in vote-buying than they are to promote the platforms they have for the country.
According to Andrea Chloe Wong, a former Senior Foreign Affairs Research Specialist at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Philippines, this occurrence is taking place because most poor Filipinos are motivated by gaining material "aids" in exchange for their votes. As a result, it prioritizes the candidate's and voter's immediate benefit while ignoring the long-term consequences.
With the aforementioned factors, the majority of Filipinos are left misinformed, victimized by the patronage system, and influenced by personality-driven elections. It is prudent to say that most are mere victims, but their ignorance is not an excuse. Voting is not just a civic duty, but a moral one. It is a way to instigate change in the many aspects of our society through a collective effort with the power of our collective voices.
If we were to stay in the same political mindset, it would cost us not only our future, but the lives of our compatriots. At the end of the day, we are all Filipinos wanting what is best for our motherland—a common ground we frequently fail to see when politics filters into the conversation.
The diversity of opinions is understandable due to our personal beliefs, experiences, and established political identities. However, at this critical moment for our country, one must see the holistic side of things. To be willing to set aside differences and pride by taking the high road in order to have a fruitful conversation rather than a personal attack. We must remember that the main reason why we got involved in politics in the first place is to address grave underlying crises and injustices. Our fight is for the Filipino people, not against them. As Michelle Obama said it best, "When they go low, we go high."
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