The May 2022 presidential elections are just around the corner. Another battlefield for political aspirants who want a so-called “change” to happen during their term if given an opportunity to be the next president of the Philippines. On the other hand, this is also a fight for all the people who have the say on who will win the race.
The official start would have been the deadline of filing of candidacy on October 8. But the final shuffle of candidates vying for the top posts would be made known on November 15, the deadline of substitution, a tact made popular by the outgoing president.
The coming elections to succeed Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte promises to be a star-studded spectacle. This might have been the race with most prominent names fighting for the top spot—Senator Manny Pacquiao, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and former Senator Bongbong Marcos, the son of the former dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Sr.
Manny Pacquiao is a Filipino professional boxer, media celebrity, politician and billionaire who became world-famous for winning boxing titles in more weight classes than any other boxer in history. He rose from abject poverty to the pinnacle of his sport, and he also eventually became a senator in the Philippines. His contributions to the country gave him a lot of supporters that made him who he is today. However, the question is, is he ready enough to face the challenges of leading a whole country? Athletic-wise, everyone believes in him that he will definitely succeed and that this is his gift, his intelligence. But in political aspects, there are still a lot of people that are hesitant to choose him as their champion. He has a heart for the poor as it is not new to him and he also came from the mud of poverty—but this profile alone is not what the country needs. We have been battling poverty for over a millenia. What we need is someone who can turn the tables around for those people living on the streets, for those children who lack nourishment and for the below minimum wage workers.
Francisco Domagoso, now using his stage name Isko Moreno, captured the heart of Filipinos during his shine in the showbiz industry. It is undeniable that his personal histories had a great impact on his pursuant to rise in the political industry. Unlike Manny Pacquiao, Isko Moreno has been in politics for almost two decades now, which gives him the courage and experience to run for presidency for this upcoming 2022 elections. Both him and Pacquaio came from a poor family and both were raised by a single mom who motivates them to pursue their dreams and what made them who they are today. Again, being poor once is not just the prepossession of leading a nation. These people are famous because they are celebrities should not be the only reason why people will vote for them.
Being a celebrity doesn’t necessarily mean they have the capacity to lead. Most of these people got the position, they sit there, but they are just like decoration. We have yet to know their platform for governance and just when they are in power will we know if they can keep their promises. The Filipino people has known too many presidents—if not all—unable to keep the most important promises they gave to the Filipino people.
Lastly, former Senator Bongbong Marcos has been gaining a lot of supporters recently. Family dynasties in politics are not news to us. The Marcos regime was one of the nightmares that our elders experienced during the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. We have lost billions of funds and the worst were hundreds of lives lost during the reign of the Marcoses. Despite a collective hatred for martial law atrocities or the excesses of the Marcoses, they continue to wield power and popularity as much as they continue to wield the wealth they have stolen from the Filipino people. They have loyalists and they have cynics who believe that not only them, but all government officials are said to be corrupt. Still, what made Bongbong today is the name that he is carrying, which became popular because of his family’s history and infamy.
One thing we are hoping is for history not to repeat itself.
Let us not waste a single vote without knowing the candidates truly. Let us not be swayed by just the popularity or celebrity status of the candidate. Our future depends on the circle that you will shade in the coming elections.
For the upcoming elections, let us choose the leader that this country needs. We must all step up to secure a bright future and a prosperous country.
