This particular election is so stressful not only to the candidates but also to the voters as well.
Hurling of accusations or mudslinging from each camp is kind of normal in any political setting specially during election time. However, this is the first time in Philippine Election History that social media played a huge role in both educating or should I say, miseducating the electorate.
Posting lengthy comments or status updates regarding what a particular netizen thinks about the candidates' headline-grabbing statement are just a few norms during the campaign period.
Sadly, hurtful words such as "tanga" or "bobo" are used to dispute a arguments raised by other people. Social media friends or even friends in real life hurl such hateful words towards one another. One thing I do not like to see in any comments section is when someone wishes ill-will to either to the candidate or to the supporter.
I don't have the specifics but I am fairly sure that the rate of unfriending/unfollowing/blocking each other in social media reached all-time high during the 90-day campaign period.
The candidates for President all have something to show in terms of their track record. However, I do not like the particular line-up of candidates because all of them are marred with flaws and all kinds of controversies.
Binay - Corruption charges
Duterte - Human Rights Violations
Poe - Citizenship issues
Roxas - Competency issues
Santiago - Health issues
Even before the filing of Certificates of Candidacy, Binay was the early favorite to become the next president. As the period for filing of COCs were drawing near, corruption charges left and right are being thrown against him. Senate investigations were held in order give light to the issue but VP Binay refused to attend. The constant evasion of Binay in attending the televised investigation worked against him. He was eventually overtaken by Grace Poe in the survey before the start of the campaign period. Moreover, he seemed to be the candidate least prepared during the Presidential Debates.
Grace Poe, on the other hand, was thrusted into the spotlight because of her high approval ratings in the survey leading up to the Elections. It was evident because various political parties were courting her to be their candidate for VP. However, knowing that she has a legitimate shot at the presidency, Grace Poe grabbed the opportunity to run for the highest position in the land. The message of her campaign is to continue the battle that his father, the late FPJ, started.
A lot of the general population did not get what message is she trying to convey because FPJ has not been a public official before so there was sort of disconnect.
Despite the vagueness of what her campaign is trying to convey, she was still the front-runner in various surveys. The issue regarding her citizenship destroyed the momentum she was garnering. She had to face disqualification cases left and right. The Supreme Court ruling regarding her citizenship was so controversial that almost the entire legal profession were shocked at the ruling especially those teaching Constitutional Law
Moving on to Manuel Araneta Roxas or MAR. He admitted in an earlier interview that he will have a hard time connecting with the lower class if he runs for higher office in the Government.
Not surprisingly, Mar Roxas had a hard time solving his so-called "image problem". When you see him being a traffic enforcer, carrying sacks of onions, or even menial things such as fist-bumping, there seems to be a disconnect. His actions are like just plain PR stunts. Meaning it seems to be manufactured or fake.
The insistence of his campaign team to continue with the slogan "Daang Matuwid" spelled doom for them. They try to change his political slogan mid-campaign, heading towards the 3rd Presidential Debate but it turned out to be too late. The incompetence or shortcomings he exhibited during his stints as DOTC and DILG secretary really turned-off some of the voters.
Honestly, I really considered him as my President. I thought that he has the capacity to lead our country. I would have voted for him only if he had thrown President Aquino under the bus. Similar to Olivia Pope's (Character in the series Scandal) campaign strategy. That method should've portrayed that he will continue the good things done by the present administration but he will correct the shortcomings or incompetence shown by different Departments of the Government. The method would've shown his independence from the present administration.
Let's go to the candidate I voted. I voted for Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago.
Yes, she is sick.
Yes, she lags far behind in the surveys.
Yes, she had questionable allegiances with questionable personalities in the Government. i.e Estradas, Arroyos and recently the Marcoses
And Yet, I voted for her because she is a firm defender of the Constitution. Back when I was HS student, I thought MDS is too intelligent that it is already bordering craziness. Now that I am Law Student, I appreciated her brilliance and mastery of both our National Laws and International Laws as well,
She would've been a brilliant President of the Philippines. She was supposed to be our President during the 1992 Elections. I believe to this day that she was really cheated. Her opponents were scared that the top leader of the country has "Brain Damage"
Questionable Allegiances is a norm in our Political arena.
However, I was surprised that she teamed-up with BongBong Marcos as her VP. She was an RTC Judge during the Martial Law. She helped protect the rights of the citizenry using what she does best. Using the rule of law as weapon. However, It was quite bizarre because she once worked with President Marcos before as his speechwriter.
And here is my take on the 16th President of the Philippines.
I did not vote for Rodrigo Duterte even though he is a Bedan Law Graduate. I like what he has done in Davao City, I really do. However, I was not convinced that he could run the entire country like what he had done in Davao City.
First, he did not present a fresh economic platforms during his campaign. He even joked about it during one of the debates that he will just copy the economic platforms from the other Presidential Candidates.
Second, he is so sure that he will eradicate crime in 3-6 months. I was afraid of the consequences that this might bring because he is hell-bent in delivering this promise. I am scared because incidence of extrajudicial killings might reach an all-time high.
Lastly, his mouth has NO FILTER, like NO FILTER AT ALL. Yes, his statements are good soundbites or headlines but the Philippines might be in shambles if diplomatic ties are cut because our President has told other countries to shut up.
I did not take his other headline grabbing statements seriously like he will close Congress when there is an impeachment case filed against him or bodies of criminals will be thrown in the Manila Bay and other mind-boggling statements that are not normally given by any politician.
I did not take those statements seriously because as I was doing my research, he is known to give hyperbolic or exaggerated statements.
As a conclusion, June 30 will mark the start of the Duterte Administration. Like his slogan says, Change is Coming. I hope that it is for the better and I really hope that he will prove his non-voters (including me) wrong about not voting for him.
And here is my take on the 16th President of the Philippines.
I did not vote for Rodrigo Duterte even though he is a Bedan Law Graduate. I like what he has done in Davao City, I really do. However, I was not convinced that he could run the entire country like what he had done in Davao City.
First, he did not present a fresh economic platforms during his campaign. He even joked about it during one of the debates that he will just copy the economic platforms from the other Presidential Candidates.
Second, he is so sure that he will eradicate crime in 3-6 months. I was afraid of the consequences that this might bring because he is hell-bent in delivering this promise. I am scared because incidence of extrajudicial killings might reach an all-time high.
Lastly, his mouth has NO FILTER, like NO FILTER AT ALL. Yes, his statements are good soundbites or headlines but the Philippines might be in shambles if diplomatic ties are cut because our President has told other countries to shut up.
I did not take his other headline grabbing statements seriously like he will close Congress when there is an impeachment case filed against him or bodies of criminals will be thrown in the Manila Bay and other mind-boggling statements that are not normally given by any politician.
I did not take those statements seriously because as I was doing my research, he is known to give hyperbolic or exaggerated statements.
As a conclusion, June 30 will mark the start of the Duterte Administration. Like his slogan says, Change is Coming. I hope that it is for the better and I really hope that he will prove his non-voters (including me) wrong about not voting for him.
