THE AFTERMATH

May 17, 2025 Opinion

The political landscape trembled a bit when the dust settled in the just concluded mid-term elections. While most of the election outcome was just as expected and even predicted there were also some surprises, here and there, which may or may not show an increase in the level of maturity of the voters, or those who voted at least, in choosing their next set of leaders and public servants. It was also during this mid-term election where, according to the COMELEC, voter turn-out was huge at 81.65 percent, largely attributed to active youth participation, which translates to 55,874,700 who voted out of 68,431,965 registered voters.

It was COMELEC Chairperson George Garcia who later declared to the media that based on their initial assessment droves of young people came out to vote and that the public wanted their voices to be heard. He also confirmed that this is the highest participation rate for a mid-term election in the Philippines. Here in the City of Baguio the local COMELEC revealed that out of the 166,416 total number of expected voters 132,141 actually voted for a candidate. In the national level particularly in the senatorial race nobody expected former
senators Kiko Pangilingan and Bam Aquino to reclaim their senate seats, since previous surveys show them trailing far behind and outside the projected “Magic 12”.

Political analysts later claim and attribute their strong performance to effective grassroots campaigns as well as a huge support from the youth voters who now constitute a large portion of the electorate. But that also begs the question of the reliability of electoral surveys which are often relied upon as the legitimate barometers and indicators on who among the aspiring candidates will win in the elections. So the surprising wins of Pangilinan and Aquino would how that pre-election surveys are not infallible. Another surprise perhaps, and which might probably show voter maturity in choosing a candidate, is the apparent rejection by the voters of TV entertainers, religious leaders and movie personalities who ran for a seat in the Senate.

This took a long time coming but at least now perhaps the voters realize that it is better for these entertainers, religious leaders and movie personalities to just remain in their chosen profession and vocation, and not participate in the serious business of law making. Not to
disparage these wannabee politicians, there are some of them who became successful politicians and public servants, but to win in an election simply because you are popular defeats the motive for running in public office which is suppose to be unselfish service to the people without expecting anything in return. Serving in government should not be based one’s popularity or the fact that you are a movie idol because that would be downright selfish considering that you entered the movies as an artist with compensation or the expectancy of being paid.

Government service simply entails discarding self interest in favor of becoming a public servant and dispensing service to the public. That you may be paid in your effort to serve the people as a civil servant is only secondary to the challenge of contributing your time and effort, and sometimes even resources in attaining the greater good for the majority of the people. That is suppose to be the essence in entering politics and becoming an elected public official. This present crop of voters, especially the youth which apparently and in huge numbers finally realized the importance of exercising their right of suffrage, may have finally understood the consequences of electing wannabee politicians whose only previous engagement with the public is when they are promoting their movies, defending their involvement in
juicy controversies, and basically earning a living at the expense of the fans that watch them. Are we turning a corner in the aftermath of this mid-term elections? Have the voters finally become wise to the antics of politicians? Let us cross our fingers on this one and hope for the best.