“Somewhere inside all of us is the power to change the world”. –Roald D Dahl
Let me depart from my usual beat to look into the Election 2025 at a glance. It’s been two weeks since the Mid-term elections and most, if not all, of the winners, have been proclaimed already. The countdown to the next elections starts and the next 3 years will tell us if we, indeed, voted wisely.
I have to say that nearing the election day, I was worried about the possible election results. The different surveys showed that Filipinos are again going for the wrong candidates. The more qualified candidates were far from making it to the Magic 12. I was also concerned that with the poor condition in most of the polling precincts and the high heat index, many voters will be discouraged to go out. But we were in for a big pleasant surprise. There were a number of twists and turns that we never expected.
Filipinos want to vote. This mid-term elections, which is relatively peaceful, recorded the highest voter turnout, with 82.2% of registered voters participating. Of the 68.43M registered voters, around 55.87M went out of their way, patiently queued and cast their votes, making this a historical mid-term elections for our country. Several factors contributed to this: increased public awareness through social media; voters’ improved trust and confidence that their votes would count; and a heightened desire and clamor for change.
The high voter turnout was driven by the youth. They played a significant role in this mid-term elections. The COMELEC’s data showed that more than 60.5% registered voters belonged to the millennials and Gen-Z. Specifically, millennials (aged 29-44) accounted for 23 million voters, while Gen Z (aged 18-28) accounted for 18.3 million voters. Based on the election results, we can say that the young generations are more involved, mature and are more discerning. They are not easily swayed by a candidate’s charm and popularity. They go for substance not form. They are making a statement that with them as the majority, there is a whole new way of looking at politics in our country.
Celebrity status does not guarantee victory. This elections saw a number of major showbiz celebrities losing in their bid for public office. If in the past, voters were relying solely on their candidate’s fame and popularity, the voters are now seriously considering qualifications, experience and ability to effectively govern. They are also factoring their performance and achievements in their previous positions. Voters are now asking, do they even have the basic understanding of governance and policy-making? Do they have the policies and platforms for their constituents? Will their dancing and singing on stage be worthy of the tax-payers money?
Show of “no vote of confidence” for the current administration. The mid-term elections is considered a referendum on the Marcos leadership. With many of the administration’s bets losing, a clear message has been sent: Filipinos are not happy with the way the country is being led and governed. The numbers are a reflection of the sentiments of the Filipinos. As many political analysts have said, the poor showing of the Marcos slate, can be considered a fierce proxy battle for the Dutertes, especially in the Visayas and Mindanao Regions. On the other hand, the lack of confidence votes to the present administration, once again emboldened the spirit of the “kakampinks” to reelect to office their rightful candidates, such as Bam Aquino and Kiko Panganiban.
The winning agenda of the Top 5 Senators. Amidst the varying programs and initiatives presented by the different senatorial candidates, the agenda of the Top 5 winning senators were the ones that resonated to the voters. They reflected the 5 main concerns and issues that our voters want addressed. Bong Go stands for Health; Bam Aquino stands for Education; Bato dela Rosa stands for Peace and Order; Erwin Tulfo stands for Social Services and Kiko Pangilinan stands for Agriculture/food. The voters don’t need flowery and grand plans. They just want solutions to their basic needs. The focused messaging of these Senators hit the Filipino voters to the core.
The winning slates were still not perfect. There were still some unqualified and undeserving candidates who made their way in. But this mid-term elections is a good start. It is a wake- up call to all aspiring candidates that Filipino voters are now much wiser and are changing for the better. That if they want victory, they better shape up or ship out to oblivion. The 2025 elections proved that there’s still hope for political reforms in our country. But let’s be mindful that it’s just the beginning…we still have a long way to go.
Meanwhile, let’s all be supportive but stay vigilant as the 2025 elections winners start the real hard work.
