Now that the period of the filing of certificates of candidacies (COCs) for the 2025 midterm elections is officially over, we voters have officially a little more than seven months to really think about the choices we are going to make for our country and for ourselves.
Seven months is more than enough time for us to craft the list of those whom we will choose to lead our province, towns and cities for the next three years, not to mention whom we will choose to become our representatives to Congress.
This should give us ample time to consider a serious question: what criteria should we be using in choosing our next leaders?
It’s pretty easy to give that banal advice of choosing our next leaders based on experience, track record, reputation, and blah blah blah, but we know that the reality of Philippine politics is far, far different.
Voters tend to choose candidates based on popularity, “winnability,” or how much did these candidates give to them “under the table” during the campaign period.
Worse, some Filipino voters nowadays have a tendency to choose candidates like checking random numbers or simply ticking the “lucky pick” segment of Lotto tickets.
True, elections are a gamble, a game in which we will bet our future – and the future of our children – on the leaders that we will choose.
But unlike lottery games, a lot more is at stake here. – which is precisely why we cannot afford to treat elections like a game.
Voters, please, let’s think over very carefully the decisions that we will make come May 2025, as these will determine the future of our nation.
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