Smile, you're on hidden camera

From time to time, I get a glimpse of all the other returning and recycled political candidates and I recognize some of them who have turned campaigns and elections into a profitable undertaking or a seasonal business of sorts.

Through the years, we have all seen, heard and watched certain characters file their COCs and then get busy with solicitation and fund-raising campaigns. While we all want to think that true candidates get their support from friends and supporters, we also know that other candidates get their money from "investors" and "lords" of every kind, who place money on every candidate that comes knocking.

It's hard to say no or offend such individuals, so some businessmen give partial contributions and promise more if the "candidate" gets into the surveys or the ballot. Other businessmen simply time their annual vacation during this time of the year.

But one thing I found interesting from past elections is how certain "investors" have made efforts to document, record or track the visiting candidate or the turnover of campaign funds. It seems that some candidates who won in the past elections quickly forgot who supported them and maligned the lords and corporations in Congress or on social media. So just to play safe, they have them “on candid camera."

Unlike past elections when election issues were around economics, employment and peace and order, it feels like 2025 will be about medicine, public health and related matters such as funding and coverage for PhilHealth.

At least one incumbent party-list representative who is running for senator, Rep. Wilbert Lee, has added PhilHealth coverage and funding to his agenda and narrative. Incumbent Senator Bong Go, of course, has anchored much of his term as senator on health, particularly public hospitals and his program, the Malasakit Centers or hospital assistance centers.