CHECK & BALANCE

When politicians become idols, democracy is threatened

- MIA CASTRO

According to COMELEC (Commission on Elections), at least 65.7 million people are expected to cast their vote for the 2022 Philippine Elections on May 9. This is why during the past few months, the talk of the town–whether it’s on the streets or on social media–has been all about the women and men running for a position in government.

Aside from your standard posters, pamphlets and tarpaulins with a candidate’s face and ballot number being passed around, you can also find online an entire wardrobe’s worth of fan-made merchandise, including t-shirts and caps, and edited videos of these politicians’ “cute” moments.

While there is nothing wrong with supporting a candidate, danger comes when a politician is being treated like a celebrity more than a government leader. This is when people tend to hyper-fixate on politicians’ physical appeal or charisma rather than their platforms; or when criticism against a politician is raised, and supporters are ready to take up arms to defend them at all costs, regardless if the statement is true or not.