We've got approximately 24 hours left before the Elections. Social media platforms are warzones creating false dichotomies and dividing us further.
I have been anxious ever since the campaign period started and now, my feelings are far more intense. Different opinions have been flying here and there. Mudslinging from one candidate to another, heck, even families are arguing over politics. Don't get me wrong, politics has been pretty dirty here in the Philippines but every election period, it just seems to get nastier than ever. Troll farms, vote buying... You name it, they probably have it.
The COVID-19 pandemic has tremendously affected our country and it was more fuel to the dumpster fire we're in. When the situation was at its peak, the government's response only had me shaking my head every time I heard the news. Often times, I would hear myself sigh 'Mahal kita, Pilipinas, pero jusko naman...' (I love you, Philippines but my god...)
I was getting tired of the same old tune, and so were other people around me. Loving the country was getting harder each day but I decided that I'll give voting a try. The time to take a stand is now.
If you're a first-time voter like me, you may still be confused on who to vote for. Perhaps my criteria for voting our future president could help you out.
Educational Background
Were they able to graduate high school at the very least? If not, what path did they take? If yes, how far did they go? I'm not looking for their highest educational attainment but I want to see how far did they reach for when they had a chance to be in school. Just as we did.
Work Experience and Accomplishments
How long have they been serving the public? What have they achieved so far? Who did they work with?
Work experience matters a lot for the presidential post as it could show us how they've dealt with numerous issues in the past. It kind of sets our expectations on how the next administration would look like, don't you think so?
Advocacies
What are they fighting for? Why do they do it? Is it because they genuinely believe it's worth the time and effort, or because it makes them more popular and loved?
Do you see yourself showing support for those advocacies if you were given the chance? Look into their profiles and records, see if anything resonates with you.
Personal Values
How were they acting before the campaign period? Did they stay the same? Did they have to change their image to be more likeable? How did they treat the common people?
I want to the next president to be sincere and respectful to the Filipino people regardless of socioeconomic status, age, gender or sexuality.
Controversies
How did they handle them? Were there truths within these controversies or they were mere fake news? Did they make questionable decisions in the past?
We should never be a diehard supporter of anyone. Look for anything that doesn't sound right to you and compare that to the positive points that they may have. Check your sources and evaluate your choices.
Thank you for reading until the end. I hope this helps you a bit to vote wisely. You may have more or less criteria in choosing our next president but, at the end of the day, the future of this country will still be up to all of us Filipinos.
On May 9th, vote for the Philippines.
Bumoto ka para sa Bayan. Padayon, Pilipinas.
Arc likes to play games on and off the blockchain when she's not lurking around Hive.
She currently plays Valorant, 7 Days to Die, Rising Star and Splinterlands among other games.
Do come over her Twitch stream around 8AM UTC to chill or participate in occasional giveaways!
Check her out around the interwebz:
Twitch (ENG)▶️
Facebook (FIL) ▶️
Twitter 🐦
Avatar created via picrew.me