Careless Voters Have No Right to Be ‘Offended’

By Alex P. Vidal 

“Voters don’t decide issues, they decide who will decide issues.” —George Will

IF the Filipino voters were aware—or “they knew”—whether they were taken for a ride or hoodwinked by politicians or candidates during the elections, we would not have elected comedians and circus players in the Senate and House of Representatives.

We would have quality elected officials and leaders that will make us all proud and won’t expose the Philippines as the marketplace of highway robbers, charlatans and clowns calling themselves “honorables” and “lawmakers.”

The deception and grand illusion actually begin in the campaign period. Thus, when Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia recently warned candidates in the May 12, 2025 polls that “their excessive exposure might turn off voters,” it raised a lot of eyebrows.

Filipino voters who willingly elected unworthy and unqualified candidates didn’t know how to be disenchanted or feel disgusted. It’s not even believable that they would be turned off if candidates campaigned early.

In fact, they are partly to blame why we have many mediocre and good-for-nothing public officials especially in the national offices like the congress—both the lower and upper chambers.

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Garcia has chided candidates to restrain themselves in putting up posters and advertisements ahead of the official campaign period.

“Dahan-dahan lang, medyo hinay-hinay. Huwag po natin i-underestimate ang katalinuhan ng ating mga kababayan. Napakatatalino po ng mga Pilipino. Alam po nila kapag sila’y pinaglololoko, o alam po nila kapag inaabuso ang kabaitan po nila (Take it slow, go easy. Let’s not underestimate the intelligence of our fellow Filipinos. Filipinos are very smart. They know when they’re being deceived, or they know when their kindness is being abused),” he told reporters.

He wanted candidates to wait for the official campaign period and stressed it will give them ample time to promote their candidacies saying not all voters are happy to see the candidates’ faces already crowding public spaces even before the campaign period has kicked off.

“Baka pe-pwedeng konting tiis, konting pagtitimpi, sapagkat meron po tayong mga kababayan na hindi po nagugustuhan na nakikita ang inyong mga pagmumukha diyan sa ating mga kalsada o nakalatag dito sa bawat kalye o nakakadumi sa atin pong mga bahay-bahay (Maybe exercise some patient or restraint, because there are people who do not like seeing your faces all over our streets, or spread out on every corner, or making our homes look unsightly),” he said.

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If the Comelec boss was not barking at the wrong tree, he probably didn’t understand the psyche of the Filipino voters that much.

But Garcia made it clear that this is just an appeal and not a prohibition because there is no premature campaigning in automated polls under the law.

He noted that this is because the aspirants will only be considered candidates on the first day of the campaign period.

The poll body chair also reminded voters that the ultimate power to choose candidates ultimately lies with them.

Garcia emphasized that this early, they could already observe the conduct of candidates, something they could consider when they head to the voting centers.

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(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)