The Bobotante threat is real

By Michael Henry Yusingco, LL.M

Bobotante is a slang term which literally means stupid voter. Unfortunately, it is often used to deride poor and uneducated voters who are always blamed for electing unworthy persons to public office. But by definition, bobotante is not limited by socio-economic standing. Most Filipino voters are pragmatic, rational actors making careful decisions based on their day-to-day needs. In truth, the actual scale of bobotante amongst the electorate may never be determined. But even though they may not be the majority, the threat they pose to democracy is very real.

Fundamentally, bobotante are people who engage in politics like showbiz fans. The “celebrity-fication” of politicians profoundly diminishes the constitutional prescription that “Public office is a public trust.” Incompetence and plunder then become permanent features of government. Alarmingly, we are now witnessing a darker mutation of this political pathology. In the social media era, political figures are now purposely being fashioned into idols. Once in office their power does not rest upon accountability or performance; they are propped up by rabid fanbases.

The recent PhilSTAR Life opinion piece “The Perils of Political Idolization: A Disinformation Strategy” puts this pattern into sharp relief. There we see how Alice Guo, despite serious allegations (foreign influence, trafficking, money laundering), is seldom debated on the basis of policy or guilt. Instead, she is reframed—with memes, fiestas, and dancing—into a persona to which people can attach emotionally. Indeed, it is not too far-fetched to think that had Guo not been declared a Chinese citizen, another electoral win might still be a possibility.

The threat of bobotante is two-fold. First, when voters become fans, public accountability is lost. If the idol looks good or feels familiar, their misdeeds are excused immediately by blind loyalty. Good governance becomes secondary, if considered at all. Bobotante defend, rationalize, shift blame, regardless of the public interest involved. Political leaders with such a devoted base then hold on to public office with impunity. They can kill thousands of Filipinos and still be deemed a hero by their followers. Democracy demands oversight; political idolization kills that oversight.

Second, rather than debates over budget, policy, corruption, development, what dominates discourse is one-upmanship. Who has better reels, who trends more, whose meme is funnier. Substance is drowned out by showmanship. Political conversations become flash and viral content—not critical thinking. And the digital algorithms reward what spreads quickest, not what is most useful. Which then results to more voters being mis­informed and distracted by spectacle. This can skew elections by penalizing those who are bad at performing for the peanut gallery.

To put it bluntly: the idolization of politicians is an existential peril to democracy. It makes autocratic machination easier; corruption less visible; and ethical failings more palatable. Therefore, the question for Filipinos is whether we will let ourselves become gullible followers of political figures or do we engage politics like citizens with power? Do we allow ourselves to be slaves to celebrity or shall we endeavor to make these words reverberate in our politics and governance: “People should not be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.”

But it must be emphasized that the highlighting of the bobotante threat is not about pitting segments of the electorate against one another. Neither is it intended to shame economically marginalized voters. As earlier mentioned, being a bobotante is not about income status or educational background. Being a bobotante is about engaging in politics and governance with a cult mentality. And the alarm is being raised to stop the spread of this deadly mental disease amongst the polity.

Acknowledging the threat of the bobotante is about reminding everyone—rich and poor alike—that citizenship demands effort. Democracy requires a willingness to weigh evidence against emotion. We do not need to agree about whom to vote, in fact disagreement is inevitable. But we must help each other ensure that elected officials do right by all. Politicians are not celebrities to idolize; they are public servants to judge. If they fail, they must be voted out, not defended. And it is incumbent upon all of us to constantly remind those in public office of this arrangement.