The Philippine midterm polls draw near, and politicians across the nation are dusting off their playbooks, ready to woo the electorate with promises, platitudes, and posturing. Like much of the country, we’re now starting to feel the tremors of electoral fervor as government officials suddenly turn attentive to the needs of their constituents.
The recent damage to the Halsema Highway—a critical artery connecting the communities of the Cordillera region—has thrown this dynamic into sharp relief. The collapse of a portion of the Halsema due to heavy rains is more than just an infrastructural failure; it’s a political litmus test. The swift action of some officials garnered praise from their supporters, while the perceived sluggishness of others drew criticism. What could have been a moment for unified, decisive leadership instead became a polarizing event. Supporters seized the opportunity to elevate their chosen candidates while disparaging those they oppose. It’s a familiar scene—one that reflects the broader, and often troubling, landscape of Philippine politics.
The Halsema debacle is a microcosm of how political narratives are shaped in our country. Instead of focusing on collective problem-solving, there’s an overwhelming tendency to magnify individual actions (or perceived inaction) to court voter favor. And, with the midterms approaching, this tendency is only set to intensify. Politicians—or rather, those with ambitions of securing or retaining public office—are already positioning themselves, keen to project an image of competence and concern. But as we’ve seen, these projections can be more about optics than substance.
With digital misinformation, the loudest voices often drown out reasoned discourse—precisely why it’s more important than ever for people to be discerning. Social media, once heralded as a tool for democratizing information, has also become a breeding ground for disinformation. Falsehoods spread like wildfire, while the truth struggles to keep pace. It’s easy to fall into the trap of accepting what’s presented at face value, especially when it aligns with our biases. But, as Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa reminds everyone during her Nobel Peace Prize Lecture in 2021, “How can you have election integrity if you don’t have integrity of facts?”
Indeed, how can we make informed choices at the ballot box if we allow ourselves to be swayed by noise rather than substance? As we approach the midterms, we, the people, need to take a step back and scrutinize the track records of those who seek our trust and our vote.
We must be able to distinguish between politicians who build their campaigns on real achievements and those who rely on smoke and mirrors and focus on demolishing the reputations of their opponents to mask a lack of genuine accomplishment. The noise may be deafening, but it’s our responsibility to cut through it and seek the objective truth.
We deserve leaders with a track record of prioritizing public service over political expediency.
There are still a few months for us to ponder upon what lies ahead and the choices we’ll be making. Let’s use this time well and keep our eyes on what truly matters: integrity, competence, and a genuine commitment to the public good.
