It took a beauty queen to say what many of us have been thinking but rarely dare say out loud.
When Miss Philippines Earth Joy Barcoma called out the Commission on Elections for effectively blaming voters for the country’s political mess, she gave voice to a long-simmering frustration: how can people be faulted for their choices when the choices barely change?
At a recent voters’ education forum in Biliran, Comelec chair George Erwin Garcia remarked that only voters who “do not choose the right leaders” are to blame for the nation’s problems.
On the surface, the message sounds just about right, sensible even. But dig deeper and it hews uncomfortably close to victim blaming.
Filipino voters don’t enter polling precincts with tons of options. The reality is that we are handed ballots dominated by candidates whose qualifications often begin and end with name recall.
Repeating the mantra of “vote wisely” ignores the reality of a system that keeps recycling the same personalities, election after election.
Choices? What choices?
Barcoma’s response cut through the hypocrisy. She questioned why qualifications for public office remain so low, suggesting disqualification for those linked to corruption, conflicts of interest, criminal records, or entrenched political families. She even proposed written exams on the Constitution, laws, and public policy—basic knowledge for anyone asking to govern.
Critics argue that these won’t guarantee good leadership. Well, yeah, but raising the bar at least gives us voters a fighting chance.
Bottom line: We don’t need better voters. We need better candidates and a better system.
It’s simple, really: Why blame the diner for complaining about a bad meal as prepared again and again by the same chef?
Freakin’ sack the chef.
Enough said.
