Sen. Imee Marcos pities poor political candidates, offers a solution for the 2022 election campaign

Senator Imee Marcos has offered a piece of very simple advice for those who are planning on running for office in the next year’s national elections.

In a column on Bulgar Online, Marcos brought the challenges that campaigns would undergo due to the pandemic.

“Marami na rin ang nag-aabang sa mga political survey ng kung anu-ano’ng grupo. Nangangapa na tila ba mag-aatras-abante kapag nakitang hindi sila papatok sa mga botante,” said Marcos.

People have already suggested that online campaigning would be viable, she noted.

“Gayunman, hindi ‘yan ang ating inaalala. Nasa isip natin bukod sa pangarap nating hybrid elections ay ang magiging sitwasyon ng mga kandidato sa pangangampanya na ganitong nasa gitna pa tayo ng pandemya. May mga nagsasabing online na lang daw, para iwas-COVID.” she wrote. 

But that political candidates who relatively have less special interests and donors will most likely end up being the losers.

“‘Yun lang, tiyak na dehado rito ang mahihirap na kandidato. Eh, bakit ‘kan’yo? Siyempre, social media ‘yan at mangangailangan ng Internet connection, high-tech gadgets, mataas na mbps at malakas na wifi.”

Candidates who have more funding will easily trample those who are relatively poorer when it comes to online campaigning, said Marcos.

“Ang tanong, ano ang laban ng mga kandidatong walang kapasidad o resources na magpatakbo ng online campaign? Paano sila makikilala ng mga botanteng nakatira sa mga lugar na hindi abot ng Internet? Hindi pamilyar sa social media at walang budget pang advertise sa iba’t ibang online platforms, siguradong ilalampaso lang sila ng mga kandidatong super-yaman dahil hindi magiging patas ang bakbakan sa pangangalap ng boto kung ang labanan ay nakasalalay lamang sa pagiging ‘visible’ online.”

And the senator is right. Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and other politicians who can promote themselves as candidates online–are everywhere on social media.

Meanwhile, small-time politicians are yet to be known by the public.

Her solution is to go with traditional campaigning but with health restrictions in-placed to avoid the spread of COVID-19. But she said that this is doable with areas that have relatively lower COVID-19 cases.

It is to ensure that campaigning in 2022 will have a “level playing field.”