A few months ago, it was unclear whether the Philippines’ Vice President Leni Robredo will enter the race for the country's highest office just days before the deadline to register certificates of candidacy with the country's Commission on Elections. In the Philippines, presidential elections have historically been anti-incumbent, since people prefer “change” to consistency. Despite being the incumbent Vice President, Leni Robredo enters the race as the only contender who has continuously fought the government's policy excesses as well as her worst inclinations. But regardless of her credentials, track record, and character—Leni Robredo has a hard time getting better survey results. Factors to this may be coined to lack of funds for the machinery and marketing strategy. Technically, an inherently good product will speak for itself and people will just enunciate these good qualities to a bigger audience but in Robredo’s case, it will be hard since years of piled up invisible and tangible battles such as red-tagging, disinformation, and misinformation are in front of her which resulted to her character assassination.
Unexpectedly, for the past few months, Robredo’s campaign turned upside down compared to her first months of campaigning. A lot of people are opening their minds to give a second look at the lone female candidate. Undecided are giving a benefit of the doubt and doing their part of looking into her records, elders are contributing to the future generation by engaging in informing young voters, and youth are enthusiastically volunteering in cause groups. This manifestation is often called the Pink Movement, Pink Revolution, and is famously known by the hashtag “Rosas ang Kulay ng Bukas” in which people who meet more or less spontaneously and whose relationships are not defined by rules and procedures but simply share a common outlook on society. Historically, one of the most notable same events was the 1986 People Power Revolution where people went in the streets hand in hand to put an end to Marcos’ 21-year rule. After thirty-six years, will we be able to see another historical win for our country’s democracy? Regardless of the outcome, the process and progress of the fight—what is happening now, is what matters. What started as a simple proclamation rally in Quezon City ended up as a huge democracy rally from Luzon, Visayas, and recently, Mindanao. Data shows that Pasig has the biggest attendees so far with a 137,000+ crowd, followed by Negros Occidental with 86,000+ and placing on the third spot would be Cavite with 47,000+—wherein the governor, Jonvic Remulla said he would pledge a guaranteed 800,000 voters for the front-runner, Marcos Jr.
People against Robredo and the movement say the number of crowds is paid or carried from other parts of the country, but volunteers and receipts always seem to prove these accusations falsely and disinformed. The movement has now a circulating healthy competition, called OlymPINKS, of topping the previous city, and Filipinos cannot get even more creative and brilliant with their versions of the movement. With just under two months until an election that many are calling the most important in modern Philippine history, the Leni-Kiko campaign is now generating tens of thousands of attendees. With Robredo's campaign pledging to reclaim democracy, save the country from dynastic politics, and lift the country out of the shadow of Duterte's authoritarianism, together with her credentials, record, and qualities, more and more people claim that the best man for the job is a woman.
Illustration by: Christian Pataray
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