Much has been said and done this elections season that made us cringe. One of the latest twists was a political advertisement by Senator Antonio Trillanes against former Davao City Mayor and soon-to-be-pronounced President of the Republic of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte.
It was shocking because it used videos of the then-mayor issuing morally reprehensible statements, interspersed with children asking if these are acceptable.
Some say that they object to using children to sling mud on a candidate, especially if he has already apologized for his mistakes. On the other hand, it has been compared to the infomercials in the 1980’s saying, “Ang maling gawa ay nagiging tama sa mata ng mga bata kapag ginagawa ng mas nakatatanda.” (Wrongdoings committed by elders become right in the eyes of children.)
Even though election day has passed, the debate will go on as sides continue to defend and live out their differing points of view.
READ: Mom uses Disney to explain Halalan 2016 to her kids
But whether or not the ad was legal or appropriate, what was clear was the message to vote wisely with our children’s future at stake. At the core of this future is how Pinoy values will be (and may have already begun being) shaped.
A simple #DU30 search already shows a nation divided in terms of what they want and what they believe in. Here are some common themes:
The clamor for CHANGE with DISCIPLINE as key
AUTHENTICITY above all
(I would prefer a “jerk” leader who isn’t a thief over one who acts like a saint but only works to enrich himself)
You’ll want to see the images on the next page.
The VIGILANTE brand of JUSTICE
As the results come in, let us hope for the best and commit to working together with our newly elected leaders for a better Philippines. Parents are children’s first teachers, responsible for filtering everything going on outside the home and instilling fundamental values.
Moms and dads, what do you think of this political ad, this cartoon, and the unofficial results of #Halalan2016?
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