Zeke Gabrielle H.

Rosales
AB – Philosophy III

Philosophical Values as a Foundation During the Philippine Elections 2022

The 2022 Philippine Elections is a rampant issue due to the heft of how it shall influence
the tides and direction of Philippine politics in the future. It cannot be denied that due to the
declining healthcare crisis and the political turmoil it has caused, people have grown dissatisfied
and disappointed to the governance they received all throughout the remaining years of the
Duterte regime. However, the application of philosophical values in the Philippine elections
shows that political problems are not only caused by corrupt leaders, but irresponsible citizens as
well.
This coming election is the sun that lurks beyond the darkness. Yet, the political
polarization in the country grew as heated debates emerged regarding who is the rightful leader
that shall allow us to reach prosperity. As a student of Philosophy, where we practice a culture of
critical thinking and in-depth scrutiny of situations, objects, people, and various other aspects, I
have found that though there is a huge demand for political progress, there are few efforts to be
seen that lean towards this aspiration.
If we want to proceed in a more progressive direction, we too must embody the
responsibilities of being a citizen. We can apply these values by opening our minds and looking
at the citizens not as idols or personalities, but as employees who are put to the test and who
would win best for the job. As citizens, we have to show the seriousness and the gravity of the
job towards the candidates through careful assessment of the plans they crafted and the principles
they embrace in their leadership. We have to imagine a state based on their plans and principles
because these two factors will affect our society gravely. If we keep on perceiving candidates
based on their personalities, then we are treating politics as a playtime and not as a vital aspect of
our society.
We have to keep looking at today and tomorrow and seek their devotion for the job as
early as possible. Are they making efforts for their advocacies or are they just all talk? A lot of
politicians aren’t doing much of a job since majority are easily swayed with words, but if only
these people could see beyond those empty promises, then politicians such as Marcos Jr. will
never have a chance to claim such a relevant position in the country, especially if he keeps
slacking from the important things while hiding from relevant forums that shall expose his plans.
It's time we don’t only demand better from our offices but we must also take
accountability of our actions and change our values that doesn’t work. Philosophical values do
not only promote critical thinking, but it helps us align ourselves towards what must be
prioritized for our country to turn these unfortunate tides. To demand for change is a call within
to reflect on our morals and eliminate barriers that stop progress. If we do not start to change
from within, then talking about change is nonsense. In philosophy, I’ve realized that we have to
start treating change seriously and provide efforts towards it step-by-step. Then only surely,
change will become real.