Wazzup Pilipinas!?
The Crumbling of a Facade
What the Philippines witnessed in the most recent senatorial race was nothing short of a political reckoning — a seismic, full-throated rejection of celebrity politics that once held the electorate in its hypnotic grip.
Ben Tulfo, Bong Revilla, Manny Pacquiao, Philip Salvador, Willie Revillame. All of them — decimated at the polls. It wasn’t just a loss. It was annihilation. A decisive end to the illusion that name recall and showbiz fame could substitute for competence, policy depth, and moral clarity.
And while Lito Lapid remains the lone survivor of this crumbling archetype, it is clear: the Filipino people have had enough.
Even Monsour Del Rosario, Lucky Manzano, Mocha Uson, and Marco Gumabao — familiar faces once thought to have political traction — were steamrolled in what can only be described as electoral Armageddon. The people, it seems, no longer want screen time; they want substance.
This is not just a blip. This is a cultural shift.
The Death Knell for Alyansa
But the political bloodbath didn’t end there. The Alyansa slate, backed by the Marcos administration, collapsed in spectacular fashion.
It was more than a loss — it was a repudiation.
The slate’s failure mirrored the administration’s plummeting numbers: Bongbong Marcos' approval rating now languishes at 24%, even lower than Joe Biden at his most unpopular. House Speaker Martin Romualdez fares worse, with a trust rating of 14% — dipping below the darkest moments of Nancy Pelosi’s political career.
The message is unmistakable.
The electorate has opened its eyes. The dazzle of “Unity” has faded, replaced by the harsh glow of unmet promises, tone-deaf policies, and a presidency that squandered the most generous mandate in modern Philippine history.
Bongbong Marcos' political resurrection — once touted as the most audacious and historic in global democratic politics — has floundered under the weight of its own vanity. He was handed a golden opportunity to rewrite the Marcos legacy. Instead, the silver spoon became a gag.
Tulfo’s Tumult and the Rise of Purpose-Driven Politics
Equally stunning was the fall of Ben Tulfo — a shocker given the Tulfo brand’s media dominance. His brother Erwin, once also considered a powerhouse, fell silent and saw his poll numbers nosedive.
The collapse is telling. In an age where charisma is no longer enough, it’s the cause that matters.
Bong Go, Bam Aquino, Bato dela Rosa, Kiko Pangilinan, Rodante Marcoleta — their campaigns soared not because of spectacle, but because they stood for something.
They refused to kneel. They drew lines in the sand. They offered visions — some divisive, others idealistic — but all deliberate.
The Gathering Storm of 2028
What comes next is the reckoning.
The stage is now set for what will be the most defining political battle of our generation: DDS vs. Yellows and Pinks — a revolutionary rubber match.
On one side:
The Diehard Duterte Supporters, a movement like no other. Tens of millions across classes B to E, galvanized by a deeply emotional connection to the Davao strongman. If Rodrigo Duterte — now facing potential prosecution in the Hague — becomes a martyr or even just an ailing hero, the resulting surge of loyalty will elevate his image to stratospheric heights. Martin Luther King. Mandela. Gandhi. The DDS will make sure Duterte is remembered in the same breath.
On the other side:
The Pink Movement, whose momentum did not die in 2022. Fueled by idealism, intellectual rigor, and a new generation of youth voters, they’ve only grown stronger. From 15 million believers, their numbers have quietly swelled. They have passion, organization, and a sense of moral mission.
Expect 2028 to pit Sara Duterte, Bong Go, and Robin Padilla against Leni Robredo, Bam Aquino, and Kiko Pangilinan.
It will be a clash of political titans — fueled by revenge, redemption, and raw vision.
Not since the revolutionary days of EDSA have the ideological divides in this country been this pronounced, this visceral, this real.
No More Spectacle Without Substance
The Filipino people are no longer content with laugh tracks, action scenes, or late-night variety shows masquerading as policy.
We are witnessing the emergence of a discerning electorate. One that refuses to be manipulated by name recognition or dramatic monologues. One that demands vision and virtue in equal measure.
This recent electoral result is a cultural earthquake. The aftershocks will reverberate well into 2028.
And when the dust settles, one thing will be clear:
The age of artista politics is dying.
A new era — volatile, electric, and transformative — is being born.
Brace yourselves. The real fight is just beginning.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
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