When governance becomes performance, ordinary Filipinos are left carrying the consequences of a system that increasingly values political drama over genuine public service.
Every evening, Filipino families turn on the television or open social media only to witness another political spectacle unfold. Inside Senate hearings, lawmakers argue, shout over one another, and walk out of discussions meant to serve the public.
To many ordinary Filipinos watching from home, these moments no longer look like leadership. They look like personal beefs broadcast live just for clout and algorithmic engagement.
Public service has slowly turned into entertainment, a kind of pakitang-gilas for the public. Governance now feels less like nation-building and more like a reality show where viral moments matter more than real solutions.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, NO ACTION
But once the cameras are off, reality immediately returns.
Outside the halls of power, millions of Filipinos continue to work hard just to get by. Market vendors stand for hours under the sun—sa kalsada at palengke, tuloy ang pagbubuhat at pagbebenta sa gitna ng matinding init, para lang kumita ng sapat sa maghapon. Farmers face the burden of high fertilizer prices, habang ang kanilang ani ay nananatiling kakaunti at hindi sapat para sa disenteng kita. Fisherfolk go out to sea with uncertain catch—mga mangingisdang pumapalaot sa mahabang oras, sugal ang bawat araw kapalit ng maliit at hindi tiyak na kita.
Other workers face the same daily challenges. Construction workers do heavy physical labor under harsh conditions, katawan ang puhunan sa araw-araw na trabaho. Janitors and utility workers quietly maintain spaces that others often take for granted, tahimik na serbisyo na madalas hindi napapansin. Jeepney and tricycle drivers work long hours on the road, nagbibilang ng baryang kinikita, sinusukat kung may natitira pa para sa pagkain, gasolina, at mga bayarin. For Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), the distance itself is a major sacrifice—malayo sa pamilya, nagtatrabaho sa ibang bansa, kumakayod araw-araw para maitaguyod ang mga mahal sa buhay.
While political debates dominate the news, ordinary citizens continue to carry the burden of daily problems. Families deal with expensive rice, high fare prices, low wages, crowded classrooms, and limited job opportunities, often with very little help.
For many Filipinos, daily survival has become a full-time responsibility. The contrast is disturbing: government institutions are filled with noise, while ordinary citizens quietly endure the consequences of neglect and weak governance.
FOR THE FEED AND VIRAL CLIPS
Debate is a normal part of democracy. Public officials are supposed to question policies, check issues, and hold each other accountable. However, what the public often sees today can look more like a performance than a productive debate.
Official hearings are frequently cut into short video clips for TikTok, Facebook, and online headlines. Instead of focusing on long-term solutions, some officials appear mindful of gaining visibility, protecting their image, or trending online.
For many politicians, publicity now matters more than public service—mas inuuna ang pagpapasikat kaysa tunay na paglilingkod.
It has become easier to organize public events, sponsor pageants, or appear in viral content than to address corruption, poverty, education gaps, or weak public services. Mas madaling magpakitang-tao kaysa gumawa ng trabahong hindi agad napapansin.
Because of this, the working class can feel like an audience for pakitang-politika, instead of citizens who need real protection and action.
When leaders spend more time defending their pride than solving public concerns, the people lose valuable time, attention, and resources. Public office should never become a stage for personal branding and political drama.
THE DANGER OF SILENCE AND THE MYTH OF RESILIENCE
This kind of political environment also affects local leadership. To avoid conflict with powerful political groups, some local officials choose silence over accountability. Many remain neutral not because problems do not exist, but because speaking up may threaten their position or political survival.
But when governance is driven by ego and power, silence is not neutrality—it allows the problem to continue.
At the same time, the idea of “Filipino resilience” is repeatedly used to soften public frustration.
Filipinos are constantly praised for surviving hardship, smiling through disasters, and enduring difficult conditions. But resilience should never become an excuse for government failure, or a reason to normalize pagdurusa.
There is nothing inspiring about forcing people to suffer while basic problems remain unresolved.
A nation’s strength should not be measured by how much pain its citizens can endure. It should be measured by how quickly leaders respond to public needs, protect vulnerable communities, and improve people’s lives.
Hindi sapat na sabihing “Matatag ang Pilipino” habang patuloy ang pagdurusa at kakulangan sa tunay na serbisyo.
Survival is not the same as good governance.
THANKS FOR THE CLIPS, WE’RE STARVING
Fortunately, many young people and ordinary workers are beginning to look beyond political noise and online performances. Instead of focusing only on speeches and viral moments, they are paying closer attention to how officials actually vote, govern, and use public power.
More Filipinos are beginning to ask harder questions:
Who actually delivers? Who only performs when the cameras are present? Sino ba talaga ang tunay na nagsisilbi, at sino ang nagpapakitang-tao lang?
People are starting to realize that leadership is not measured by loud speeches, dramatic hearings, or popularity online. It is measured by action, accountability, and service.
A position in government is not a reward, a family inheritance, or a platform for personal image-building. It is a responsibility that directly affects millions of lives.
In the end, history will not remember how loud politicians shouted during hearings or how viral they became online. They will be remembered for the problems they ignored, the laws they failed to pass, and the people they neglected while fighting for power.
The country cannot continue losing itself to political performances and endless conflict. Public officials were elected to lead, govern, and serve—not to entertain.
The Filipino people are tired of being background characters in a script that doesn’t serve them. The hype is dead, the main character energy needs to go, and the curtain must finally fall on the circus so real public service can begin.
Written by Dave Lauren Gumarang
Dave Lauren Gumarang is a dedicated campus journalist and contributor. Their insightful writing sparks meaningful conversations and keeps the community informed.
