After the Holy Week, we return to the world—refreshed, perhaps, by silence, sacrifice, and prayer. But will that reflection extend beyond the rituals? Will it guide us as we inch closer to the May 2025 elections?
We observe Semana Santa with such reverence—abandoning meat, giving up vices, praying the Pasyon, walking barefoot to mountain chapels. Yet, when the season of elections comes, our choices often betray that same faith. We kneel before the Cross but cheer for those who trample on our dignity with dance numbers, comedy skits, tear-inducing dramas, and empty campaign jingles.
In this political cycle, some candidates have weaponized entertainment to mask their incompetence or nefarious motives. They pander with rehearsed drama and catchy tunes, hoping to charm their way into power. They speak not of food insecurity or climate resilience, but of fandoms, fame, and pa-cute antics on TikTok. The campaign trail has become a noontime show.
And we let it happen.
It is said that Christ was not a king of gold and pageantry. He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. He spoke of feeding the hungry, protecting the weak, and standing with the outcast. Would He cast His vote for someone who wears costumes and sings on stage, or for someone who knows policy and quietly builds community kitchens?
The hard truth is this: our votes reflect not just our hopes but our values.
Holy Week reminds us of the cost of salvation. But there can be no redemption for a nation that does not take its own suffering seriously. If we can mourn for the crucified Christ, why do we not weep for generations stuck in poverty, children out of school, or hospitals without doctors? Why do we elect leaders who treat our pain as a punchline?
There is still time. Less than a month before election day, we can stop being an entertained electorate and become an enlightened one.
Let us turn Holy Week into something more than a hollow ritual. Reflect not just on what Christ gave up for us—but on what we give up when we elect leaders who serve themselves.
Would Christ vote for a dancer, a hooligan, or a soap opera artist?
Or would He choose someone who understands the weight of the Cross?