BY JILL KAREN MAHUSAY
BLIND political loyalty leads to repeating the past rather than shaping a better future for our country.
Pre-election surveys for the 2025 election show that many Filipinos favor candidates who are popular with the masses. They often ignore their track records—neglecting due diligence, usually because they are associated with the politician they favor. Political loyalty weakens critical thinking and leads to uninformed voting, especially in today’s digital age, where misinformation is rampant.
Time and again, Filipino voters label Philippine politics as a circus without realizing they elect the performers. They demand change in the government, yet they refuse to change. To them, politics is nothing more than a game—where political loyalty takes precedence over competence, and winning is the ultimate goal.
Now, where is this “blind political loyalty” rooted? Philippine politics has long been functioning in the system of “utang na loob” or abiding gratitude. Studies show that politics in the Philippines has historically functioned on a patronage system, where the political elite seek support from influential figures. In exchange for their loyalty, these influential individuals receive rewards, such as agreed-upon political favors and other benefits. In this give-and-take system, ordinary voters feel like they owe their support to them.
This traditional system has evolved into a modern voting culture, where voters prioritize allegiance over competence. They would justify their votes by saying, “I vote straight for this political party because this politician endorses it.” However, the candidates they mentioned have very questionable records. How can we expect competence from someone who needs political backing to win?
What’s worse is that even when presented with facts, they will choose to remain blind, ignoring the lapses of the politician they favor. This part is where the misinformation takes hold.
Their relentless political loyalty to these politicians keeps them trapped in a distorted reality fueled with false information that aligns with their beliefs, disconnecting them from the truth. They only begin caring once their choices backfire, exposing the consequences of their blind political loyalty and devotion. However, despite all that, they never change their voting habits, allowing the cycle to continue.
A good example of this blind political loyalty is the drastic decline in President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.’s approval rating. As per the survey carried out by WR Numero, just 30.1% of Filipinos rated Marcos’ performance as satisfactory in February 2025—a significant decline of 15 percentage points from the 45% noted in September 2024.
Notice how some Filipinos, likely pro-Duterte voters, have started turning their backs on PBBM, given the ongoing political feud. During the 2022 election, many people presented them with factual information. Yet, they chose to believe the overused narrative of every politician over the truth. They decided to believe false information that fit their narrative, focusing on the emotional appeal. They claimed PBBM deceived them and only voted for him because of Sara Duterte—proof that blind loyalty always backfires. Yet those same people are falling for the same trick again, entrusting their votes to the decisions of their favored politician.
Their political loyalty has become so extreme that they rely more on influencers, vloggers, and even AI-generated posts over credible news outlets. They may be smart enough to realize that the politicians deceived them but not enough to break the cycle.
Are voters solely to blame? While voters play a role, their choices are primarily a result of the Philippines’ political history. This issue goes beyond uninformed voting; cultural concepts like abiding gratitude will be the poison for the Filipinos that will hinder us from having good governance. Why do we feel we owe these politicians a debt when it is their duty? They are called “public servants” for a reason.
Decades of political dynasties have also embedded a culture where voters would vote for someone simply because they are associated with a politician they perceive as competent. After years of hearing the same unfulfilled promises, false hope continues to shape their choices. When will we realize that actual competence in leadership is built on genuine public service, integrity, and capability—not on a last name?
So, how are we going to break this cycle? How can we achieve real change? Change starts with us. We must break free from blind loyalty and think critically. We must examine every candidate—not just their name, alliances, and promises—and determine whether they are competent enough to be in that position. Truth over propaganda. Competence over allegiance and popularity. We should elect someone who demonstrates genuine public service, transparency, and effective leadership over politicians who rely on patronage.
In this digital age, ignorance is already a choice and no longer an excuse.
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Jill Karen Mahusay is a third-year political science student from the University of Cebu-Main Campus, and this piece is part of their course subject on journalism.
