Pink is the new hope

HER outfit of the day caption, "2022 is looking pink. She is my president" on Instagram caught my attention. It was a fashion statement from a vlogger with a huge following. She is making a stand. In the age of half-truths, disinformation and propaganda, fact checkers are not enough. We need more truth-tellers.

In the past three national elections, I never shared my presidential candidate because I wanted to stay neutral. Instead, I came out with a "consider list" based on a selection criterion. When BlogWatch, our citizen media group, launched our Voter Education portal in 2009, our goal was to cover underplayed stories such as candidates' platform and vision for the country. During that period, journalists tend to fire up election violence or cover mudslinging or scandals and the exchange of accusations between parties and politicians becomes "entertainment." What interested me were the underplayed stories that the media needed to cover, such as voters' education, campaign fund sources and expenditure, and background of candidates, especially their personal background and political background. Today, all the media are covering these stories. I need to shift direction in the time when social media will play a bigger role in the 2022 National and Local Elections. Making a stand is pushing for what I believe is right for our country. As Vice-President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo said, "Take a stand, and I assure you, others will stand beside you."