THE CONTESTANT from the Philippine noontime show “It’s Showtime” paid a formal visit to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office on Tuesday, following a concerning turn of events during her appearance on the program.
In recent years, social media has become a powerful tool for the rapid dissemination of news, trends, and viral content, sometimes turning minor incidents into national discussions.
This is exactly what happened when Heart Aquino, a participant on the popular noontime show’s “Sexy Babe” segment, made inadvertent headlines by admitting her lack of knowledge of the Comelec.
What began as a lighthearted moment quickly evolved into an opportunity for learning, public participation, and the contestant’s education about the Philippine voting system in timely manner.
A Concerning Incident
On February 28, well-known comedian host Vice Ganda asked the contestant what message she had for the Comelec. Surprisingly, Aquino revealed that she knows little about the election body.
Vice Ganda, who asked the question, was noticeably worried with the 20-year-old’s initial response, stating “that’s bothersome.” Aquino also stated that she had no voting experience yet.
She also informed the hosts that she was unable to watch the news because her family did not have a television at home. While she reads online, she does not see election-related news on her social media stream.
Despite the drawbacks, including the fact that the show is live, the contestant managed to deliver a decent message, urging the commission to make elections fair at both the national and local levels.
While some netizens used this opportunity to mock Aquino and generalize the lack of knowledge among Generation Z, Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia saw a need to educate.
Don’t Hesitate, Educate
After becoming viral for a few days, the office formally invited Aquino on Monday, March 3. According to Garcia, the Comelec recognizes the contestant’s dilemma and is eager to educate her.
Furthermore, the commission’s chairman maintained that the objective of the visit is not to join the bandwagon of hatred and sarcasm directed at her, but rather to widen her understanding of the office.
“We fully understand her. There may be more young people or Filipinos who are like her. It is our solemn duty to explain who we are and what we are doing,” Garcia said of the 20-year-old’s response.
The visit took place on Tuesday, as requested by the commission’s chairman, George Erwin Garcia, in the Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros, Manila City, where the commission has its offices.
Reach Out to the Sector
In this year’s elections, Comelec spokesperson Atty. According to John Rex Laudiangco, of the total 68,431,965 registered voters, roughly 21,649,670, or 31.64 percent, are from the youth sector, meaning those aged 18 to 30.
The youth, particularly Gen Zs, have been vocal and active in recent elections, and their participation continues to grow to this day. However, this incident shows that we have yet to reach the majority of their numbers.
Millennials and Gen Zs may be the majority of voters in the forthcoming 2025 Midterm Elections, but there is clearly a divide among their demographics, which can impede a life-changing cast of votes.
“In fact it’s the biggest percentage of the total pie, but they don’t have a solid vote in the sense that social strata affect it,” Comelec Commissioner Rey Bulay said, in a previous exclusive interview with republicasia.
“You have young people belonging to those who have access to information readily because of their position in life. And you have the rest, which are battling each day in poverty so basically those things, they affect how people of their age will vote.”
“So, being a very large segment of society, I think the younger generation can help the Commission very much because we would like to encourage and tap very large segment of our society to participate and vote,” he added.
Lesson Learned
Following the tour, Aquino stated that she now understand the value of government agency, particularly in shaping the country’s future, and why young people must make an effort to educate themselves.
”Mas naunawaan ko po yung meaning din po talaga ng Comelec and kung ano po yung ginagawa nila. Ine-encourage ko po na mas alamin din po natin talaga ‘yung trabaho ng Comelec,” Aquino told the media.
Meanwhile, the contestant clarified that she had previously voted in the Sanguniang Kabataan (SK) polls, and that her experience during the section was merely a “mental block.”
“Hindi lang po ako masyadong knowledgeable po, pero meron naman po akong kaalaman and na-mental block lang din po ako since first appearance ko sa TV and medyo nakakakaba po talaga,” she explained.
Now that she’s gaining popularity online, the 20-year-old Aquino wants to utilize her platform to educate and advocate for other youths who have gone through similar experiences. Before closing, she left a message for the youth.
“Para po sa mga kagaya ko, na hindi masyadong knowledgeable, alamin po natin and mag-vote tayo wisely, kasi para rin sa atin ‘yon. Huwag natin baliwalain ‘yung nagyayari sa paligid natin and mas bigyan natin ng focus,” she said.
Aquino’s experience serves as a timely reminder of the value of being an informed citizen, particularly in an electoral democracy where future generations rely on us with every vote we make.
It serves as a reminder that everyone, regardless of public figure or background, has a responsibility to help, reach out to, and educate underpriveleged populations in order to exercise our right to vote responsibly.
