Moms and Dads
Dingdong Dantes Reminds Filipinos after Presidential Interviews: Plan, Discern, Act
The GMA actor and father of two is one of many Filipinos who watched the much-awaited Presidential Interviews hosted by journalist Jessica Soho over the weekend.
In case you have been busy, the Presidential Interviews hosted by Jessica Soho were broadcast on Saturday, January 22 where four of five presidential candidates were scrutinized and thrown tough questions on several issues facing the nation. Filipinos who registered to vote this coming May tuned in to watch as Soho fired questions to candidates who are applying for the country’s highest position.
Actor Dingdong Dantes was one of many Filipinos who watched the interviews and listened to every word the candidates answered. On Sunday, January 23, the Alternate star posted his thoughts about the interview.
Responsible Journalism
“Last night’s Presidential interview highlighted how responsible journalism can help shape perspectives & present reality,” Dantes wrote. ” It started with candidness and evolved into in-depth scrutiny of complex issues that were made simpler and easier to digest for Filipinos. Diretso sa punto. Walang paligoy-ligoy (Straight to the point, no beating around the bush). It didn’t fail to lay out the real situation of our country: from Climate Change…to poverty & corruption…to our COVID response.”
The father of two and former National Youth Commissioner added that the interviews gave voters the perspective of who among the candidates have plans for the country. He also emphasized that the upcoming elections have never been more important for the nation which continues to struggle amidst the pandemic.
“Having been born in the early ’80s, I think, this is one of the most important elections of our lifetime. Whoever we choose will dictate how we would recover from the global beating this pandemic has caused us,” he said.
Dantes gave three words Filipinos should do as they prepare to vote this coming May.
Plan
In his post, Dantes wrote: “Bago mamili ng iboboto, please make sure you do your research at siguraduhin ang integridad ng source of information. Hindi sapat na magsaliksik lang sa social media. Manood ng interviews kagaya na lang ng sa GMA. You have to go out there and search for what you think you and your country needs.”
(Before choosing who to vote, please make sure to do your research and make sure that the information you’re getting is valid. It’s not enough researching alone on social media. Watch interviews like those broadcast in GMA.)
Discern
It’s not about popularity but integrity says Dantes.
“Don’t look at winnability or popularity. Search for integrity, competence, and commitment to the values of humanity. Be sensitive not only to your own circumstance but also to the plight of your countrymen. Your generation and the next ones will depend on our decisions today.”
Act
The most important of all says Dantes is to go out and make that vote count.
“Lastly, go out and vote. Claim your role as responsible citizens. You have a role in our society’s quest 4 genuine good governance.”
Be informed but be careful
In an era where disinformation and fake news is rampant, Dantes reminded everyone to scrutinize and research as much as they can the information they’re getting.
“We are what we consume. That’s why we have to be mindful of what we feed our mind. While everyone can be an agent of information dissemination in a highly globalized world, there are still institutions who are raising the bar for media and public service,” he said.
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