Comelec to give noontime show contestant guided tour after she admits having 'limited' knowledge on poll body
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has opened its doors to the It's Showtime's Sexy Babe contestant who said she has "limited" knowledge about the agency.
In a report by GMA News, Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia invited Heart Aquino, a 20-year-old weekly finalist in the noontime show's segment, for "a unique and insightful guided tour" to further her knowledge about the poll body's functions.
"We fully understand her," Garcia said, as per the outlet.
He added, "Maaring madami pa na katulad niya na kabataan o mga Filipino.It is our solemn duty to explain who we are and what we are doing."
Aquino admitted she didn't know a lot about the poll body when Vice Ganda asked, "Ano ang mensahe mo sa Comelec?" during the segment's weekly finals on Friday, Feb. 28.
Aquino responded, "Sorry po, hindi po ako knowledgeable about sa Comelec."
Vice then chipped in and said, "Oh my gosh, that's bothersome."
"'Di ka pa ba bumuboto?" Kim Chiu asked, to which Aquino personally said that she hadn't.
When asked if she had heard about Comelec on TV or in the newspaper, Aquino said that they do not have a TV, and she hadn't seen it on her social media.
Nonetheless, she admitted that it was her mistake that she didn't know anything about the agency.
The Its Showtime hosts went on to impart knowledge about Comelec.
"[Comelec] ang may kinalaman sa lahat ng kaganapan tungkol sa election sa Pilipinas," Vice Ganda said.
Through this, Aquino was able to answer the question.
"Siguro yung message ko po sa kanila ay let's be fair po dahil mayroon po tayong mga... ano... kahit sa barangay lang yan, yung mga bayad-bayad ng votes so let's be fair po dahil deserve natin yung uupo na talagang mayroong ibibigay sa'tin, na mayroon talagang... tayo sa community na mapapakinabangan na hindi ganern."
'May educational crisis'
Vice reflected on the moment during the March 3 episode of It's Showtime.
"May educational crisis sa Pilipinas na dapat nating i-address," she said. "[Kailangan] maisip, 'bakit ganun?' 'Di ba? Saan kaya nagsisimula 'yung educational crisis sa Pilipinas? Sino ang mga naapektuhan? Ano kaya ang dapat nating gawin? Paano kaya natin ito dapat harapin?"
"Ito ba ay dapat pagtawanan lang natin? Pag-chikahan lang sa Twitter ng one day and then tapos na?"
The hosts of the noontime show also talked about how the segment opened discussions on whether voters are informed.
"Marami ang hindi nakapag-register, marami ang tapos na [o ayaw] bumoto," Karyll said.
"At napakalaking percentage ng youth sa mga boboto," Vice said. "Dun kaya sa malaking bahagi ng kabataan na boboto, ilan kaya ang boboto ng hindi informed?"
"'Yung bata lang kaya ang hindi informed o 'yung mga magulang, o buong klase, o buong eskwelahan, o buong barangay, o buong distrito, o baka buong Pilipinas na ito?"
The midterm elections are set to take place on May 12. Overseas Filipinos may vote from April 13 to May 12, while local absentees—AFP, the Philippine National Police, and media practitioners—may vote from April 28 to 30.
There will be a total of 18,272 national and local positions in the upcoming elections.
