Commission on Elections. INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines — It may be a near-impossible plan, but a 28-year-old senior high school (SHS) instructor will challenge established names for the congressional seat of Las Piñas’ lone legislative district — possibly including an incumbent senator of the country.
Hours before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) National Capital Region (NCR) office closed its fourth day of accepting certificate of candidacies (COCs), John Barry Tayam formalized his congressional bid, while acknowledging that the odds are stacked against him.
Nevertheless, Tayam said that he will present his platform — even to his opponents — so that it will be considered.
“Alam ko, suntok po sa buwan ‘yong maaaring mangyari nga kung manalo man. So I will try to be friendly with other competitors ito or sa mga kalaban ko po. Just in case, kung sila man po yung palarin, kung ano may magiging platform ko, ibibigay ko po sa kanila,” he told reporters in an ambush interview.
(I know it’s a far-fetched idea, winning in this election. So, I will try to be friendly with other competitors or my opponent. Just in case, if they would win, I would provide my platform to them.)
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“I think fights are not finished at the beginning of the battle. So I think I am still young, so there will be more opportunities in the future,” he added.
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As a younger generation member, Tayam said he wants to be proof that the youth are not only bent on criticizing the government, but are also actively participating in trying to push for changes.
“I think po para po sa kabataan po […] I will represent po yung Gen-Z po. Kasi sabi po nila ang mga kabataan ay puro reklamo lang. Tama naman po, ang rant naman po most of the time ay walang nagagawa,” he said.
(I think this is for the youth too. I will represent the Gen-Z, because they say the youth are just criticizing people. It’s true that rants do not do anything.)
“So I think kailangan may isa or may mag-step up na from younger generation. Kasi kami yung future leader po. New age po, new leader po,” he added.
(So someone from the younger generation has to step up. Because we are the future leaders. New age, new leaders.)
Tayam was one of the eight House aspirants who filed their COCs on Friday. As of now, only Tayam and Luisito Redoble of the Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino have filed their COCs for Las Piñas’ lone district.
During the 2022 local elections, Redoble also ran for the same post, with him garnering 65,751 votes.
But Tayam may face an even more formidable foe — Senator Cynthia Villar, mother of incumbent Las Piñas lawmaker and Deputy Speaker Camille Villar, may be one of his opponents in the congressional race.
The Villars may have the machinery, but Tayam said he will harness the power of social media.
“Ang isa pa po natutunugan kong makakaharap po namin ay si Senator Cynthia Villar po. And isa po from District 1 Councilor ng Las Piñas. So, isang abogado, isang mambabatas, and isa pong konsehal. Siguro sa akin po, dadaanin ko po sa platform,” Tayam said.
(One of the things that we heard is that Senator Cynthia Villar would be our opponent. And another from the District 1 Councilor of Las Piñas. So, there is a lawyer, there is a lawmaker, and there is a councilor. So for me, I will address it through my platform.)
“Kasi magpapakilala po din ako siguro through social media. And ako po ay hindi naman din po ako gagagastos ng malaki dito. I would use the advantage po no’ng technology po sa ngayon,” he added.
(Because I will use social media to make myself known. And I would not spend much here. I would use the advantage of technology available now.)
Over social media, there is a call for voters to pick new faces in the Senate and other elective posts, as recent surveys, like one from Pulse Asia, indicated that old names would be in the Magic 12 if elections were held in September.
READ: Who’ll be in Senate ‘Magic 12’ if polls held now?
On Thursday, another independent candidate — lawyer Virgilio Reyes Garcia — vowed to define, and then end political dynasties, as this was not done by those who crafted the 1987 Constitution.
READ: 10 Marcos-backed senatorial aspirants in winning circle of SWS survey
With old names figuring in local and national politics, Tayam believes it is time for the youth to step up.
“Well, so far independent po kasi ‘yong tinakbo ko. Na-inspire lang po na tumakbo kasi siguro hindi mo po kailangan ng pagbabago, siguro improvement lang po. And I think kailangan po ‘yong kabataan ay mag-step up na po,” he said.
(I am running as an independent bet. I was inspired to run because I think we do not need drastic change, just improvement. But the youth has to step up now.)
“Kasi I think most of our politicians po they’re growing old na po. ‘Yong mga trapo or traditional politicians and ‘yong mga nasa political dynasty po. Na most likely sila-sila na yung magkakamag-anak ang tumatakbo ulit-ulit po,” he added.
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(Because I think most of our politicians, they’re growing old. The so-called trapo or traditional politicians and those in political dynasties, where relatives occupy elective posts.)
