Vice Ganda ‘bothered’ by contestant’s lack of knowledge about Comelec
Vice Ganda (second from left) alongside fellow “It’s Showtime” hosts and “Sexy Babe” participant (center). Image: Screengrab from YouTube/ABS-CBN
TV host and comedian Vice Ganda couldn’t help but be seemingly “alarmed” after a contestant on “It’s Showtime” said she almost didn’t know anything about the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
In Friday’s episode of the variety show, Vice Ganda alongside his co-hosts asked Heart Aquino, a candidate in the “Sexy Babe” beauty pageant segment, “Ano ang mensahe mo sa Comelec (What is your message to Comelec)?”
The participant then admitted that she was not “familiar” with the constitutional commission. “Sorry po, hindi po ako masyado knowledgeable about sa Comelec,” she said laughing. (I’m sorry, I’m not that knowledgeable about Comelec).
The contestant’s response prompted surprised reactions from the hosts, especially Vice Ganda, whose seeming “disappointment” was evident on his face.
“Oh my gosh, that is bothersome,” said the host-comedian upon knowing that the contestant is already 20 years old and yet did not know anything about the elections commission.
Host Kim Chiu then asked the participant if she was already a voter, to which she answered “not yet.”
Chiu then reminded the contestant to vote in the next elections, as Vice Ganda chipped in to say, “So paano wala kang sagot (So you don’t have any answer)?”
Vice Ganda, who appeared to be still in disbelief, continued to question the participant, “Wala ka bang naririnig? Hindi ka ba nanonoood ng telebisyon? Nagbabasa ng dyaryo? Internet (Don’t you hear anything about it? Don’t you watch television? Read the newspaper? Use the internet)?’
“Hindi rin po masyado lumilitaw sa news feed ko (No, it does not appear on my news feed),” answered the contestant.
Chiu then asked the participant if she hadn’t at least gotten the information through her teacher or school.
“So sino ang may kasalanan na hindi ka informed (So whose fault is it that you are not informed about the Comelec)?” asked Vice Ganda as the contestant tried to make the situation a laughing matter.
With their deadpan facial expression, the hosts tried to explain what Comelec is to the participant.
“Yung Comelec, sila ‘yung nag-aayos bago mag-elections, mga kandidato (The Comelec is the one that handles things before elections, candidates),” said host Jhong Hilario.
“Sila ang may kinalaman sa lahat ng kaganapan tungkol sa election sa Pilipinas (They are in charge of all the election-related events in the Philippines),” added Vice Ganda.
The contestant then answered the initial question, saying, “Siguro ang message ko sa kanila, let’s be fair po. Kasi meron tayo ano kahit sa baranggay lang ‘yan, ‘yung mga bayad, bayad ng votes. So let’s be fair po siguro kasi deserve natin ‘yung uupo na talagang may mabibigay satin, lahat tayo sa community na may pakikinabangan.”
(Maybe my message to them is let’s be fair. Because what we have, like in barangays, vote buying. So let’s be fair because we deserve from those who will sit what they can give us, we all in the community deserve benefits.)
Celebrity judge JC de Vera then gave the participant a friendly reminder to be educated enough about the important things in the country, especially about the elections.
The episode elicited reactions from the netizens, with most expressing their “dismay” over the contestant, as they also pointed out the “education crisis in the Philippines.”
