As someone from Mindanao, I can tell you, environment and upbringing shape political choices here more than anything.
My whole family? DDS.
My officemates and friends? DDS. During the last election, most of them supported BBM not because of him, but because of Duterte. Tapos ngayon, they hate BBM na, still because of Duterte.
Kaya nung marinig at mabasa ko mga linyahan ni Shuvee, knowing she's Bisaya, hindi na ako nagulat. I hear those exact same words from my siblings, relatives, neighbors, coworkers, and friends. That's how deep the loyalty to Duterte runs here, parang collective mindset. And trust me, it's not easy to break. 😭 Kung openly anti-Duterte ka, makukuyog ka talaga.
That's why if there's even a sliver of chance that someone like Shuvee could start questioning and slowly shifting, we have to take it. Maybe at first magpanggap lang siya para hindi ma-bash. But sometimes that's how real change begins. Fake it till you make it. Before you know it, what started as pakisama or performative lang can grow into genuine conviction.
At the end of the day, that's our goal naman di ba? To open eyes, to spark change, and to break the cycle. We can't achieve that if we shut the door on people who've been trapped in the DDS bubble all their lives. Every person who changes their perspective is one more step closer to the change we've been fighting for.
So wag natin sayangin. If there's a window, kahit maliit, let's grab it. Push it open. Because change doesn't happen overnight, but it does start somewhere.
I took my time to process Shuvee’s issue, and along the way I had some realizations. Bear with me, this is gonna be lengthy.
Shuvee said things I completely disagree with, and I won’t dismiss that. But I also remind myself that she said those before she entered PBB. Inside the house, she had her mishaps, shortcomings, and violations, but with those came lessons she’ll surely carry with her. As Kuya said, “Isang housemate na marunong tumanggap ng kamalian.” I want to believe that PBB helped her grow.
I also want to believe that her heart is in the right place, even if her beliefs were clouded. Years ago, she openly condemned EJK, spoke against abuses of the PNP, and was disheartened by the ABS-CBN shutdown. When she said, “I stand for and with the Filipino people—always,” I truly believe she meant it. To me, she was just also a victim of the disinformation machinery that the Marcos-Duterte system has spread for years. Yes, she was old enough to know better. But, like many others, she was caught in an echo chamber where lies were repeated so often they started to sound like truth, and breaking free from that cycle takes both courage and awareness she may not have fully had at the time.
This made me realize, if we want a better government, we can’t deprive people of the chance to change. Those who want to be educated deserve patience and guidance. With 2028 ahead, we need allies, not enemies. That means being open to people like Shuvee, who are still learning, so that one day she can fight alongside us.
When she said, “Huwag po kayong mag-alala, natuto na po ako,” I choose to hold on to that. I choose to hope for her growth. I still believe she has to improve in terms of being more vocal and political. Her wide and growing platform must be used to speak more courageously; hence, I choose to believe that patience now can lead to stronger voices for the people in the future. We cannot afford to lose again in 2028. Kailangan natin ng mga lalaban kasama natin.
gustong gusto ko ayusin buhay ko pero tangina etong mundong to sinisira lang talaga ako, ayaw nyo talagang maging masaya ko no? lahat na lang tangina. lahat na lang kailangan pagdaanan. walang skip skip.