Show of support

We see videos of crowds in political rallies one after the other on social media. Taken from the top or from the sides, showing a large crowd of supporters, as we often see during religious parades or large festivals. And the sole reason for displaying this is to demonstrate the broadest possible support. And this will in any case influence the thoughts of people who are still indecisive about which candidate or party will be able to attract the largest audience. With so many streets and avenues covered, one would wonder how a single gathering can draw such a large throng.

Although we have seen huge audiences at large events in the past, such as the burial of assassinated former Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino in 1983. Another example would be papal visits, which resulted in long lines of devotees on the streets. These occurrences demonstrate an unimaginable level of patronage and devotion.

Returning to political gatherings, each party claims a particular number of attendees and attempts to undermine the size of the opposing party's crowd. However, we cannot say with certainty that the size of the crowd will correspond to the actual number of votes cast on election day. Because if we go by the size of the crowds at the rallies, other candidates may be considering quitting. Other candidates, on the other hand, would be content to court their voters in public places such as markets. As a result, there is no way to estimate the size of the crowd in this manner.

For some voters, attending a political event may no longer be a realistic option due to safety concerns. For one thing, the Covid virus is still a continual menace. Two, for those of us who are physically challenged due to advanced age, such as myself, participating in such a rally may put our lives in jeopardy. Finally, we can already learn about certain candidates' platforms, strategies, and initiatives through television debates, news, and a variety of other sponsored conferences.

Supporters that attend large political rallies bring a great deal of patience, courage, and commitment with them. It requires fortitude to confront such a large number of hazards among a gathering of strangers for an extended period of time. Leaving yourself up to the possibility that others will foment fear and unrest in the area.

Given that we still have a little over a month until the national election, we can expect more big political rallies to dominate the news. Rallies are a staple of every election because they allow candidates to be heard and seen in person in front of a much larger crowd in the hopes that the same crowd will turn out in the voting precincts and help their candidates achieve their goals.

At the end of the day, the most important thing is that we will not be fooled by figures. We don't want to be a part of the sea of blindness; instead, we'd like to be among the few who have been awakened. After all, an election is a popularity contest in which candidates attempt to win by manipulating the emotions of the electorate. However, we must rely on the increased knowledge and participation of our citizens, who are equally worried about their future. Always vote for principle, even if we are alone in our voting, and embrace the finest thought that our vote is never lost.