A netizen has uploaded a clip showing how most Filipinos tend to forget their problems in the short run when (possibly unintended) distractions (e.g. celebrities) get into the scenario. In this case, Sandro Del Rosario detailed what happened while he was registering as a first time voter in Quezon City Hall.
I was just going to register as a voter "peacefully" but then this happened... DingDong Dantes and Marian Rivera arrive...
Posted by Sandro Del Rosario on Thursday, October 22, 2015
Video Source: Facebook user Sandro Del Rosario
The apparent problem here was the long line that was somehow irritating some of the registrants. The arrival, however, of celebrity couple Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes changed the atmosphere. People flocked to know what was happening and eventually, everything turned to chaos. The queue just disappeared at an instant and the people were just okay with that.
Definitely, this would not have happened if the guards, as per cam time, secured the line before giving vehicle pass to the couple. It's not Marian and Dingdong who's to blame for such case because they just wanted to vote as well, while there clearly was no other way for them to register as lining up personally would have caused more commotion with the graveness increasing the longer that they stayed there. It's mostly the people who should be criticized since they just wanted an easy escape out of the system they were in, whether they just got carried away or not.
Based on his experience, Del Rosario ended with three statements. One, Filipino are far too easily starstrucked. Two, they seem to forget all their problems when they see a celebrity. And three, while privileged people are given special treatment, most of the Filipino "masa" unconsciously and willingly subjugate themselves.
Furthermore, the video just shows that status symbol really has a lot of influence in Philippine society and that influence is a key piece in achieving a more robust, equitable, and sustainable development.
