Gatchalian to candidates: Stick to important issues, advocacies
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian.(Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines — Candidates for the 2025 midterm polls were told to stick to their advocacies and pressing issues instead of dipping their toes to sexist remarks and insults.
The remark was issued by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday, reacting to the now viral statement of Pasig City lone district congressional candidate Christian “Ian” Sia about single mothers.
READ: Pasig Rep. bet Sia says sorry for single mothers joke
“To our candidates now. It doesn’t automatically mean that the voters are pleased when they are laughing and clapping. Sometimes they are just trying to be nice. I, myself, am helping our local candidates and I see what the attitude of our voters is,” Gatchalian, speaking in Filipino, told reporters in a press conference.
According to the senator, the incident should serve as a reminder for all candidates to focus on what they can do to help the people within their jurisdiction.
`Most important’
“Just focus on what they can do to their locality and what they can do to help people within their jurisdiction. That’s the most important for our voters. Not these insults that sometimes go beyond being a sexist remark,” he added
“That’s below the belt. So let’s stick to the issues. That’s the most important. Let us not disregard the feelings of our voters just because they are clapping. What’s more important is how we can help them. Let us stick to the issues.”
INQUIRER.net has also reached out to the senator, asking that he elaborate which laws Sia violated and what penalties he could face based on existing laws, but he has yet to reply as of press time.
Meanwhile, Gatchalian commended the Commission on Elections, saying in his long history of campaigning, it was the very first time that he saw the agency actively respond to sexist and below-the-belt remarks.
The senator believes that it is commendable for the Comelec since all candidates should be conscious of what they say.
