Why Willie won’t run in 2022 polls

Veteran TV host Willie Revillame (photo) announced his decision not to run as senator in the 2022 elections during the live telecast of his GMA 7 program Wowowin: Tutok To Win on Thursday, Oct. 7.

“The last day of filing is tomorrow (Oct. 8), hindi ko ho kakayanin na pumasok sa isang bagay na wala akong kakayahan. Hindi ko ho alam ang salitang ganito, hindi ako nagmamata ng tao, (pero) dapat ‘pag pinasok mo ang isang bagay, mag-e-excel ka,” he said.

He believes the intention to serve and do good isn’t enough; an individual eyeing a government position must also know what he’s doing.

“‘Pag tinatanong ka, ‘Bakit ka tatakbo, Willie?’ Gusto kong gumawa ng kabutihan, yun lang. Kabutihan lang ba ang dapat mong gawin ‘pag nasa Senado ka? Dapat marunong ka magbasa ng batas, dapat marunong ka gumawa ng batas, di ba? Di ako nagmamagaling dito. I was given a chance again, up and down ang buhay ko, pero di ko na papabayaan na bumagsak pa dahil pinagkalooban na ako ng Diyos ng a lot of chances in my life.”

He admitted that for seven months, he was seriously considering accepting Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s offer for a slot in his senate slate after a Malacañang meeting last March.

Apart from that, he said they spoke a total of three times over the phone. Willie, who showed photos from the meeting, said, “In fairness po kay Sen. Bong Go at (executive) Sec. (Salvador) Medialdea at sa mahal na Pangulo, hindi naman po ako pinipilit, ang lagi nilang sinasabi, tingin namin makakatulong ka.”

He said he consulted his lawyers and some close friends. Up until the morning of Oct. 7, he was still weighing his options. In the end, he said, the decision had to come from him and not based on the opinions of other people.

“You have to ask yourself, do you want it? Can you do it and what will you do there? You have to weigh that,” Willie said in a mix of English and Tagalog.

He reasoned he doesn’t have a college degree, he isn’t good at communicating in English and has zero knowledge in crafting laws, fearing that he might be a subject of ridicule while in the Senate.

The host also hinted that the divisiveness of politics turned him off.

“Alam niyo, napakahirap ho na pasukin ang pulitika. Yung kaibigan mo ngayon, bukas kaaway mo. Mag-ama, nag-aaway, dahil sa posisyon. Mag-asawa, naglalaban dahil sa posisyon.”

He also lamented those who engage in the blame game. “Dapat kung maglilingkod tayo, tanggalin ninyo ang galit sa puso niyo. Hatred. Wala na tayong ginawa kundi magsiraan, hanapin yung dumi ng kapwa niyo.

“Lahat naman ho tayo nagkakasala, ako, kayo, tayong lahat, pero ganun pa man, nagsisisi tayo, di ba? Alam niyo, ang hirap. Gumawa ka ng mabuti, parang isang bond paper, puti. Malagyan lang ‘yan ng isang tintang itim ‘yan, ano ang mapapansin ninyo? Yung puti? Hindi. Yung tinta, yung dumi. Ganyan ang nangyayari sa ating bansa ngayon. Walang unity.”

Willie also questioned political aspirants whose supposed motivation for running is to get back at former leaders or stop others from being elected.

“Tatakbo kayo para makaganti sa dating pamumuno. Tatakbo tayo para hindi makapasok yung isang mamumuno. Ganoon ba? Ganoon ba ang pagserbisyo sa bansa natin? ‘Yan ba ang iniisip ng bawat pulitiko?

“Hindi ho ako nagmamagaling. Opinyon ko ho ito dahil sa araw-araw na nasa noontime show ako at araw-araw na may naririnig ako, pambili ng gamot, pangmatrikula, pangkain namin...”

He further expressed what he wants to see among elected officials.

“Sana lahat ng pulitiko, hindi pulitiko. You should be a public servant. The word politics, tanggalin niyo sa puso’t isip niyo.

“You need power? At the end of the day, darating (na) lahat tayo nakahiga. Pantay-pantay lang tayo sa kabaong. Maniwala kayo sa akin.”

During the show, Willie also showed his newly-signed contract with GMA, saying he won’t exchange his present life with a government position.