Hoping—and praying fervently

Up in the northern Philippines, a Tuguegarao city councilor faced strong backlash after using an artificial intelligence-generated opening prayer during a session. Her supplication, which was caught on camera, said in part, “Feel free to modify this prayer or tailor it to your specific needs and benefits,” a clear clue that it was not hers but from AI’s instruction. Down south, there was an edited video falsely claiming to show a prayer rally in Cebu City for former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is now detained by the International Criminal Court in The Hague. It was found out later that the footage was originally taken from the Sinulog Festival, a classic example of effortless deepfake, plus emotional subject matter, plus political context, and spread virally until fact-checkers got fortunately, deeply involved. The also-detained and FBI-wanted Apollo Quiboloy ran and lost badly in the senatorial elections, but not without strong support from his Davao City-based devotees.

Amidst all this in 2025, an urgent question is how the youthful electorates sustain conscientious voting and responsible citizenship? The Filipino youth, especially Gen Z and young Millennials, are now the Philippines’ single largest voting bloc. Their role in the May 2025 polls proved that a values-driven, informed youth movement can turn the tide against entrenched dynasties and dirty politics having led by UniTeam since 2022.

Students from colleges and universities, some I have close dealings with, helped reformist and rights-based congressional candidates Bam Aquino, Kiko Pangilinan, Chel Diokno, and Leila de Lima win last month. Adding to the bright side is Pasig’s chief executive Vico Sotto, a righteous public official now in his mid-30s. Urgent question two: How could the youth concentrate on their studies with a handful of role models to look up to?

Counterattack on AI overdependence

Relying on AI for spiritual or moral guidance could be seen as tone-deaf or robotic, fueling ridicule. In Tuguegarao for instance, close community relations make a big difference. They would later find their local values enmeshed with netizens’ humiliating lines and sarcastic social media posts.

We must set informal but pressing parameters here to avoid erosion of spiritual authenticity. We view prayer as a deeply personal and inspired act. Suggesting that the elected local official’s prayer was enhanced with AI may have felt hollow to the faithful. Imagine her outsourcing even her spiritual leadership.

Technology in rituals are sure to be questioned in future campaigns. Voters may scrutinize whether policy statements or proposals are crafted by humans.

The noise favors us in the long run as it leads us to accelerate political debates—no more absences allowed, please—while prompting poll officials and election watchdogs to promote stringent regulations ahead of 2028 or 2025 (barangay elections?) and beyond.

Tech controversies may prod discourse on ethical considerations, authenticity, and technology in public life to reshape our candidates’ vetting criteria. We do not risk ourselves to becoming part of the digital legacy of insincere politicians, as it is a cautionary tale for them about the perceived line between innovation and insensitivity.

Personally, I am curious if the incidents sparked discussions among priests, pastors, and civic leaders. These are clear signs of urgent spiritual reflection and renewal for the Filipino faithful and an equally urgent need for us to have more decent and more disciplined rulers and the ruled.

Do we still hold on to Plato’s wisdom when he said that rulers are philosophers, but the ruled are not? Meanwhile, the challenge for the youth to remain politically engaged while studying, working, and navigating life in a polarized democracy continues. Some related measures:

·        Anchoring activism in education (nagpapakaaktibo)

·        Maintaining digital spaces that empower (hindi nagpapakalulong at nagpapakapagod)

·        Following credible overseers, journalists, and watchdogs (mapili sa pinakikisamahan at sinusundan)

·        Unfollowing toxic, troll-driven pages that cause mental fatigue (maiwasin sa gulo, ayaw palito)

·        Uplifting role models, not idols (walking the talk like that of Vico Sotto’s action and vision, not the charisma of the mayor or anyone)

·        Guarding your studies and using them for the humanities

We continue to hope—and pray fervently.