What influence and representation did Balota make on Filipino people?
Written by: Ace Marco Destura
March 16, 2025
Courtesy: Wikipedia
This Women’s Month celebrates and honors women for their contributions to our society, for fighting for what is right, and for showing boldness and bravery. Every woman has their own story of hope, sacrifices, and resilience that is worth sharing and celebrating. One of the examples of a woman who fought for the rights of Filipino people is Teacher Emmy in the movie “Balota," a teacher, a mother, and a woman who fought not only for herself but for her community against the abuse of power by government officials.
The story of “Balota” starts with Teacher Emmy, a teacher who was assigned as one of the election board inspectors. She was selected to deliver the last ballot box to the governor's office until she faced various challenges along the way. But despite that, Teacher Emmy was able to deliver the last ballot box, showing that her principles and values are more important than money.
The movie was directed by Kip Oebanda, the director behind the movies “Liway” and “Bar Boys." Even though this is Marian Rivera’s first Cinemalaya movie, we cannot deny that she still gives an exceptional performance; that is why she won the Best Actress Award and one of the reasons why the movie itself is worth watching. But what influence does this movie have? What is the representation of this movie in our society?
- Educates The Voters
Courtesy: Cinemalaya
The movie serves as a wake-up call for us Filipinos to be better voters. It makes us realize that we should only vote for officials who have good intentions for our community, while also reminding us that we should not participate in things like vote buying. In the movie, Teacher Emmy refuses the offer of voting an official or giving away the ballot box for the exchange of money. Fred Hawson (2024) also states that the movie urges us to put an end to this ludicrous circus and vote only on patriotism.
- Having a voice
Courtesy: Cinemalaya
In the movie, we see the character of Anita, an activist who demands justice for her husband, who was murdered. Also, the characters of Babe and Erhmengard are both LGBTQIA+ activists who want their city to change and progress. The movie shows the significance of having a voice in our society to stand for what is right and for fighting for change and justice.
- Represents the struggles of teachers
Courtesy: Cinemalaya
According to Rafael Bautista (2024), in addition to demonstrating Emmy's bravery in the face of death and advocating for an end to the dangers teachers like her face during elections, the film also portrays Emmy as a trusted and respected figure in the community who isn't afraid to call right from wrong. In the movie, Marian Rivera, or Teacher Emmy, shows how difficult it is to be a teacher who works hard not only to inspire her students and teach them what they need to learn but also shows that teachers are not just educators because they play a very important role during elections.
- Shows the reality of elections
Courtesy: Cinemalaya
The movie also represents the reality of elections in the Philippines, it shows different problems that we always encounter in elections such as corruption, vote buying, tampering, and violence.
Overall, the movie Balota shows a never-ending problem that Filipinos face during elections. But it still leaves a mark on its audience and a light at the end of the tunnel that everything will be fine. In the coming 2025 elections, we need new leaders who have good intentions, a leader who is ready to serve our nation, and a leader who is willing to listen to the problems of society. We need to remember that we have the power and the voice that we can use to choose the right leader, so I hope that we use it wisely because just like what Catriona Gray said, "The government has the power to change our lives, but we have the power to change the government."
References:
Bautista, R. (2024, November 4). 5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Skip On Balota. NYLON MANILA. https://nylonmanila.com/pop-culture/why-you-need-to-see-balota/
Said, F. (2024, August 7). Cinemalaya 2024: Review of BALOTA: Educating the Electorate. Blogspot.com. https://said-fred.blogspot.com/2024/08/cinemalaya-2024-review-of-balota.html