A senatorial candidate touted as an opposition bet in the Philippines’ coming midterm elections has faced widespread criticism among progressive voters for her conservative stance on same-sex marriage.
The controversy surrounding Heidi Mendoza, a former United Nations undersecretary general and ex-state auditor, has sparked discourse on the issues that voters should prioritise to increase headway for independent candidates.
Mendoza is not among the top 12 candidates in pre-election surveys, yet she gained traction among progressive voters for her platform on anti-corruption and as a viable opposition choice in tipping the balance in the country’s legislative branch.
Out of 24 senators, only two belong to its minority bloc, including opposition senator Risa Hontiveros, who has led Senate inquiries on crimes linked to Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos). There will be 12 Senate seats up for grabs in the coming polls.
The Philippines ranked 114th out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perception Index, with named the country as among the region’s “significant decliners” in 2021 and 2022.
Mendoza was filmed making remarks about her LGBTQ stance at a recent campaign forum. “It would be nice to say that we should create new laws,” she said. “Yet let us assess – will this [kind of law] translate well to the climate, systems, and institutions that we have?”
