What if politics were a game? Not the high-minded debate of platforms or policies, but a game of hands, rhythm, and obedience? What if winning wasn’t about ideas, but about moving people like marionettes—clapping when you say clap, cheering when you say cheer, obeying without thinking? In the Philippines, this isn’t imagination. This is campaign season. This is how manipulators operate. They do not just seek votes—they savor control. Every hand raised, every applause earned, every grateful nod is a string pulled and a thrill felt.

Take the children’s hand‑clapping game, “Nanay, Tatay.” Two players face each other, clapping in a set pattern while chanting: “Nanay, Tatay, gusto ko tinapay. Ate, Kuya, gusto ko kape. Lahat ng gusto ko ay susundin ninyo. Ang magkamali ay pipingutin ko.”

On the playground, it’s simple fun—coordination and rhythm. Miss a beat, and you get playfully pinched on the ear. But stripped of innocence, it becomes a perfect metaphor for politics in the Philippines. “Nanay, Tatay” are voters, “tinapay” becomes votes. “Ate, Kuya” are the citizens, “kape” becomes loyalty. “Lahat ng gusto ko ay susundin ninyo” is manipulation spoken plainly. “Ang magkamali ay pipingutin ko” is the subtle threat behind smiles—deprive you of aid, recognition, or protection if you do not obey.

And make no mistake: politicians enjoy this.

Far from being isolated cases, reports show that vote buying and transactional politics are widespread and deeply entrenched. A national survey found that 66 percent of Filipino voters expect vote buying to be prevalent in elections, with most believing it negatively affects outcomes, underscoring just how ingrained transactional strategies have become in electoral behavior. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) itself has filed hundreds of show‑cause orders and complaints related to vote buying and abuse of state resources, reflecting the persistent nature of these practices.

Political analysts have warned that vote buying has evolved into a systemic threat, with not only cash but food assistance, health cards, and other forms of inducement used to sway voters—especially in economically vulnerable communities. Research on voter behavior also shows that Filipino values such as utang na loob are often leveraged as moral levers, where voters feel obligated to return favors even when these exchanges undermine democratic choice and ethical standards.

This is not an accident. This is not improvisation. This is enjoyed manipulation. Manipulators thrive in a system where submission feels familiar, where voters are conditioned to accept and repay, where gratitude replaces accountability. They study the rhythm, they perfect the chant, and they deliberate in how they orchestrate each interaction so that people don’t just nod, they should follow in every cue.

And that is the core concern: democracy cannot thrive where power is a performance and citizens are taught to obey rather than to think. Bread, coffee, aides, favors—these should be rights, not levers. When politicians frame assistance as personal generosity, they erode the idea of public service and transform citizens into props, trained to respond rather than resist. The rhythm they teach is obedience, not empowerment.

So let this awaken your minds. Notice the hands. Watch the rhythm of the “Nanay, Tatay Politics.” Question the applause. Do not mistake familiarity for care, affection for control, or conditional favors for freedom. Real power belongs not to those who master manipulation, but to citizens who refuse to dance on command.

It is time to break the rhythm. It is time to pull your hand free. It is time to stop letting manipulators choreograph your choices.

Every time we follow the cues of manipulators masquerading as leaders and dance to their favorite chant, we confirm what they think of us—that we are not minds to be persuaded, only things to be controlled.

The Frontman