Beauty pageant questions? Netizens find ABS-CBN VP debate ‘boring’

MANILA, Philippines – Coming off a heated debate organized by the Commission on Elections, CNN Philippines, and BusinessMirror, which saw the 6 vice presidential candidates in fighting form, expectations were arguably high for the vice presidential debate mounted by ABS-CBN on Sunday, April 17.

But only 4 out of the 6 VP bets turned up for “Harapan ng Bise,” and while there were a few shots fired, the pace of the debate never really picked up, according to social media users.

The hashtag #HarapanBise did trend worldwide, but there were quite a number of posts that criticized the format of the debate – was it really one? – and its overall feel. 

 

This is the most boring debate session in the history of this 2016 election campaign. TV5 even did better than ABSCBN. #HarapanBise

— Acid Jetty (@JETTYFIERCE) April 17, 2016

#Harapanbise ay napaka boring at naging question & answer lang, debate ba kamo eto? Boooohhh ABS!!!!

— Mary Ann H. Lim (@nvrbeenbetter) April 17, 2016

Napakapangit ng set at utterly boring ng debate nitong ABS. Wala pang kachallenge-challenge mga tanong. Ano ba yan #HarapanBise

— Axel (@axelpuhgeh) April 17, 2016

Boring vice presidential debate..
Actually not a debate. It is a Q&A … paulit ulit mga sinasabi at bolahan ng mga kalaban ni Marcos…

— ali mariano sastre (@alimarianos) April 17, 2016

THIS FORMAT IS SO DISAPPOINTING!!!! #HarapanBise #PiliPinasDebates2016

— JESSICA (@jessicagcostes) April 17, 2016

The ABS-CBN VP debate format is lacklustre. 90% went to commercials and some weird fiesta music then the rest went to debate #HarapanBise

— Adrianne Dave Guilas (@DaveGuilas) April 17, 2016

Wtf! Ati-atihan drummers? Fiesta ba theme ng #HarapanBise? #PiliPinasDebates2016 @ABSCBNNews

— Darwin Awardee (@Darwin_Awardee) April 17, 2016

#HarapanBise is twice worse as compared to the 1st #PiliPinasDebate2016 organized by GMA-7. Andaming chechebureche!!

— WEBSTER (@chevalierkun) April 17, 2016

Overall, this so-called VP debate, because of its weird format and badly filtered questions, was not at all value-adding. @ABSCBNNews

— ANGRY FILIPINA (@angryfilipina) April 17, 2016

Overall the debate (if we could even call it that), under the festive veneer, felt shallow and rung a bit empty. #HarapanBise

— Janin Volante (@thesunwontset) April 17, 2016

 

Others felt the questions were more suited for a beauty pageant.

With the fish bowl and that kind of question, Ms. Universe nga ito. #HarapanBise #PiliPinasDebates2016 #LeniIsMyVP

— Michael Villorente (@verticalidiot05) April 17, 2016

They just had @alanpcayetano answer a question on superpowers. WTF?! what is this @ABSCBNNews? a beauty pageant? #PiliPinasDebates2016

— Stries Casallo (@Stries_Casallo) April 17, 2016

Who approved that superpower question for a VP debate? Seriously?! pic.twitter.com/V8KU1xjBPk

— Ally V. Cabo Chan (@allycabochan) April 17, 2016

Bakit parang pang Bb. Pilipinas yung questions kanina sa #HarapanBise? The pageant’s also happening tonight. Akala ko debate ito…

— Adelaide Santos (@Adelaydee) April 17, 2016

Did they mix up the questions for the VP debate and for Binibining Pilipinas? #HarapanBise

— Rica (@ricagfernandez) April 17, 2016

  

What do you think of the ABS-CBN vice presidential debate? Did it help you in deciding who to vote for in the May elections? Post your comments below or share your views on X. – with reports from Aldrin Brosas/Rappler.com

Aldrin Brosas is a Rappler intern from Aquinas University of Legazpi.