THE election fever is gripping the whole Philippines once more, especially among the middle class and the poor, who hope to choose a new president that can shoulder the dreams of 67 million voters for a better tomorrow.
It is every single voter's right as they are craving for a genuine leader to champion their cause — to have a different life economically and, more importantly, an improved political system for the archipelago nation.
Right now, the focus is on the favourite contenders — Ferdinand Marcos Jr, or "Bongbong", and Vice-President Leni Robredo. But the game-changers are still the people when voting starts tomorrow. It will be up to them to decide who should be sitting on the throne as the new leader in Malacanang Palace soon.
The people will always play an important part in a nation as the old saying goes — "Leaders come and go, but the people remain."
It's not just the presidential post that will be decided in the coming days. Thousands of positions are being contested across the country — from the vice-presidency and Senate seats, to 18,000 local positions, including city mayors and provincial governors.
Voting is due to close at 7pm on Monday, and the winner could be apparent within hours. However, in 2016, Rodrigo Duterte was not officially declared the winner until almost three weeks later.
More than 1.6 million Filipinos working overseas began voting for national candidates on April 10.
This election will be much anticipated by superpowers China and the United States, to follow closely and "try to lure" the new Philippines government with their best offer in terms of politics, regional security and economic stand.
But whoever wins the race for the top post, the candidate may have to perform a "balancing act" in the interest of the nation and the people. At the moment, the situation seems to favour Beijing slightly more than Washington.
For the US, close ties with the Philippines are seen to be critical to its strategy in the region, where Washington seeks to counter Beijing's growing footprint.
Basically, Duterte is said to have done a relatively good job in terms of international relations with China and the US during his tenure, and he has become a populist among his people. If Marcos Jr or Robredo were to win the battle tomorrow, it is likely they might continue their predecessor's legacy to safeguard the nation's stability.
Duterte's presidency has been tumultuous and attracted strong criticism from rights groups, but he did few things in his own way — including taking a tough stance on crime and corruption.
With the hours ticking, the voices across the Philippines suggest that voters are much in favour for the "Marcos Dynasty" to rule again.
If that is the reality, then it is very clear that Bongbong may win the top post, with Robredo remaining to be his strongest challenger to deny him the hot seat, based on current opinion polls.
The 64-year-old former senator and congressman is said to be gaining huge momentum and is seen as the hot favourite now according to surveys from the north to the south.
The Manila Times recently quoted Pulse Asia research director Ana Maria Tabunda as saying that the majority of voters have already decided at this time and no amount of convincing could change their minds about their preferred candidates.
Tabunda said of the 56 per cent voter preference for Marcos Jr, the majority of them claimed that they will not change their decision until the election day.
"If ever there will be a slight change, there won't be an upset. It will be hard for other contenders to catch up," she said during an interview with radio station DZRH.
Voters seems to be more comfortable with Marcos Jr's promises to lead them into a new era with many issues still not solved, including cost of living and jobs. These are the areas other candidates, too, must impress if they want to defeat him in the last minutes. They need to work diligently to outdo each other in these crucial moment as all presidential candidates still have a fair chance .
Actually, not everyone is dazzled by political star-power. Janet Baheracion, a 53-year-old housekeeper, says she will not vote for anyone of celebrity status.
"It just doesn't seem like they're serious," she says.
Anna Pertierra, an anthropologist at the University of Technology Sydney said ultimately it is about finding some way to break through the noise of the Philippines' many social ills, including poverty and corruption
"Many voters may not really feel like a traditional politician is going to solve the problems that they feel that they're experiencing," said Pertierra, who has previously studied media culture in the Philippines.
She added that since the 1986, the People Power Movement that ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr, elections in the Philippines have been heavy on the entertainment factor. But since the last election in 2016, the cross-over between show business and politics has reached a new level.
Hopes are also fading fast for two other candidates of celebrity status — former world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao and Manila mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso. With only 5.8 and 4.6 per cent, respectively, on polls survey, they need a miracle now to turn the tide in their favour.
The May 9 election not only will decide who will replace Duterte, but how the winning candidate will act to achieve more daring changes to people's life and freedom — something that seems to be like a fairytale till now.
The writer is NST foreign editor