by Geelyn Avanceña and Maxinne Bolodo

What if the very things we applaud — honors, degrees, or titles — were nothing more than fonts on a PDF? In a time where reputation can be curated with a template and a clever caption, the line between real and performed success is thinner than ever. We live in an era where it’s easier to believe a well-lit photo than a poorly worded truth, and where credibility can be faked as long as no one questions it.


In the age of digital diplomas and screenshot degrees, even success can be copy-pasted. With an easy click, academic merit was no longer tied to years of rigorous work.

A few months ago, a student’s campaign post circulated online and made its rounds on people’s feeds, although not for an academic milestone, but for faking one. The post claimed positions such as a Regional Federation Secretary for the Supreme Secondary Learner Government or being labeled as Ped Xing 2024’s Best Junior Senator was left unchallenged as “truth.” The student later won the position she ran for despite having stolen credentials.

It didn’t take long before internet users, including some of the people named in her false acknowledgments, fact-checked the post and exposed it as fabricated. The exposure sparked outrage and a mix of humor and horror, with this student’s name mentioned in both meme posts and student forums. 

While the student later apologized, the damage had been done and it was not just to her reputation. It revealed a deeper issue rooted in the culture of digital validation and performative success.

The issue made its rounds on local media and stirred conversation online but beyond the spectacle, it highlights something far more alarming: how easy it has become to fake credentials in the digital age, and how willing the public is to take these claims at face value.

Credential currency in Philippine politics

If students are already faking achievements for clout or elections in campus organizations, what more on the national scale?

Of course, students falsifying their credentials are becoming inevitable, given the pressures of the country’s education system. Unfortunately, the phenomena of Filipinos faking their credentials has been prevalent in the scale of Philippine politics for a long period of time. Filipinos’ naïvety was taken advantage of, all in the name of these so-called “credentials” and worse, the seemingly never-ending political dynasties.

A notable example of this was President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.  during the campaign period of the 2022 National Elections. According to his credentials, he finished a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, Philosophy, and Economics in Oxford University. However, the claim was refuted by the latter, stating that Marcos did not finish the degree, and was instead awarded a special diploma in Social Studies in 1978.

This was not the first nor last time this would occur.

In April 2024, a Reddit thread exposed Eric Martinez for faking their college diploma and transcript. The post has since been corroborated by The Varisitarian, confirming that the senatorial candidate had not graduated from the University of Santo Tomas despite his attempt to bolster his credibility as a fellow Thomasian. This has reignited concerns over how easily aspiring public officials can manipulate their academic affiliations to appear more qualified, setting a troubling precedent for the elections.

What's more disturbing is many Filipinos continue to cote for such figures — often due to name recall, family legacy, or the persistent “tribal mentality” that values familiarity over credibility. Political dynasties have weaponized this blind loyalty, allowing the same names, regardless of merit, to recycle power generation after generation.

Voting against fake credentials

Filipinos falsifying their credentials — whether in the scale of student councils or Philippine politics — have become a frequent phenomenon over the years. Unfortunately, these kinds of politicians thriving come from the blinding combination of flashy credentials and the Filipinos succumbing to what these "leaders" can offer under the pretense of the country's development.

At the same time, multiple media platforms have stepped up to fact check the information provided by the Philippines' future leaders, with the help of the Filipinos' call for verification in various social media posts.

Along with the right amount of research and media literacy, the only way that the falsification of credentials will lessen is the constant call for the Filipinos to vote wisely whether in campus or in their precincts. Given that the Philippines is a democratic country, every single vote holds a responsibility that lies with the power to choose our next set of lawmakers for the next three years. Alongside this, one vote already equates to a voice that visions what kind of Philippines needs to be born in the long run.

Political dynasties are rampant, and disinformation is inevitable. Yet, just like what went through the falsifying incidents such as of Marcos Jr. and Martinez, the truth will always prevail.

In the age where information is transmitted with a single click, the Philippines falls vulnerable to the misinformation that is constantly brought by the 2025 Senatorial Elections. 

Still, like a cliché quote, with  great power comes great responsibility, which also reflects the call for Filipinos to choose the leaders who will focus on appropriate advocacies wisely, rather than those who keep expanding their power through their family members, fake credentials, and exercising corruption.