Mayoral hopeful Sarah Discaya made headlines on Monday, May 12, after casting her first-ever vote during the 2025 midterm elections — a revelation that quickly drew mixed reactions from netizens.
Discaya, a businesswoman-turned-politician, voted at Bambang Elementary School in Barangay Bambang, Pasig City shortly before noon. Appearing upbeat and smiling, she told reporters she was “super excited” as it was her “first time” participating in the country’s electoral process.
“Sobrang new experience for me,” she said, adding that she had been looking forward to voting and was eager to make her voice count.
However, when asked by reporters why she had never voted before, Discaya hesitated before giving an answer, sparking questions about her civic engagement prior to running for one of the city’s highest posts.
Under the Omnibus Election Code, vote counting begins only after the close of voting at 7:00 p.m. and must be conducted publicly by the Board of Election Inspectors.
Discaya’s statement quickly went viral on social media, with netizens expressing disbelief and criticism. Many questioned her qualifications and sincerity in running for mayor despite her lack of voting history.
“She looks like 40 tapos 1st time to vote 😂😂🤣,” one netizen commented on X (formerly Twitter).
Another wrote, “First time bomoto dahil tumakbong Mayor, dyan palang makikita mo na di para sa Pasig kaya yan tumakbo dyan!”
“First time voter tapos tumakbong Mayor. Haha ganda talaga ng credentials mo Madam. LOL 😂,” said another.
Critics also pointed out the apparent irony of spending millions on a local campaign while admitting to being new to the electoral process. “Yun milyong-milyong ginastos mo tapos first time voter ka 😅 anyare?” one comment read.
Despite the backlash, some of her supporters defended her, saying everyone has a right to run for office if they meet the legal qualifications, regardless of their voting history.
As of writing, Discaya has not issued a formal response to the online reactions, but her team stated that she remains focused on her platform and on reaching out to grassroots communities.
Whether her first-time voter status helps or hurts her campaign remains to be seen as Pasig City heads toward a closely watched local election.