Debates are "Enlightening"

The proposal of the Commission on Elections to organize debates among those joining the presidential and vice-presidential contest in 2016 is a step in the right direction.

      

The presidential and vice-presidential bets should be able to explain what they stand for on the issues of corruption, poverty, peace and order, and the territorial dispute with China, among others.

      

They should go beyond motherhood statements and political slogans and inform the people what policies and programs they intend to put in place once elected.

      

Song-and-dance routines may draw in the crowds  in the campaign trail, but what really matters is how the candidates stand on the urgent problems faced by the nation.

      

The debates should help the electorate choose the candidate who is the most qualified to lead the nation, and not  simply on the basis of name recall or popularity.

      

The debates should also prune down the choice to the two most qualified candidates.  

      

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago says she has already filed Senate Bill 1797, or the Presidential Debate Reform Act, in October 2013. The bill, pending at the committee on electoral reforms, seeks to institutionalize presidential and vice presidential debates through the Presidential Debate Commission.

      

“A debate format among presidential and vice presidential candidates would test who among these candidates is most fit for the position they are running for,” the senator said. “Through debates, a well-informed voting population would be able to carefully choose their future leaders. Debates are also opportunities for candidates to squarely face the allegations hurled against them,” she added.

      

We concur with her view.

      

The last presidential debate organized by the Comelec was during the 1992 elections. That was the same year that Santiago ran for president against Fidel V. Ramos. Although Santiago was a feared debater during her UP days, Ramos apparently made more sense to the electorate, and voted for him among a field of five aspirants. –End-

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