BEHIND THE SCENES
Alfred P. Dizon
BAGUIO
CITY – With the plan to of the Commission on Elections to hold debates among
presidential, vice presidential and even local bets for the 2016 polls, I’m
reminded of a radio interview in the 80’s in this summer capital wherein a mayoral
candidate was asked: What are your plans should you win as mayor?
The wannabee answered: “Yes, marami akong
plans – I have gumamelas, roses, marami pang iba.” “A e sir, yung plano mu ibig
ko sabihin, the radio announcer said.” Yung panalo ko siempre, ibibigay ko sa
mga tao. Aba maraming mahihirap diyan. Tulad ko, dati din akong mahirap kaya
naiintindihan ko sila.” the soon-to-be mayor said.
True or not, over the years, this story had
been making the rounds of coffee and drinking pubs here. With the Comelec
proposal, it wouldn’t be farfetched if some nincompoop would provide added fare
during debates.
Our perennially tipsy neighborhood
philosopher with his devious mind says such debates should include voters who
would ask questions from candidates on their qualification, integrity to hold
public office or platform with one answering he has a stage in their house which
people could use.
He say she is already concocting queries he
would be asking candidates: Have you ever engaged in an extramarital affair? Do
you have children aside from those you have with your wife? If elected, would
you require commissions for infrastructure contract projects? Have you
graduated in the elementary level? Since education should be a main concern of
government, could you explain the K-12 program which the Dept. of Education
will implement since even some DepEd authorities, have conflicting statements
on the matter? Does color of the skin determine whether one is corrupt or
suited to hold public office?
He has a lot more, he says, but with his
brilliant mind, he can have more which could put candidates on the spot.
***
Anyway, Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said
with the debates, the poll body intends to provide a venue for local candidates
to inform the voters of their platform of government.“We want these debates to
be replicated in the local level,” Bautista disclosed.
Bautista said the commission is set to issue
an order to local Comelec officials to work with their respective local media
organizations and civil society to set the debates.
“We will be encouraging the local Comelec
offices to hold similar debates on the provincial, city, and municipal level in
partnership with the local media as well as with civil society groups,”
Bautista said.
The Comelec earlier held a meeting with
executives of different media organizations for the holding of presidential and
vice presidential debates.
Bautista, however, said presidential and vice
presidential debates are not mandatory for candidates. Why not? I could see our
philosopher asking. This should be done like they do in the US.
The proposed presidential debates would be
held in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao early next year while the vice presidential
debate is set to be held in Metro Manila in April. Will anybody among the
presidential aspirants attend these if such events are not made mandatory?
***
Still on elections. Sen. Aquilino “Koko”
Pimentel III has proposed an increase in the limits on campaign spending in
time for the start of the campaign period next year.Pimentel filed Senate Bill
2940, explaining his proposal was intended primarily for local candidates most
affected by the spending limits set by the law.
After holding a public hearing Tuesday on the
bill, Pimentel said there were no objections from all concerned parties,
including the Commission on Elections.
“The existing amounts for the ceiling of
campaign expenditure were fixed in 1991. There are a lot of local candidates
who are facing problems because of their limited number of voters or
constituencies,” Pimentel said.
“So they are not able to take advantage of
what we call economies of scale. Unlike the national (candidates), the more
number of voters, automatically your ceiling also rises,” he added.
Under Senate Bill 2940, candidates for
governor and mayor will enjoy an adjustment in their campaign expenditure limit
from P3 to P10 per voter.
The same level of increase would be applied
to candidates for the House of Representatives.For the positions of vice
governor and vice mayor, the limit would go up from P3 to P8 per voter.
Candidates for members of the Sangguniang
Panlalawigan (provincial council), Sangguniang Panlungsod (city council) and
Sangguniang Bayan (municipal council) will have a smaller increase from P3 to
P5 per voter.
Political parties would see an increase from
P5 to P20 per voter, while candidates without a political party or without
support from any political party will have an adjustment of P5 to P10.
In the case of national candidates, the bill
proposes the following adjustments: president, from P10 to P20 and vice
president, from P10 to P15.
There will be no change for candidates for
senator and party-list representative, which would remain at P3 per voter.
Pimentel explained the larger adjustments for
single-seat positions as compared to multiple-seat positions such as the
Senate, where chances of securing a seat are higher.
“Consequently, there is a need to spend more
on the campaign for single-seat positions, as said candidates have to
concentrate on reaching out and properly presenting platforms to all
constituents,” Pimentel said in his bill.
In the case of national candidates, Pimentel
explained the amounts assigned to them are multiplied on a nationwide scale by
more than 50 million registered voters.
Pimentel said he would push for the immediate
approval of the bill so that it could be enacted before the start of the
campaign period next year.
He said a copy of his bill would be furnished
to the House of Representatives for its consideration.
***
Last week, the Grim Reaper struck again
taking some relatives and parents of friends. Those who went to the Great
Beyond included Michael Oliver Likigan, 57,who suffered a heart attack while in
front of the Tiong San department store in La Trinidad, Benguet; Maureen Socalo
Apil in Tabuk City and John Gueya Tarnate of Mabaay, Bauko, Mountain Province.
In Baguio, Oscar Valenceria also died at 86
and was brought to his hometown in Bugallon, Pangasinan. Valencerina had raised
his family in Bontoc, Mountain Province and held a top position with DPWH in
the province for many years.
Our condolences to families of those whose
loved ones went ahead.
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