By MARIA FEONA IMPERIAL
WHOM should you vote for this coming election?
Amid the plethora of surveys and political ads before the official campaign period, a nationwide group of electoral reform advocates has called on voters to choose candidates based on their stand on issues and the qualities they possess.
Prompted by what it described as the “dismal state of the present electoral discourse” that focuses on personalities, mudslinging and disqualification cases, poll watchdog Task Force Eleksyon (TFE) unveiled Tuesday a seven-factor yardstick called VERITAS by which voters could choose their bets.
VERITAS stands for:
- Vision
- Engagement with communities
- Respect for the environment
- Integrity
- Track record
- Accountability
- Servant-leader qualities
Having a clear and long-term vision for the country is the most important quality a public servant should have, said lawyer Rona Ann Caritos, executive director of Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE).
“Napapansin namin ang kulang lagi sa na-eelect (na mga lider) ay yung visionfor the country; laging short term yung mga plans, laging short term yung projects, hindi iniisip ano yung 10 to 20 years from now (We’ve noticed that our elected leaders lack vision for the country; their plans and projects being short-term and not looking forward to 10 or 20 years from now),” Caritos said.
TFE said in a statement vision comes with proposing measures to alleviate the condition of the poor and listening to their plight.
Noting that some presidential candidates are facing charges of corruption, priest Xavier Alpasa of the Samahang Lingkod Bayan (SLB) said leaders should be honest and transparent in their transactions and alliances, and brave enough to challenge those who are not.
TFE also urged the passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill, citing the public’s right to know about the dealings of government.
In light of overexploited natural resources, TFE said the next leaders should know how to stand up against narrow corporate interests and short-term gains.
TFE said track record and accountability require leaders to be competent enough to ensure that promises materialize, especially in critical emergencies.
It said the next leaders should possess servant-leader qualities, such as humility in reaching out to the vulnerable and commitment to public service.
The goal, at the end of the day, is to “put people back at the center of the elections,” TFE said.
Alpasa expressed dismay on how “surfacing dark secrets and attacking each other” appears to be the trend in the 2016 polls, which was pointed out earlier by poll watchdogs. (See Talk about issues, platforms, urges poll watchdog)
These have a bearing on the national public confidence and awareness, he said.
The VERITAS campaign was launched weeks before the nationwide debates to be administered by the Comelec begin this month.
Alpasa said electoral reform groups hope that the debates will take up elements of the campaign, eventually influencing voters in making informed decisions.
A series of presidential and senatorial issue-based fora have been conducted by student groups and media organizations in top universities.
Caritos said these are great platforms for voters to familiarize themselves about the position of candidates on national issues, but added she finds the questions “too general.”
“You can’t really see what the candidates are thinking,” she said.
Caritos said she hopes to media organizations as well as the Comelec will limit talking points in the coming debates to see more of what candidates really stand for.
She said the debates must focus on the peace problem in Mindanao, climate change and disasters, and electoral reform, such as political dynasties and political party development.
Meanwhile, Caritos lauded the efforts of the poll body in widening its social media reach, but reminded Comelec to go beyond online platforms to reach the “fringes of society and vulnerable sectors,” most of whom do not have stable Internet access.
Comelec has partnered with social media platforms Facebook and Twitter to increase voter participation in the upcoming presidential debates. It has also launched #PilipinasDebates2016, a Twitter crowdsourcing enterprise where voters can ask candidates their questions. (See Take part in debates, Comelec urges candidates)
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