WITH technology, there has been a growing public interest in national media issue-based  interviews that more local communities are beginning when local forums engaging  candidates for local posts can be organized as well.

Over the years, local election officials and PNP stations organized symbolic covenant signing for peace among candidates, and in some places allowed for posting of platforms of candidates in public places. But as past elections showed, these didn’t help any in making candidates accountable for their misdeeds during the campaign, and worse, newly elected candidates were not made accountable for their campaign promises.

The issues raised in the national media interviews have created more awareness about ills and problems in the national level that have not directly affected local common folks.

Yet, it is the local folks that are affected by both national laws and local ordinances. They experience how laws and policies are implemented and enforced. They see and experience how official corruption and incompetence affect their lives, as much as how transparent and efficient public service have improved their lot.

With technology, it’s easier today to connect local voters to local candidates via such forums and interviews or debates. All it needs is for local civic and religious groups to work with election offices, NGOs and media practitioners to set up issue-oriented interviews that can be watched on live streaming or YouTube, heard on radio stations or read in local newspapers.

Local communities should not be limited to hearing their candidates mouth motherhood statements. Our voters need to know from the horses’ mouth what their thoughts and plans about health, peace and order, environment, education in the municipal and barangay levels.

Double whammy

FIRST, he refused to join the presidential debate.  A no-no decision since it had unmasked him of being like a scared rabbit being unable and not ready at all to accept the challenge of facing the people in a forum designed to scour his mind on the pressing issues of the day.  An unpardonable lapse in judgment.  Second, he slammed his inviter, the legendary Jessica Soho, as being biased against him and his family—the very same reason he gave to skip the debate.  Another unforgivable mistake as he had unfairly questioned Soho’s lofty stature as one of the country’s most respected and credible television anchors for the longest time.  For committing the double whammy, the late dictator’s son and namesake, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., has essentially exposed himself as an unreliable leader seeking the highest post of the land. He is not yet the President and he can ill afford to ditch his people he’s sworn to serve at all times aka 24/7?

Marcos has just dug his own grave.

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