QUALIFICATIONS of a candidate running for public office should be more than his/her ability to read and write.
Yes, it’s true that voters are responsible for choosing somebody whom they believe are best qualified for a certain public position especially congressional and senatorial.
I believe that there should be a law that would allow only the competent and educated people to run for public office. By being competent, it means that he/she has a proper grasp of what lawmaking, leadership and public enforcement mean and that he/ she can withstand an ardous wit-whirling debate.
On the other hand, being educated implies that he/she has at least a college degree. There are concepts taught in college that make an individual capable of understanding society and human nature better: Sociology and Psychology, for instance.
It is especially essential for someone who will serve people and be a major influence on society to appreciate and fully comprehend such concepts (society and human nature.) because if not we will be under the power of ignorant people.
Aside from that, since education is the primary concern of everyone, wouldn’t it be ironic to advocate the importance of education if the candidate himself/herself hasn’t had a decent one? He or she hasn’t even got herself one so how sure are we that he/she truly understood its importance?
I don’t think it is necessary that all our public officials be lawyers or some hotshot political or social analyst. In fact, I believe that it would be better if our public officials will come from different professions so that the concerns of each would be attended fairly. But again, of course, they should possess the aforementioned qualifications.
With all these said, I wish to express my dismay at political aspirants who are better off as athletes, celebrities and ordinary citizens.
We should have the “cream of the crop” candidates to choose from because we deserve the best.
May 14th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
I totally agree with your comment.Athletes or other celebrities aspiring to have political seat should be knowledgeable in a lot of areas, and of course, should be a college grad. We’re already having difficulties with people who are college graduates in our government, why compound them with people who are less competent. I still believe that our country has a chance of turning for the better. Our country is infamous for bribery and it’s almost a joke to folks outside of our country but still we continue to work in that fashion.
I say if an athlete, celebrity or relative of a current government official wants to run but is not quailified, they can still help our country by doing other things like donating what they know, be it money or knowledge or something to help our fellow filipinos, but not run for a position that they’re not qualified for. There are of course exception to that, we can’t just generalize that because a person is an athlete for example, doesn’t mean that he’s not qualified, but there should be some kind of standard so that we have qualified politicians running our country.
Our country is notorious for being corrupt and everyone seems to be saying that it’s already in our blood, in our system for decades and can’t be changed. Why is that? Why can’t we change that? Who actually says that we can’t change? Are these the people that in the first place are corrupt?
My fellow Filipinos, we need to act and we need to act now. A change is needed. We need to elect only qualified people and not based on their popularity and wealth.
May 12th, 2007 at 4:21 am
Yes, I agree with you 100% that anybody running for office should have a good education. But, Thats don’t mean they can run the country better just because they’re very educated person.
Its already been proven: For instance. Gloria Arroyo, Is very educated person but she’s the biggest LEMON. In my book she don’t deserve to be a leader.
Salina
May 11th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
I agree 100% about your comment the candidates should be filtered based on certain standard.
The problem of mudslinging or even creation of private armies to push their selfish political ambition may be addressed by this.
Also, if you look the candiates, many of sons,daugthers, wife of trapos that does even have the experience of even running a small Sari-Sari Store.
Take a look at Singapore, its election commission has a very strict and strong standard as far candiates are concern. You would Doctors, Lawyers, Successful Business man and women fill the seat of important government and legislative body, the Result is a Staggering 500 Billion worth business develope over 35 years, the cleanest and safest country in the wolrd without natural resources.
I guess our Election Code need to change as well to adapt the current socio political siutation specially in our generation of Gloabilization
It is very disheartening that our coutry who is one rich in natural resources as being managed by a group neophytes with education but lack wisdom.
Regardless whether they are from the left,right or center.They are all junk, their brains are twisted ,, sabi natin PURO BOBO.
With current news of how these politicians are throwing mud against each other. WHAT WOULD WE EXPECT AFTER THIS ELECTION…. NOTHING WILL BE CHANGE.. the SAME GROUP OF PEOPLE Will run the SARSUELA at the expense of FILIPINO PEOPLE.
I sincerely HOPE that a LEE KUAN YEW TYPE OF LEADER emerge in our Country to save it from the TRAPOS, BUHAYA’s and others ,,, it’s sickening to see these candidates….
May 11th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
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May 11th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
Yup, we ought to deserve the best. But for as long as the greater number of our countrymen are not informed, choose not to be informed, or closed their mind for further information on their rights as voters, on the qualification of their candidates, or on the stake they put their vote into the future of our nation …we’ll still get candidates who are entertainment material. Come to think of it, the strength and weakness of democracy is that we get to choose from a variety of applicants from different cultural, religious, educational and regional backgrounds. If we level up the qualifications, some “marginalized” sectors will definitely complain. So, it’s really up to us voters what sort of government we deserve, that we shall elect. Then, whoever wins, whether we like them or not, them we should collectively support for our country to move on. Otherwise, our nation will retrogress, exactly what those who want to grab power by foul means would want to happen. We all cannot all leave our country as easily like the others if we do not like the government. It’s either we will help build this nation, or perish.