KNOWING STANDS. Senatoriables present in the forum explain their thoughts about different issues concerning the country. Photo by Abram P. Barrameda.

SEVEN SENATORIAL candidates attended the “Sabay sa Bayan 2013: Senatorial Candidates Forum” to discuss ongoing international and national sociopolitical issues last February 8 at the Henry Lee Irwin Theater.

Senatorial candidates Teodoro “Teddy” Casiño, Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, Grace Poe, Christian Señeres, John Carlos “JC” de los Reyes, Ernesto Maceda and Milagros “Mitos” Magsaysay engaged in serious dialogue on pertinent matters surrounding the country.

With the national midterm elections in May, the Ateneo School of Government, together with Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan, Ateneo Task Force 2013 and the Sanggunian, organized the forum as an avenue to help voters know some of the senatorial candidates better.

Project Head Ace Dela Cruz believed that the forum was a “great” opportunity especially for Ateneans to know about candidates’ plans regarding social issues if elected in the upcoming midterm elections.

“Our main objective, which is to open a critical discourse among the Ateneo community and even to the different sectors, was met through the attendance and responses of the seven candidates to the forum,” he added.

One of the forum organizers, Kjerrimyr Andres, also shared that the forum had provided the candidates an opportunity to discuss the most important issues in a public setting.

“The youth audience needed not any fancy advertisements to rate them. What they see is what they will get.”

The discourse revolved around critical legislative agenda, such as the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill, the Alternate Minerals Management bill (AMMB), the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (Apeco) law, the Bangsamoro Basic Law and political party development and reform bills.

Candidates speak up

The first part of the forum tasked each senatorial candidate to discuss current national issues and concerns, one of which was the recently defeated FOI bill, which lost support in Congress going into the scheduled recess for the May elections.

Although some of the candidates specified promoting transparency in government and widening access to information as key points in supporting the bill’s passage, others did not agree with some provisions stipulated in the bill. Maceda argued that more efforts should be extended to national security.

Another issue tackled was the prevalence of political dynasties in the government. Both de los Reyes and Casiño voiced out their support for the Anti-Political Dynasty bill authored by the party-list Bayan Muna, which Casiño represents in Congress.

Casiño explained that no two persons with a second degree of consanguinity should be able to simultaneously hold positions in the government. He reasoned that this would allow skilled yet unrecognized candidates to assume posts and prevent incumbent officials from contracting heirs to the position.

Meanwhile, Aquino, the cousin of incumbent President Benigno Aquino III, also voiced support for the bill, although he wanted advocates of the bill to further define the term “political dynasty.”

He said that the public should consider the achievements and contributions made by his family to the government, citing his uncle, the Martial Law martyr former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr.

The candidates were also given the chance to present their platforms for the upcoming elections.

Maceda promised to work towards generating 30 million jobs in order to slash down the country’s high unemployment rate, which will consequently alleviate the country’s problem with poverty.

He also said that he plans to push for revisions in the Local Government Code, in order to increase the authority of local government units over its the funds and internal revenue.

Likewise, Poe said that she aims to address poverty, but wants to focus more on improving the public school system, through such efforts as bringing back the Nutribun bread, a popular bun marketed in public schools during 1970s as a supplement to a pupil’s diet.

Aquino and Señeres, both having been active in the youth sector, molded their platform to zero in on the youth.

Aquino also touched on the issue of Apeco and said that although he was supportive of the project, he did not see the displacement of Casiguran’s indigenous people and farmers as a justifiable outcome.

Being the founder of social enterprise Hapinoy, he added that in line with his agenda to extend social entrepreneurship to every part of the country, he would look into helping the Casiguran farmers through the establishment of their very own social enterprise.

Feedback and criticism

Dela Cruz had received positive responses from the candidates themselves. “[Mr.] De los Reyes told us that the event was actually the best forum that he has attended so far. Mr. Aquino and Ms. Poe both agreed that Ateneo’s ‘Sabay sa Bayan’ was more organized, fun and less stiff than UP’s ‘Run Down.’”

He added that the success of the event lay in the efforts of the organizations that took part in the preparations. People had asked for another forum with a different set of candidates, he said.

Dela Cruz found Casiño’s take on political dynasties as the most relevant and striking among the candidates.

“He reiterates that the issue on political dynasties is not a matter of good and bad dynasties, but it’s all about the equality of chances given to all politicians. As we see in our country today, the incumbent officials have really taken advantage of this and they treat their positions as a private property that their relatives can inherit.”

He added that Aquino’s advocacy to advance social entrepreneurship is something that the country urgently needs.

“This will pave the way to creating changes for our society, innovate and disseminate new approaches and advance sustainable solutions to problems that create social value rather than profits.”

Dela Cruz also found Aquino’s support for electoral reform significant. “There is a need to strengthen and institutionalize party politics in the country. He emphasized the importance of the involvement of masses in party politics, instead of politicians.”

“Since he’s been to only one party [Liberal Party], I believe that he really means it when he said that political turncoatism must be penalized.”

He also said, “From the Atenean’s point of view, the issue on Apeco must also be highlighted in their platforms as this is currently one of the pressing issues of our country, not to mention that this is what a lot of Ateneans have been personally involved in.”

Dela Cruz added that the Bangsamoro Basic Law and the AMMB should be on top of the candidates’ platforms because they are concerned with the peace and environmental interests of the country.

Immediate past Sanggunian President Gio Alejo said that he gave much importance to those candidates who had plans for the youth sector.

“Some of the candidates who stood out were of course Bam with his platforms on business and the youth [and also] candidates like JC who was very much centered on values and principles. But I think each and every candidate had his or her strength.”

Andres believed that there is a need for the citizens to be thoroughly enlightened about the FOI not only because it can be a manifestation of what the government calls “good governance,” but also because there are issues surrounding the bill in need of clarification, such as choosing which version the legislature should pass.

Christian Union for Socialist and Democratic Advancement member Micah Mongcal commented that Maceda’s plan to increase the power of local governments is what the country presently needs.

“The local government is most connected with the people and best understands their problems. [Local governments] will be able to relay these concerns to the national government.”

Ateneo Management Association officer Bettina Reyes shared similar sentiments. “Some of their ideas made some sense since they were able to answer some of the questions sufficiently, but fell short on elucidation regarding the concerns pressed upon them.”

Andres believed that the forum as a public arena had provided a rare opportunity for the youth to interact with the candidates through the asking of relevant questions. She added that the event yielded “critical discourse,” as mentioned by University President Fr. Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ.

However, Mongcal did not agree that critical discourse was achieved. “[It was] more like a briefing of each candidate’s platforms, personal and professional backgrounds. Candidates didn’t really get as much time as they should have to answer questions.”

Reyes observed that some candidates had appeared to be quick to generalize and made efforts to impress the audience too much. “Let’s just say that I was able to see through the façade and I wish they’d be more straight to the point.”

Updated 10:05 PM, May 18, 2013.