JUSTINE MAYE C.

LOPE
The Junction
Editorial
Poly-tics: Are the requirements enough?
It is the nations welfare at stake. The right and responsibility to elect our
leaders has large impact to public good. With this, we must elect leaders who are
the most qualified for the respective government positions and who purely
represents the public interests.
At the conclusion of the filing of candidacy for the 2016 national elections,
more than 100 personalities filed their Certificate of Candidacy for president both
affiliated to political parties and running as independent candidate.
Among the qualifications of being a president of the Philippines are: 1.) must
be a natural born Filipino, 2.) must be able to read and write, 3.) must be a
registered voter, 4.) must be 40 years of age at the day of the election and 5.) must
have resided in the Philippines ten years before the election is held. The leniency of
the requirements boils down with the concept of democracy and the freedom to run
for a public office vested by the Philippine Constitution.
On the other hand, Filipinos who eye to work for private companies must pass
series of general knowledge, reasoning and logic tests as well as interviews to get
into their jobs.
In the recent progress of the national elections, Commissions on Elections has
declared Jejomar Binay, Grace Poe, Mar Roxas and Miriam Defensor-Santiago as
among the candidates shortlisted for the presidential post and the others as
nuisance candidates. This decision was made on the basis of the candidates
respective capacity to finance a national campaign.
Imposing stricter qualification requirements would hamper the freedom to run
for a government position to which every citizen is entitled to. Instead, it is up for
the registered voters to meticulously select the candidates to put their trust onto.
Voters must understand and be well informed about each candidates plans and
intentions should they get elected.
On one hand, it is overwhelming to know that we have new breeds of leaders
who might have pure intentions for the country. However, it is good to understand
that getting a public position is not the only platform to advance their advocacies
for the nation. One could put up a foundation, volunteer for a social welfare
organization or even donate to charitable institutions.
The leaders we would be electing come election time will definitely shape the
Philippines during the six-year term. This could bring transformational changes
either for the welfare of its citizenry or to the personal, selfish interests of the
elected officials. As voters, we must exercise our right and responsibility to vote
wisely. We must select the officials who best represent the interests of the nation.
The Philippines and the Filipino people deserve only the best.