Public discourse in the national and eventually local campaign season may go wide off track if it continues to focus on the persons who are running for public office.
The basics ought to be easy. Platforms should trump personality. Principles should trounce popularity. Members of political dynasties should be banned.
Celebrities should suffer extra heat from scrutiny for the sake of voter discernment. Celebrity candidates will stand the heat if they are not all charisma and no substance.
Voters should not even consider writing or ticking the names of candidates who have been disgraced, prosecuted, and jailed.
Candidates should learn to let go of power and let democracy work by giving others the opportunity to serve.
When the basics are covered, discourse should turn toward pressing issues.
The environment question cannot be ignored.
Dozens died near mines or quarries following landslides in Naga City, Cebu and Itogon, Benguet.
Surely senatoriables can present better and safer ways of developing our land resources, both through legislation and through their powers of oversight.
Surely local candidates can support public works that really matter in making our ecology cleaner and more healthful.
Staffers of the Mandaue City Agriculture Office planted umbrella plants on the banks of the Butuanon River in Barangay Ibabao-Estancia, Mandaue City.
Actions like this that escape the glare of the spotlight, the political circus have relatively more value for human flourishing.
Scientists around the world have warned that we must significantly reduce carbon consumption in economies across the world to stave off looming catastrophe caused by drastic rises in our planet’s temperature.
If our politicians keep distracting us with their brownie points competition and do not sound off intelligently on issues that matter like climate change, do not empower actions that matter like the planting of trees and plants that cleanse our surroundings and lower earth’s temperature, then good luck to the human race.
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