The second presidential debate set in Cebu today will not only be longer by an hour but will also be “explosive.”
Organizers of the Visayas leg of PiliPinas 2016 debate at the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu in Barangay Lahug promised there will be more “fireworks” from the candidates.
“It will be a debate,” said Patrick Paez, TV5 head of news production, during the media briefing on Saturday.
TV5 and Philippine Star are the hosts of the Visayas leg of the PiliPinas presidential debates organized by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Paez said the format would be different from the first debate in Cagayan de Oro City, which was structured like a forum where the candidates gave their statements and were allowed to issue a rebuttal.
This time, the candidates will be able to ask questions to their opponents. But Paez declined to give details.
“You just have to watch it,” he said.
According to Paez, the debate will have two major rounds. The first, which will follow a panel format, will have the following panelists: Lourd de Veyra, TV5 news anchor; Marichu Villanueva, associate editor of Philippine Star; Ana Marie Pamintuan, Philippine Star editor in chief; lawyer Ruphil Bañoc, dyHP station manager; and Tony Abad, host of Bloomberg TV Philippines.
The second will be the interaction among the candidates. Luchi Cruz-Valdes, TV5 head of news and information, will moderate all rounds.
The candidates intend to come prepared.
Vice President Jejomar Binay (United Nationalist Alliance) and Sen. Grace Poe even came to Cebu a day ahead of the debate and had closed-door sessions with their respective staff to prepare, Cebu Daily News learned.
Still, Binay found time to go on a caravan to northern Cebu at 1 p.m. yesterday while Poe was guest speaker during the 23rd graduation exercises of Indiana Aerospace University in Lapu-Lapu City.
Poe, in her speech, said she felt like a student cramming for an exam.
“Magpupuyat na naman kami mamaya (We will again stay up late later). We need to study very well for (the debate). Hindi pwedeng pitik-pitik lang. Dapat pinag-aralan mabuti at kinakausap ang taong pinagsisilbihan (It’s not enough to have a cursory look at the issues. They have to be studied and to consult all the concerned sectors),” she said.
Cebu Rep. Joseph Ace Durano, Poe’s campaign manager, promised she will be “prepared and responsive” to the chosen debate topics: climate change/disaster preparedness, healthcare, fighting corruption and education.
“(Poe got) her facts and consulted the right people for the right solutions,” Durano said on Friday during the town hall forum on the presidential debate held at the Cebu Normal University and organized by Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Raymond Aquino, a supporter of presidential bet Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte (PDP-Laban), also said during the forum that they expected Duterte to be feistier this time. “I don’t really know what Digong (is) doing. But from what I heard, he will be more relaxed.
He got a feel of it (after the first debate). He will be feistier. You will enjoy it,” he said during the same forum.
Duterte and Mar Roxas (Liberal Party) are expected to arrive in Cebu this morning.
Paez said the topics of the second debate would not be limited to the four topics that were identified earlier.
The presidential candidates, except for Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago who begged off from the debate due to health reasons, are expected to arrive at UP Cebu at 3 p.m. They will first stay at the UP Guesthouse located right beside the venue, the two-story UP Cebu Performing Arts Hall.
By 4 p.m., they will be brought to a holding area beside the debate hall.
The debate will start at 5 p.m. and will end at 8 p.m. Once the debate hits a 70- to 80-minute mark, there will be a 15-minute break to allow the candidates to rest before the next round resumes, Paez said.
Only 300 people, who were pre-selected and given special identification cards, will be allowed inside the debate hall. They will include UP and local officials and representatives of sectoral groups. Each candidate was allowed to bring 15 supporters. Even if Santiago is not around, organizers acceded to her request to allow 15 of her supporters to watch the debate.
A bigger crowd of 1,500 will occupy the bleachers set up on the open field in front of the venue and will watch the debate beamed live on a widescreen LED unit.
The seats are assigned to students of 21 major schools in Metro Cebu, nongovernment organizations, civic groups, UP staff members and students, among others.
Those allowed in the bleachers will be given wristbands, said Greg Lloren, UP Cebu grounds and events manager.
UP Cebu also set up standees of Roxas, Binay, Poe, Duterte and Santiago positioned in front of a photo wall so the attendees can take selfies with their own candidate, said Lloren. The attendees will each receive a “thumbs up” sticker which they can post on the standee of their presidential choice.
The candidates supporters, at 200 per candidate, will be accommodated at the UP Cebu High School soccer field located across the street, said Lloren.
Despite the expected number of people who will troop to UP Cebu, the Cebu City Traffic Office (CCTO) will not close any road in Lahug.
But CCTO operations head Joy Tumulak said the street that traverses the UP Cebu campus will be designated as “no parking” and “no stopping” zone. The designated loading and unloading areas are corners Molave Street-Gorordo Avenue and the street fronting the Lahug Barangay Hall, he said.
Vehicles that will park in the prohibited zone will be towed, Tumulak said.
He said 80 traffic enforcers will be deployed to man streets that are expected to experience traffic build-up. These are Gorordo Ave., Salinas Drive, Archbishop Reyes and Escario Street.
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