I’M hoping that the third and final presidential debate will tackle more substantive issues like the Spratlys dispute between the Philippines and China, the economy and peace and order in Mindanao.

I think the debate should focus more on how the presidential candidates would address the major problems confronting our country. That way we avoid motherhood statements and have a deeper, more substantial discussion with every presidentiable.

The third debate should continue to allow candidates to confront each other on issues that have bogged down their candidacies like the web of corruption cases in Vice President Jejomar Binay’s case or the human rights track record of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

In the case of Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Mar Roxas, he should be questioned on his brand of leadership specifically his tendency to choke in times of crisis.

As far as Sen. Grace Poe is concerned, it is her lack of qualifications and experience and her citizenship and residency despite the Supreme Court decision. Concerns on Sen. Miriam Santiago’s health will trouble voters no end.

These presidential candidates should be given time to answer squarely the questions or issues raised against them. I think how they answer these questions will help the voters gauge their qualifications and competence.

There’s an ongoing petition in social media to exclude ABS-CBN from hosting the third presidential debate since it is perceived as being biased for the incumbent administration and by extension, LP standard-bearer Roxas.

I think the network should rise above its political interests and pursue balanced and fair reporting to be fair to its millions of followers. But  let us give the network a chance to prove those who accused it of being biased for Mar Roxas to prove otherwise.
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When the campaign period starts tomorrow, I hope that the discourse among candidates would focus more on the positive rather than the negative.

Platforms of government should be presented and amplified by the candidates and parties instead of trying to be too negative. That way, the electorate would know and understand how the candidate proposes or plans to resolve the issues raised by the party or candidates.

Mind you, it is easy to criticize but it’s so difficult to offer solutions to the problems that are raised by the candidates.

Major issues should be discussed and amplified like the garbage problem, how to handle the South Road Properties (SRP), peace and order and illegal drugs.

The candidates and the parties owe it to the voters to explain their platforms of government and how they propose to address the issues raised.