Think Bits
Last Sunday evening, many Filipinos watched and witnessed the last presidential debate hosted by a giant TV network with all candidates present.
The last debate was indeed a revelation with candidates performing very well, in fact beyond expectation. I saw Vice President Jejomar Binay as quite comfortable that he practically used the stage to convey his message and approached the audience every time he speaks.
Sen. Miriam Santiago asserted that she is now back to normal, but her performance last Sunday showed she has difficulty in speaking and breathing that sometimes she tends to forget what she was supposed to say and answer.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was basically himself — “what you see is what you get” as he said so himself — though he was quick to respond to attacks against him especially from Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Mar Roxas.
Sen. Grace Poe tried her very best to project the fact that she is concerned because she is also a mother, and in a way had to answer the query of Binay that she can work and find a living in the US without giving up her citizenship.
Poe came very well prepared for the debate and performed very well. Administration bet Roxas was very presidential in his answers and speech and came very well prepared, answering the questions of the panel exceptionally well.
It was a town hall debate where the candidates answered questions from the chosen crowd on different topics that practically mirrored the ills of our society.
There was one time when Roxas boasted about the programs of the government that got a quick retort from Binay, who questioned the authenticity of his claims when there are people like the man who was raising the question and have their own sad stories to share about inequitable development.
Noticeably the demeanor of the candidates were more presidential, and they avoided insulting each other. It made some people comment that Duterte was unscathed in light of his recent “rape joke” and that the debate may have already boosted his political stock.
I would say that Binay, Poe and Roxas performed very well in the last debate, but I do not know if that would be enough to overtake Duterte’s lead. The last survey result would be crucial and would lead us to know who are winning among the candidates.
In the vice presidential race, Sen. Bongbong Marcos is leading the pack despite the slew of movements against his candidacy and his family’s legacy. I think that he is leading because he doesn’t bash other candidates.
In the vice presidential debate, Marcos was the favorite target of rival candidates, and he merely smiled or laughed about it though he also took pains to explain himself.
I think it is important for any candidate not to engage in bashing or castigating opponents because the people would like to know what these candidates can offer them in terms of platform of government.
Engaging in negative campaigning can get quite tiresome for people, driving them away rather than drawing them into campaign rallies.
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Recently I’ve heard anew the public clamor to reclaim the sidewalks from vendors and car washes.
I have been complaining about this especially in the area of B. Rodriguez where the assigned sidewalks are no long used by patients and relatives of the patients of Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.
The sidewalks are now occupied by vendors who place their tables and chairs for customers on the street itself. I wish and pray that the government clear these identified areas for the people to use as sidewalks.
That way, commuters can be protected from any road accident and they won’t have to wade through a maze of chairs, tables and goods just so they can cross the streets.
Indeed the local governments should give us back our sidewalks. It is long overdue, and I hope public officials would heed public clamor and do something concrete about it.
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