By PROUT
This early, election fever has started to heat up.
Even with the next mid-term elections still in May next year, parties and politicians have begun shifting the political landscape. New alliances are being forged, new political parties are being formed, spending of possible candidates on social media is increasing, and, perhaps the hottest of all, names of senatoriables are being floated.
Article VI, Section 3 of the Constitution states the qualifications to become senator: natural-born citizen; registered voter; able to read and write; and at least 35 years old and resident of the Philippines for not less than two years immediately preceding the day of the election.
While such qualfiications will obviously eliminate other aspirants, compared to the qualifications usually specified for job openings, qualification-wise, it is easier to be technically qualified to run for senator (and other elective posts) than it is to qualify for many employment opportunities.
Therefore, by and large, the burden is on the voters to decide on the best candidates to become senators (among others) and be part of the country’s Congress for the next six years.
Popularity is obviously a factor to win Philippine elections. So, personalities with high name recall tend to be favored candidates.
But considering what is at stake, popularity alone should not be enough.
But to go beyond mere popularity, voters must have the capacity to weigh more relevant factors needed to pass legislation or run local government units in the country.
Which candidates have the moral character to resist the temptations that must come with occupying executive and legislative positions in the country?
Which candidates have the wisdom to make difficult decisions that will affect the country or their constituents based on facts and with the welfare of the people in mind?
Which candidates have the courage or political will to make unpopular decisions as long as they are the ones that will redound to the benefit of the country and the people?
In short, we need mature voters to ensure that the right candidates will win the mid-term elections next year.
**
