Most presidential bets agree debates important; Leody asks why Marcos skipped

Except for one who attended the debate on Sunday, presidential aspirants agreed that debates were important for candidates to present not only their platforms but also themselves to the electorate.

In a presidential debate organized by CNN Philippines, labor leader Leody de Guzman drew attention to the absence of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. 

"Dapat nandito 'yung isang kasama namin pero bakit hindi nagpunta dito?" De Guzman said. 

"Importante ito para malaman sana at masabi kung ano 'yung mga programa, malaman ng bansa ng ating mga botante kung ano 'yung plataporma," he added.

Marcos' camp earlier said they have decided to decline the invitation due to a conflict in schedule.

Former Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales said debates were an opportunity for candidates to discuss issues that affect Filipinos.

"Natutuwa tayo na may mga okasyon na ganito na ang pinaguusapan dapat ay 'yung mga seryosong bagay na nakakaapekto sa buhay natin at sa ating kinabukasan," Gonzales said.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said debates are important as it would show the candidates’ wisdom, their grasp on various issues, as well as their character.

“Mahalaga ang debate tulad nito kasi level ang playing field. Walang tutor, walang script, pati cellphone pinagbawal niyo pa so walang makakapag-Google,” he said.

“Dito masusukat, maaarok ang wisdom ng bawat isa sa amin at hindi lang yung wisdom kung hindi pati ‘yung grasp sa mga issues— current, issues, past issues. Dito maa-unearth…pati character minsan lumalabas sa mga debateng katulad nito di ba?” he added.

Lacson also hoped that more face-to-face presidential debates will be conducted and all candidates should attend.

Presidential candidate and businessman Faisal Mangondato acknowledged the importance of presidential debates, noting that it will serve as an avenue to lay out the proposed plans of the candidates in solving the problems of the country.

“Mahalaga po ang isang debate para malaman ng ating mga kababayan ano ba talaga ang kailangan sa situwasyon ngayon sa ating bansa? Ano ba ang mga dinadala ng mga kandidato na kailangan masaliksik mabuti ng ating mga kababayan dahil po pagnagkamali po tayo ng pagsulat anim na taon po natin dadalhin sa ating buhay,” Mangondato said.

The Katipunan ng Kamalayang Kayumanggi’s presidential bet also said that candidates will not solve all issues in the country with all their programs and platforms since it was not included in the General Appropriations Act.

“Kaya po sa dinadala ng ating pagkakandidato dito sa lumang kaayusan at sistemang ito paniwala ko po hindi masosolusyunan lahat ng sinasabi ng mga kandidato dahil wala po sa General Appropriations Act ang lahat ng mga sinasabi nilang babaguhin nila dito sa ating gobyerno," he said.

Dr. Jose Montemayor disagreed that a debate was important.

"Hindi. This is not a classic debate. Constrained, one minute lang, tigil na agad. Kung may brain ka," Montemayor said.

"Iyong plataporma, katulad ng exchange namin ni Ka Leody, hindi madiscuss ng mabuti iyong issue. This is not a debate. This is not the classic debate we expect," he added. 

Vice President Leni Robredo said debates were an opportunity for voters to screen the candidates based on their demeanor and character.

"Napakahalaga ng debate, tulad ng sinabi ni Senator Ping Lacson. Pagkakataon ito para marinig, kahit sandali, iyong aming plano. Also, magkakatabi kami rito, leveled playing field. Pagkakataon mapatunayan, suriin ang aming demeanor, character, matanong kami sa track record," Robredo said.

"Also, isang ingredient ng leadership, bukod sa character, you show up in the most difficult times. When you don't show up in the most difficult times, hindi ka leader. Kapag mahirap ang sitwasyon, dapat nariyan ka, kaya mong masagot iyong issues laban sa iyo. Hindi ka magtatago," he added.

"Ito ay pagbibigay halaga at respeto sa taumbayan na maghahalal sa iyo. Repleksyon ito na binibigyan mo ng respeto ang proseso," Robredo said. 

For his part, former Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ernesto Abella said presidential debates are important, adding that all candidates can voice out their platforms and should respect all points of view.

Abella, who is an independent candidate, said politics is not a question of "powerplay" but it is a question of "respecting each other."

"Unang una po kasi mayroong tendency ang Pilipino iniisip natin na ang kahirapan ay swerte, pero hindi po ang kahirapan ay dahil sa maling polisiya na ginagawa sa bayan ng politiko, negosyante. So mahalaga po talaga na mailatag, makita, at madinig natin kung ano ang nasa puso at mga plano so yun po ang ating gustong mangyari, hindi naman po kasi ito powerplay," Abella said.

(First of all, Filipinos have a tendency to think that poverty is luck, but poverty is the result of wrong policies made by politicians and businessmen. So it's really important that we lay out, see, and hear what is in our hearts that we want to do for the people, because it's not powerplay.)

"Politics, is not a question of powerplay, it is a question of respecting one another also, respecting electorate, and respecting all points of view para mailatag ng husto ito po ang gusto natin makita isang mapayapa, isang makatarungan, isang masayang bayan na kung saan mangyayari yan pag lahat tayo ay lumahok (to lay it out properly this is what we want to see a peaceful, fair, and happy country, where that will happen when we all participate)," he added. —NB/RSJ, GMA News