I believe that while the perceived winnability of a candidate is important, it should not be the main criterion in President Aquino’s selection of whom to endorse. Time and again, he has been consistent in saying that the presidential candidate he will endorse should be someone who will continue the “daang matuwid” or the good governance agenda that his administration started. This should remain as one of his main criteria in selecting his preferred presidential candidate for 2016.
Aside from this, P-Noy and the Liberal Party (LP) should also look at the track record or experience of the candidates in public service, given that succeeding as president means inheriting many problems that continue to plague our country, such as poverty, drug trafficking/pushing and illegal gambling.
In the end, P-Noy and the leaders of the LP should not just have the short-term goal of making sure that Vice President Jejomar Binay does not win in 2016; they should rather have that long-term view of ensuring that the next president will have the integrity, competency and experience to lead our country and people to a better future.
—HARVEY S. KEH, executive director, Institute for Governance and Strategic Partnerships, harveykeh@gmail.com