Choose by platform

Are elections in 2016 about personalities? If yes, then, they will be about nothing.

Elections should be based on political platforms. Wikipedia defines political platform as “a list of the values and actions which are supported by a political party or individual candidate, in order to appeal to the general public, for the ultimate purpose of garnering the general public’s support and votes about complicated topics or issues.”

Political platforms are supposed to be about us Filipinos. They are about our dreams and aspirations as a people. They are about the future of our children and of our children’s children. They are about our hope for our land that things will get better for our beloved country.

However, political platforms in today’s “politically perplexed” society take the back seat to what are easily and routinely visible to voters—the images of politicians on TV and print media and tarpaulins, and the voices we hear over radio. By the public’s image and recognition of a candidate, as early as now, we can make a bold guess as to who will be elected into office in 2016. This is so because our electors are inclined to make their voting decisions based on their evaluation of the personality of a candidate and not on the political-platform he/she espouses.

Perhaps this is the reason candidates seek to increase their visibility in areas where they can get more votes.

Our Kapatiran Party (KP) is a platform-based political party. The political platform of KP presents clear and specific policy objectives all aimed at enhancing the common good. It covers several dimensions of a people’s existence (spiritual, moral, social) and key societal concerns (multidimensional approach to peace and order, good governance, economic development, political, culture, and foreign policy.

I encourage everyone to read and evaluate the political platform of KP. Titled “A Guide to Political Renewal and Stability,” it has been posted and is downloadable at www.kapatiranparty.org.

—REGINALD B. TAMAYO, vice president, North Luzon, Kapatiran Party