Tying them down

There’s been much discussion, including in this space, on the presidential debates. Almost everyone has agreed that the candidates should be given more time to present their stand on key issues and to state their policies. But the more I think about it, the more I think this may not be the only way to go.

In the current debate format, what we keep getting are motherhood statements and declarations that the candidates think will win them an election. But we need to pin them down more to get a commitment from which they can’t back out once elected.

So here’s a suggestion for one section of the debate: a list of all the critical issues for the country. The presidentiables must answer only “yes,” “no,” or “need to consider more.” We can add “I don’t know,” but I have little doubt no one will admit to that, even if true. Mind you, there’s nothing wrong with not knowing. No one knows everything.

At the end of the debate, each of them signs a document that confirms how they answered on each issue. If they signed “yes,” they have to do what they stated. The document will be binding to the fortunate or unfortunate (who’d want to be president to have to deal with all these issues?) winner of the elections.

Here are few questions to trigger a longer list. I am of course biased according to my expertise, and in need of other suggestions. Listed in no particular order (and thanks to the presidential poll team for some of the topics), will the candidates:

Review the Constitution in total? If not in total, at least the Constitution’s economic sections?

Recommend a federal system of government? Or support a shift to a parliamentary system?

Agree to a Department of Information and Communications Technology?

Remove the National Food Authority from rice trading and create an open market? Support the enactment of measures proposing to reorganize the NFA?

Remove the Sugar Regulatory Administration from sugar trading and create an open market?

Continue President Aquino’s strategy on the South China Sea? If no, move for bilateral talks with China?

Reduce corporate income tax to 25 percent?

Consider personal income tax reform? Be open to its gradual reduction to 20 percent?

Reform income tax in a graduated scale with the poor paying less and the rich paying more?

Remove those earning less than an agreed amount from the tax rolls? Remove micro and small businesses from tax obligations?

Continue and expand the public-private partnership program?

Encourage responsible mining?

Prioritize passage of a bill banning political dynasties?

Insist that a Freedom of Information (FOI) Act be passed and implemented? If yes, support the insertion of a right-of-reply provision? Prior to passing the law, issue an executive order to implement FOI in national government agencies and government-owned and -controlled corporations?

Support the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement?

Continue the conditional cash transfer program?

Support prohibition of labor contractualization?

Agree to pass a divorce law?

Push to legalize same-sex marriage?

Amend the Anti-Money Laundering Act to include casinos?

Greatly reduce the difficulty of dealing with the government in starting or maintaining a business?

Support the K-12 education system?

Increase government spending on health to the recommended World Health Organization level of 5 percent of GDP?

Increase funding to expand PhilHealth to focus more on illness prevention, primary healthcare, and supply of medicines for outpatient care?

Support and fully fund family planning clinics?

On my idea last week of asking each candidate the same question, what about doing it in a way that the others (except the public) can’t hear the answer of each one? If the Miss Universe beauty pageant can do it, then this can be done. In this section, each presidentiable will wear soundproof earphones where the question can be directed to them one at a time, so we get their unaffected view.

The Cebu debate never really got around to discussing the four issues assigned, and now there are four more—too many for one session, even if it will take four hours.

So let me suggest just four: Health and education are listed as the top two concerns of Filipinos, so let’s cover those in some in-depth detail. These were supposed to be covered in the last debate, but the broadcasters ran out of time as the candidates spent so much time attacking each other. Then I’d put fighting corruption, with some real detail on how. And tax reform, as it’s a system that needs massive change, simplification and reduction. All these affect us all on a day-to-day basis. Traffic does, too, but only urbanites in the big cities. The other suggested topics are of national import, important but not impacting our daily lives.

The moderator should be knowledgeable enough to challenge the presidentiables as they talk, challenging their statements when they are too “pie in the sky.”

It’s time to tie down the presidential contenders to some concrete commitments. We’ve had enough of the personal attacks. Now let’s get down to real business.

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E-mail: wallace_likeitis@wbf.ph. Read my previous columns: www.wallacebusinessforum.com.