Challenge to Presidentiables From UP Law Dean Leonen

Article VII, section 2 of the Constitution provides that “No person may be elected President unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter, able to read and write, at lest forty years of age on the day of the election, and a resident of the Philippines for at least ten years immediately preceding such election.”

Given the awesome powers of the President enumerated in the Constitution and established by precedents in our Supreme Court, these qualifications are obviously the barest minimum that must be hurdled by any candidate. Competence, integrity, probity and his/her ability to marshall resources in order to understand our present issues, provide and implement solutions. It would also help if s/he will have tremendous ability to persuade others to work with him/her. (There will be several different personalities in the Senate and the House of Representatives not to mention those who will be inter-governmental bodies such as the ASEAN, WTO, UN and many others.)

It would help if all the aspirants took some time to take an examination that would reveal their ability to make difficult decisions, take the political consequences and in the process reveal their true political agenda—without the assistance of their advisers and handlers. It also helps if the electorate ask the right questions. If any candidate responds, then we will know the extent of our support based on principle rather than on whether the candidate is “good or evil” or even “rich or poor”. Who knows, we might become so excited and so passionate that we will even mobilize thousands to get them into power.

I think anything short of answering these questions here or in different forums would mean that they underestimate the intelligence of many voters. That in turn reflects on their commitment to a truly participative democracy.

Qualifying Examination:
Aspirants to National Public Office

Instructions

• This exam contains twenty five (25) questions (and a bonus question) answerable by yes or no. You are to answer these questions by yourself without any assistance from any of your immediate family (whether or not deceased), consultants, political or media handlers. Should you require more time to study in order to intelligently answer any question, you probably should not be running for President, Senator or Member of the House of Representative.

• Any attempt to evade the question will be considered as a wrong answer. Please note that if you qualify your answers experts or stakeholders affected would also be entitled to make judgments as to your lack of knowledge or sophistication on these issues. Obviously, these questions refer to your political positions as President but its implementation may require that you work through the proper constitutional processes.

• Don’t guess. Right minus wrong.

• Cheating in any form shall result in an automatic failing grade. and permanent disqualification from any public office (without pardon). Your answers should be made public.

• Good Luck!

Preliminaries
• Name:
• Age:
• Position being applied for:
• Reasons for wanting to apply: (please avoid the words “change”, “democracy”, “true”, “good”, “nationalism”, “reform agenda”, “legacy”, “progress”, “justice”, “god told me”)
• Best achievement as a public official:
• Style of leadership: Check one
– [] participatory
– [] servant leader
– [] businesslike
– [] dictator

Category:
Good or Evil? ______
Rich or Poor? ______
None of the Above: ____

• Note: You do not have to apply simply because your parents or someone else wanted you to do so.

Question 1
• Will you require that all public health centers actively provide information on the various aspects of reproductive health including the use of contraceptives?

Question 2
• Will you work to simplify the tax on tobacco and cause its increase in order to make its price prohibitive and increase revenues?

Question 3
• Will you and your team refrain from asking support from religious sects who you know vote as a block and therefore deny the right of each and every member of their congregation to make their own choices?

Question 4
• Will you enter into and sincerely work on a constitutional process to achieve a political settlement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front that may include an ordinance appended to the constitution so that a new form of autonomous government with more powers to legislate and with a greater share in the use of natural resources?

Question 5
• Will you allow that our national symbols–i.e. the flag and our national language–be revised so that greater representation can be made of the historical and current narratives of various peoples of Mindanao?

Question 6
• Will you cause the abrogation of the current Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States?

Question 7
• Will you support the current impeachment complaint filed against the present Ombudsperson?

Question 8
• Will you reorganize the DPWH and prosecute all its employees (past and present) that have facilitated the SOPs for various public officers?

Question 9
• Will you cause the abrogation of the DENR so that there is a separate agency that manages natural resources and another one that ensures environmental compliance?

Question 10
• Will you provide for clear guidelines and transparent procedures for the release of budget appropriated by government, i.e. are you willing to regulate the power of impoundment by the President?

Question 11
• Will you require that Hacienda Luisita, and other agricultural companies similarly situated, be covered by compulsory acquisition under the agrarian reform program?

Question 12
• Will you continue negotiations for a preferential trade agreement with the European Union, Australia and New Zealand?

Question 13
• Will you commence negotiations for a preferential trade agreement with China?

Question 14
• Will you call for the suspension of Burma from the ASEAN until they release Aung San Suu Kyi and all their political prisoners?

Question 15
• Will your Department of Agriculture encourage sustainable agriculture to meet a clear direction towards reducing our ecological foot print and food security rather than cater to commercial agribusiness firms?

Question 16
• Will you work to allow foreign companies to compete in the transportation sector, maintenance of port facilities, telecommunications?

Question 17
• Will you reform the energy sector so as to reduce the monopolies in the generation and distribution of electricity?

Question 18
• Will you work for the parallel importation of essential drugs?

Question 19
• Will you impose a carbon tax?

Question 20
• Will you work to change the charter of the PAGCOR so that it will either be a regulator or a gambling corporation?
• Alternative question: are you in favor of legalizing jueteng?

Question 21
• Will you increase our negotiating capability in the ASEAN, the WTO and in other multilateral trade organizations by transferring the role of lead negotiator to a trade representative rather than to disparate government agencies?

Question 22
• Will you defend the current Philippine concept of special safeguard mechanisms and special products for agriculture in the DOHA round?

Question 23
• Will you reappoint any member of the Judicial and Bar Council for a second term?

Question 24
• Will your choice for the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court be based on seniority?

Question 25
• Will you appoint any retired military official to any civilian public office?

Bonus Question
• Will you interfere in the selection of a President of the University of the Philippines?

Thank you. Please review your answers carefully before you submit. Again, please do not be evasive. We deserve no less than your honest answers.

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