Whereas By Atty. Jojo M. Liangco
Elections: a tool to strengthen the people’s love for their country
The ninety-day campaign period for candidates aspiring for the national government positions (president, vice-president, and senators) in the Philippines has started. As expected, the exuberance and excitement of the candidates and their supporters while doing their campaign rounds are covered by the media.
For Filipinos who live and work overseas, most rely on news gathered through the internet, coverage from Filipino cable television, information from relatives and friends, and from social networking to get updates about politics and election-related news. This last Presidents Day holiday, I had the opportunity to meet and have coffee with a friend in San Francisco who follows the election developments and the news about the campaign rounds in the Philippines. We talked about the recent call by Philippine the senate president,
Sen. Franklin Drilon, for the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to keep an eye and to regulate with strictness the “expenses of politicians before and during the actual campaign period.” Many Filipinos who want better governance and more qualified leaders and elected officials serving in the government will agree with the good senate president.