VETERAN Caloocan City 2nd District Rep. Edgar ‘Egay’ Erice, known for questioning election-related policies aimed at ensuring clean electoral exercises, now wants candidates to submit detailed platforms and participate in mandatory public debates.
He then filed House Bill 9287 (Responsible and Accountable Election Campaign Act), which would oblige those gunning for national and local positions to present their programs and policy priorities on issues including healthcare, environment, education and economy, among others.
The same Erice measure seeks to require the Commission on Elections to publish all submitted platforms within 15 days of filing and impose penalties, including fines or possible cancellation of candidacy, for those who fail to comply.
Moreover, HB 9287 wants election bets to attach in their certificate of candidacy a written campaign platform or political agenda as this would strengthen accountability and promote issue-based elections.
Saying the people deserve to know the qualifications and plans of those seeking public office, Erice maintained that elections shouldn’t be reduced to popularity contests or entertainment-driven campaigns.
He told Good Riddance the need for the candidates’ participation in official campaign debates and public forums organized by the poll body.
The platform must outline the candidates’ proposed programs, legislative or executive agenda, governance priorities, and policy directions should they be elected into office.
Hoping to get approval from his colleagues at the lower chamber, the Caloocan lawmaker reiterated that his bill was primarily designed to shift elections away from personality politics and “instead focus public attention on concrete plans competence, and accountability.”
With the mandatory debates, Erice believed that the electorate would have chances to quickly compare candidates and hear their positions on important national and local issues.
“They (poll bets) must first face the people and explain their platforms as reason of their desire for public office as the voters are after transparency and accountability.”
With his proposed measure, the veteran legislator, who held various elective posts in the city, seeks to elevate political discourse and empower voters to make informed decisions based on issues and governance rather than personality-driven politics.
