Educators should be at forefront of problems

We have never agreed with President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s classic definition of the Four Freedoms as "freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship and the freedoms from fear and want." We have always maintained that the very first freedom (and all other freedoms) depend totally on it is "freedom from ignorance".

This principle seems to be the main issue in this coming elections. We are very glad that Dr. Salvador T. Duque, president of Association of Private Schools, Colleges and Universities called the attention of the general public that the educational qualifications of all candidates running for office in this election should be the major consideration for the voters to consider when they elect the candidates running on May 10. We cannot let the make-believe movie world take the role of statesmen and competent public officials.

Our teachers have traditionally played an important part in every election. Public teachers take the burden of counting and accounting for the votes cast in every election. Now the Alliance of Volunteer Educators has requested the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to take special security measures to insure that teachers, first, will not be harassed by the candidates; second, to prevent all possible physical assaults, and last, to release their per diem for their food and refreshment during the entire manual counting schedule on time. This is a very reasonable request.

Some groups feel that this coming election may be more disorderly than usual. We certainly hope not. What we want is a fair and orderly election. We believe this coming election will be just that. There will be no pressure, first, on the voters when they cast their ballots; second, or the teachers, when they count the results.

If we can hold two very peaceful People’s Power Revolution, we don’t see how we cannot hold a peaceful election this coming May 10. The important thing is not for our personal candidate to win. The duly-elected candidate must be proclaimed.

It is the latest election that truly reflect the status of our democracy. Sad to say, the greatest step we took backwards was the Marcos dictatorship. Ninoy Aquino had to prove that the Filipino was worth dying for. The world is fast becoming a global village. In the Philippines one of the effects of TV is that many sectors of our society can now no longer differentiate the make-believe from the real world. This is a major challenge to all of us.

Issues should be discussed. Popularity should not be confused for qualification to hold high office.