Who to vote for and why

Now that there are fewer days left before the May 14 elections, various individuals and groups have been busy sending and announcing their choices as well as their criteria for their selection.

It is good to take time and consider the choices and criteria for selecting candidates so that come election day, voters will have informed choices which, hopefully, will translate into better choices of genuine public servants for our people.

For example, the statement of former UP President Dodong Nemenzo on soldiers as citizens outlining why he is endorsing Honasan and Trillanes has been making the rounds of the Internet. We have also received other endorsements as well from Akbayan and other groups.

We share another such statement emailed the following sent by our former UP-Cebu student, Karlo Mongaya, who, then and now, remains very actively committed especially to matters affecting the youth of this land. Many of the choices in the statement quoted below are coming out as well in the announced choices of other groups. Perhaps it may help to understand why these candidates are being chosen?

Here is the April 25 joint statement of Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela Women''s Party, Kabataan and Suara Bangsamoro endorsing the candidacy of eight senatorial bets from the Genuine Opposition and the so-called Wednesday Club for the upcoming May 2007 elections.

"In alphabetical order, the eight senatorial candidates we are supporting are: Joker Arroyo, Allan Cayetano, Chiz Escudero, Loren Legarda, Francis Pangilinan, Koko Pimentel, Ralph Recto and Manny Villar. We have come to this decision after weeks of intense consultations, discussions and debate, and after a thorough examination of the candidates'' track record and position on key issues.

Our main criteria for selecting which candidates to support were:

1. Their consistent commitment in upholding human rights, especially their consistent denunciation of the extrajudicial killings and massive human rights violations under the Arroyo administration;

2. Their track record in upholding the people''s interest and willingness to work with us on key issues and concerns;

3. Their capability to take an independent stance vis a vis the Executive."

Their statement further stated, "As parties representing the marginalized and underrepresented sectors in our society, we believe it is in the best interest of our constituencies for these eight candidates to be voted to the Senate. We hope that in the next Congress, we shall be able to work with them in pursuing the social, political and economic reforms much needed by our people.

Of course, our chosen senatorial candidates are not perfect. There are and will be many issues raised against them, whether legitimate and not. What is important, though, is that their good points overshadow their bad points and that whatever bad points they have are not a hindrance to their becoming good senators.

As to why only eight, this is simply because that is all that our five parties can agree on. Our party list organizations, with a combined mass base of 3.6 million voters, is a substantial swing vote that can catapult the eight candidates to the Senate. In the weeks running up to the May 14 elections, all five parties will actively campaign for the eight candidates and will include their names in the sample ballots to be given away to our members, supporters and allies."

What about you, our dear voters? Have you decided on your choices and your criteria for selecting your choices?

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