It’s about voters’ education, not network war.
Former Interior and Local Government Raffy Alunan has appealed to media entities to ask relevant questions when interviewing presidential and vice presidential candidates so voters will be informed about their abilities and plans for the country.
In a Facebook post, Alunan said “shallow” questions and “games” aimed at boosting network ratings should be scrapped.
“Ask questions relevant to the positions they seek. There’s a need to know the breadth and depth of their vision, perspectives and knowledge. It’s also of value to the listeners who, in the main, don’t know much what a president is supposed to be and do,” Alunan said.
“Enough of shallow recycled questions and games that are geared for entertainment and network ratings rather than for the voter’s education, which is to know more about the candidates’ abilities and potentials,” he said.
According to Alunan, interviews of candidates are “ultimately for the people’s benefit – not for media nor the candidates.”
Alunan also proposed getting panelists from various sectors who will ask questions to the candidates.
He also opposed the short time limit given to candidates during a forum. Candidate, he said, should at least be given an hour to speak.
“I would suggest a panel of interviewers from different disciplines giving a candidate an exclusive full hour,” Alunan, who ran but lost in the 2019 senatorial elections.
“The moment all candidates are in the same forum, the reduced time for each of them would result in a battle of sound bytes and horse play,” he added.
Several media networks have started to hold forums and interviews of national candidates ahead of the May elections.
Recently, the KBP organized a presidential forum where five of six candidates attended. Some people however have criticized the KBP event for not giving the candidates enough time to speak during the forum.
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