Senate President Franklin Drilon INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Senate President Franklin Drilon urged the government on Tuesday to intensify its voters’ education campaign, saying the country should not be left to “undeserving” leader.
“Huwag po tayo magpadala sa mga salita ng kung sinu-sino, kundi ay tignan natin ng husto yung mga humaharap na kandidato at tignan natin ang kanilang integridad (Let us not be swayed by sweet talks but instead let’s scrutinize very well these candidates and focus on their integrity),” Drilon said in an interview over Bombo Radyo.
“Sa akin po ay pinakaimportante ang integridad sa ihahalal natin na lider ng bansa. Dahilan po sa kung hindi maganda ang record, ay uulitin po ito kapag nahalal na sa puwesto (For me, what’s important is integrity in electing a leader in this country. Because if there’s a bad record, this will be repeated once they’re in office),” he said.
Drilon, vice chairman of the Liberal Party, and his party mates are pushing for Interior Secretary Mar Roxas to be its standard-bearer in 2016.
The Senate leader then called on the government to intensify its voters’ education campaign, especially for first time voters in 2016.
While the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has the primary responsibility to educate voters, Drilon said non-government organizations and other groups should also have their own voters’ education campaigns.
“Hindi na po nila kailangan pa na maghintay pa. Ito po ay tungkulin natin bilang mamamayan ng ating bansa. Dapat po turuan natin lalo na ang ating mga kabataan na ang kahalagahan ng mga eleksyon, at huwag nating pabayaan na ang ating bansa ay mapunta duon sa mga hindi bagay na mamuno sa ating bansa (They don’t have to wait anymore. This is our duty as citizens of our country. We should teach the youth the importance of an election and let us not allow our country to be handled by those who aren’t fit to run the nation),” he said.
“Sa akin po, importante ang voters’ education, upang ipaliwanag natin lalo na sa ating kabataan ang kahalagahan ng tamang pagboto sa mga pinuno ng ating bansa, dahilan diyan po nakasalalay ang kinabukasan ng ating bayan (For me, what’s important is voters’ education to explain especially to the youth the importance of electing the right leaders for our country, because the future of our nation lies there),” he added.
Drilon underscored the importance of the 2016 elections, saying the new officials who would be elected next year should be able to continue the reforms the Aquino administration has started. TVJ
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