1st Inquirer Town Hall meet at CDO

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—A voters’ education coalition organizing the first Inquirer Town Hall in this city is banking on the spontaneous give and take of the forum to faithfully reflect Mindanao concerns.

“There is no script,” said Nestor Banuag Jr. of Lihuk 2016. “We want the diverse voices of our network to be heard so that the results of the 2016 national and local elections will manifest the desires of each and every Kagayanon and Mindanaoan.”

Tonight’s forum at the VIP Hotel in the central business district here is the first in a series of Inquirer Town Halls conducted in the run-up to the first presidential debate on Feb. 21. Other Town Halls will be held in Cotabato City on Feb. 18 and again in Cagayan de Oro on Feb. 19.

Sunday’s debate will be held at Capitol University. By lottery, election partners Philippine Daily Inquirer and GMA Network are the lead organizers of the first presidential debate—the first of three such face-offs convoked by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the 2016 polls and the first official Comelec presidential debate since 1992.

All five candidates have committed to take part in the Feb. 21 debate, which will be aired live on GMA and livestreamed on Inquirer.net.

Problems, solutions

The Inquirer Town Halls are designed to source and funnel questions for the debate, with a particular emphasis not only on Mindanao “problems,” which the candidates should address, but also on Mindanao “solutions,” initiatives that the candidates can apply on a national scale.

“It is high time that we, Kagayanons, must stand firm in our choices. We must recognize that our votes are sacred—a power nested in the sacrifices of our history and the hopes of our democracy,” Banuag said.

Multisectoral gathering

Convened through Xavier University and the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro and spearheaded by Banuag, the Lambigit Igsoon para sa Hiniusang pag-Uswag sa atong Katilingban (Lihuk 2016) has mobilized 15 sectors to send representatives to tonight’s Inquirer Town Hall to air the concerns they think should be on the table this election season.

Expected at the multisectoral gathering are the three candidates vying for the city’s top post: incumbent Mayor Oscar S. Moreno, Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez and former Mayor Vicente Y. Emano.

Preparation updates

The Comelec officer in Cagayan de Oro, Palmer Palamine, will kick off the forum with an update on election preparations. Inquirer.net editor in chief and PDI columnist John Nery will serve as moderator.

Among the issues expected to be raised tonight are the use of the city’s former Lumbia Airport by the Philippine Air Force, if not the US military under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement; the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, with Rodriguez’s active engagement; and the fate of “Daang Matuwid,” with top local politicians embroiled in cases filed with the Office of the Ombudsman and in relation to the Priority Development Assistance Fund.

(Editors’ note: Pastrano served as lead coordinator of the first Inquirer Town Hall.