Presidential debates kick off

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines—The first official presidential debate in 24 years gets under way this afternoon in the gateway city to Northern Mindanao, training the spotlight on what the late Jesuit priest Miguel Bernad called the “great island” of Mindanao.

The urban centers of Mindanao are visibly booming, but the old problems of poverty, peace and order concerns, and power shortages continue to haunt the countryside. The debate, the first of three scheduled by the Commission on Elections and co-organized by GMA Network and the Philippine Daily Inquirer, was preceded in the past week by three Inquirer Town Hall meetings discussing the so-called Mindanao Agenda.

All five presidential candidates are taking part. Vice President Jejomar Binay enjoyed a head start on his rivals by arriving in the city on Saturday and immediately pressing the flesh. Former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Grace Poe are expected to arrive Sunday morning: two by helicopter, one by private plane, and one on a commercial flight.

The debate will be held at Capitol University, aired live on GMA Network and live streamed on Inquirer.net.

Format

Candidates will be paired off and asked to directly answer questions. A substantial portion of the debate will be devoted to issues faced by the South, with questions handpicked from the Inquirer Town Hall meetings.

In what may be considered their toughest interview yet, candidates will be given only 90 seconds each to weigh in on various questions asked by hosts Mike Enriquez and Jessica Soho, as well as their cohost John Nery, editor in chief of Inquirer.net. The candidates are paired and will have 60 seconds to offer a rebuttal or a comment.

The city is already abuzz as campaign staffs have started to arrive, filling hotels and taking over Capitol University’s auditorium and gymnasium. Classrooms have been temporarily transformed into holding rooms for the candidates and their team.

Binay arrived on Saturday morning together with his daughter, Sen. Nancy Binay. Also spotted was controversial councilor and actress Alma Moreno, who is running under Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance.

The Vice President said there was no need to prepare for the debates although he had to cancel his sorties that morning because of a late flight. Nevertheless, his spokesperson Atty. Rico Quicho said the Vice President was already studying the topics. TVJ

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