Be ready for the debate

“I love argument, I love debate. I don't expect anyone just to sit there and agree with me, that's not their job.” –Margaret Thatcher

Ilonggo senatorial candidate Mel Carreon, who has been the object of ridicule in previous elections, is a good speaker – a trait unknown to many observers.

According to his erstwhile campaign manager, the late Bob Bacaling, “He is a good debater.” He insisted the political aspirant can lecture not only on various types of insurance but also on stocks, bonds, and cash equivalent investments – vital for the nation's economic survival.

“Mel is no pushover in debates,” Bacaling stressed. “He can discuss topics [on] history and religion; and he believes he has the formula that can help solve poverty in the country and lower the rate [of] unemployment.”

“All he needs is a big break and a chance to serve the public as an elected official,” he added.

However, Carreon was never given the opportunity to prove himself as he was always excluded from debates. Why? He was dismissed as a “nuisance candidate” because he ran as an independent and was not backed by a political party.

For the upcoming election, he has already filed his certificate of candidacy. The Commission on Elections should let him participate in debates.

Debates can be a game changer

It is not enough for candidates to solely rely on political parties to achieve victory; they need to cultivate their own ideas.

Debates can be a game changer because, if a candidate goes in unprepared and is shown to be unaware of the latest local, national, and international issues, political parties and partisan allies cannot save them. It is an effective barometer in determining public official of quality.

Candidates who lack preparation or avoid debate are usually only interested in winning, collecting a salary, and acquiring privileges; not proving to their mental fitness to constituents.

Debates should be encouraged

Debates should be encouraged throughout the campaign period as it will reveal the candidates who possess a basic intellectual apparatus, which can help them chart the future for constituents.

Debate, as a force for social change, develops skills and knowledge to both develop one into an “elite,” along with a civic and political identity. They will also develop a sense of “ownership of the world” and empowerment as they will understand specific global and domestic issues, and the ways in which the government can solve our generation's problems./