CNN's Presidential Debate: The Morning After

 Mini-review of the candidates, CNN debate-style and other highlights, and sidelights:

1. Was it just me?  Just like in US presidentiaL debates only Isko Moreno has the habit of facing the candidate that was responding and he listened intently to their answers. That to me is respect for the person talking. The rest were oblivious and unmindful of what is going on. And when the forum was over he made an effort to shake the hands of each one of them. Mayor napaka-gentleman mo!

2. I wish everybody attends all debates and does not depend on who sponsors the event.  I wish they can make debates in the future mandatory and compulsory. When you are applying for a government position, especially the highest position ...you have to attend debates, not because your adviser advises you not to. Choosing the principle of expediency, some candidates refused to take part in the debate that will expose their vulnerabilities, susceptibility, and culpability.

3. The problem with this style of debate is that no one was there to challenge their stand. Other candidates can fire up the discussion by questioning the answer of another candidate, making follow-up questions, or delving deeper into the issues. No one knows if they really know what they were saying at that time if they were not given the time to challenge each candidate in a healthy discussion.

4.  I am not discriminating against nuisance candidates or candidates who could not bring an iota of supporters in their fold. Bringing nine of the 10 candidates is just too many.  I know we are asking everybody to attend the debates, but having ten of them around will have a discrepancy in giving everybody the chance to speak.  Out of the nine, the Muslim brother has the least opportunity to speak if time allotment becomes an issue.  They could have limited it to five like the one sponsored by KBP to give more time for rebuttal and a lively discussion.

5. A classic debate needs fewer participants almost like the SMNI. Debate is not like Q and A in beauty contests. It is not just two people talking. It is a well-reasoned argument about two contrasting points of view.  In fact, the verb form evolves from an old French debatre which means to fight. So it is a fight for what you stand for. Just like finding yourself in the midst of the debate between Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels. It can get ugly. And this forum was just too tame for comfort, I want to see Manny lose his cool and give his opponents a 123 punch. LOL.

6. Ping Lacson's plan of giving the LGU the money for the infrastructure is ill-advised.  We want to stop corruption, but isn't it giving it freely to LGU will start another round of corruption?  Nobody can stop Pinoys, especially when the temptation to steal is brought to the local level. In this debate, any candidate worth his salt could have challenged that. But it went pphhht just like a sizzling steak that forgets to sizzle.

7. I can't help but agree with Montemayor, this is not a debate but a forum.  However, his attack on Isko about the 15 million dollar money was made as a big surprise of the night, and was that a ploy to make himself relevant?  Notice that when Isko answered him back, he retreated in instant sensing he can have trouble with his claims.

8. Manny has his heart in the right place, but he has a problem articulating what he wants to convey. Faisal Mangondato stammered and stuttered showing signs of a bumbling and stumbling Joe Biden. They are in the same boat and all roads point the direction to senility.

9. Everybody pointed out the Bureau of Customs as the haven and sanctuary for all corruptions.  They should go no further because law enforcement is a not-so-distant second.

10.  Everybody spoke Tagalog or was English not allowed in this forum?  Is this show catering to the masses, and how about the people living abroad or anybody interested to know about Philippine politics?  For myself, I want my president to be English proficient as he needs to be placed side by side with the Presidents of other countries.

11.  And it looked like the 2022 Presidential election is more like an election of personalities, not an election of viewpoints.

It looked like the voters have already found themselves in the box, packaged simply, cheaply, and conveniently.