Independent bets explain priorities

Low profile candidates with few resources to campaign got equal stage exposure as incumbent Cebu city and province officials in last Monday's Mega Cebu Candidates Forum held at the Cebu Cultural Center.

Of the 10 who showed up, four were independents. Pablo Doronio Jr., Vicente Mañalac and Florence Villarin running for Cebu City's north congressional district while Hermilito Bulala is running for governor.

The newly formed Centrist Democratic Party of the Philippines was represented by a former judge Donato Navarro, running for the north district congressional seat. All four congressional bets shared their platforms of government.

Mañalac said he would introduce the jury setup in the country's justice system and propose a one percent tax for businesses over P1 million to fund scholarships. “Let’s establish a recruitment center in each barangay of all cities and municipalities in Cebu so we can have jobs for everybody,” he said.

A sewage processing plant is a priority for any growing city, Navarro said. He said while he supports a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) mass transport system, he prefers wider streets and sidewalks over flyovers.

“The poor should enjoy universal health care and socialized housing programs,” Navarro said.

Villarin, a former regional director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), said he will propose legislation that will have couples undergo mandatory parenting instruction.

He blame dthe erosion of moral values as the cause of rising criminality. “The Constitution recognizes the family as the basic foundation of the state. Let’s go back to the homes and concentrate on the development of families,” he said. Like Mañalac, Doronio said he supports the jury system and fight discrimination in job opportunities.

Bulala, who's going up against Liberal Party (LP-Cebu) bet Hilario Davide III and One Cebu's Pablo John Garcia, vowed to be better in delivering services to Cebuanos. The University of San Carlos law graduate said his administration will place emphasis on providing health care and quality education for college aspirants. Last Monday’s Mega Cebu forum was the fourth and last of the series organized by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. /Correspondent Peter L. Romanillos