On the kiosk of good governance

I had two emotionally opposite experiences involving “kiosks” when I was in my elementary grades. I was shocked to witness a public flogging on a kiosk in Candijay, Bohol, of two young boys suspected of stealing. The sight of cruelty saddened me even until now.

My second experience with “kiosk” was a happy one. I was a third-grader when picked up to represent our unit composed of six towns in the literary aspect of the provincial meet. On the kiosk in Jagna, Bohol, I cherished the gold medal in the extemporaneous speech competition.

But what is a “kiosk”? Historically, according to the internet, a kiosk was a small garden pavilion open on some or on all sides, a famous example of which is the Tiled Kiosk built in 1473 by Mehmed II, the conqueror, in Istanbul. I have read somewhere though that the kiosk was a place where philosophers and thinkers would regularly meet and discuss the affairs of their communities very much like the present City Council.

I am talking about kiosks because in a month’s time, the filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2025 midterm elections will be opened. We will then know who will be running for what position. To re-engineer our city, must be interested in the candidates for city councilors as we look for the men and women in the mold of the philosophers and thinkers who graced the kiosks of olden times to discuss the affairs of their localities.

Criterion number one - intellectual depth. I will vote for candidates who graduated from college with honors. They are the summa cum laudes, the magna cum laudes, and the cum laudes. Getting Latin honors is not an accident. A collegiate course usually takes four years. The average number of subjects per semester is 6-7 and so in one year there are about 12-14. For the entire four-year course, a student goes under the tutelage of 48-56 professors. The intellectual capacity of an honor graduate is determined by about 50 teachers covering different dimensions.

There are many of those who finished at the top of licensure examinations who, for one reason or another, were not granted Latin honors. When test results of board examinations are released, the names of topnotchers are revealed. Each year and in most licensure tests, there are brilliant Cebuanos making the top 10 grade. They should be considered for election as councilors if they file their certificates of candidacy.

It is ideal for us voters to search for these honor graduates and board placers and elect them to the City Council. If there are not enough candidates with such intellectual gifts, we shall pick professionals coming from different disciplines to sit in our sanggunian. It will be best to choose representations from diverse professions. The purpose is to attempt to cover most aspects of public service. We need to compose our city council with a combination of accountants, doctors, educators, engineers, lawyers, mariners, and nurses, etc., along with acknowledged barangay leaders.

Criterion number two - triple “H” for heart, honesty, and humility. It must be our responsibility to listen attentively to the public pronouncements of candidates and research their backgrounds and dealings. Sure, their spoken language is carefully calculated to endear them to us but there are statements like SHIMENET that, now and then, unmistakably show where their hearts are. That is for us to discern.

Let us always keep our ears to the ground, figuratively speaking. Reputation being the widespread belief that someone or something has a particular habit or characteristic is our guidepost specially the reputation of being honest. We need to scour the array of politicians and find out who among them possess impeccable reputation and we vote them to office.

Criteria number three and four are on national issues. This is negative campaigning. Number 3: For our democratic system to survive, let us not elect any candidate who can be an extension of political dynasties. Number 4: Any politician who is silent on the incursion of China into the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone is presumed to lack a sense of nationalism. He does not deserve being entrusted any political power.

Failing to adopt these criteria will be like our own public flogging on the kiosk of public service while keeping these in mind will make us all gold medal winners in the quest for good governance.