Every Tomas, Dickoy, or Hilaria who presents himself or herself as a candidate for president or vice president, for that matter, should have at least, at the barest minimum, four C's. These are C1, which is COMPETENCE; then C2, which is CHARACTER; then C3, which is COMMITMENT and C4, CARING or COMPASSION. The first one, over and above all, is Competence. This means enough Knowledge, Skills, Management Aptitude, Executive Ability, and the competence to plan, organize and control government oerations, choose the best talents, and inspire government officials and make things happen, within a framework of a long-range strategy and shared vision for the country and our people. We, the conscientious voters, must have a set of criteria in making our crucial choice.
The next is CHARACTER. He must not have been involved in serious controversies and shenanigans that could not have happened without his participation, or at least tolerance in an office or agency that he heads. If he has a pending case, and his guilt has not been proven by competent evidence in a proceeding where there is fair and just trial, then he must present a valid and viable defense. He must not ignore court processes and must attend all hearings, and not attempt to abscond. If his or her citizenship and residency are being questioned in a court of appropriate jurisdiction, he or she must bear the burden of proof, and convince the people that he or she is really qualified..If his or health is being questioned then there must be proof of good health.
The third is COMMITMENT. The candidate must commit his time and talent completely to the service of the nation and to the Filipino people. There must be total focus on the job and the candidate must not use the presidency to advance the business or sectoral interests of his or her friends and relatives. The President should not be distracted by any conflict of interests or any issue that may put a cloud of doubt on his ability to focus on the job at hand, the many problems confronting the country, on the multiple challenges that beset the government. There must be total, undivided and unqualified commitment to national interests. The country should be the president's first and only top priority.
Then, lastly, there must be CARING especially for the powerless, the uninfluential, the poor and the marginalized sectors. The candidate for president must have the brains but he or she must also have the heart. He or she must not only focus on foreign affairs and national defense, yes. But he or she must also take care of labor, health, education, social services, like housing, disaster reliefs, and rehabilitation. He must think of the OFWs, of the homeless, the jobless, the senior citizens, the persons with disability, the senior citizens, the veterans the victims of injustice.
Among the candidates today, perhaps the most brilliant is Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago but is she the most healthy. Vice President Jejomar Binay may be the most experienced executive in government, but is he able to present a credible defense to all the accusations against him? Secretary Mar Roxas may also be the most experienced and with one of the best credentials but does he have a track record of decisiveness, of being able to make executive decisions without favoring his political party and allies? How about Senator Poe? Is she really a Filipino? Does she have enough residence to qualify her for the presidency?
What matters most is that we have a template in our choice. We do not elect a president because he or she is popular or she is handsome or pretty. We elect him based on COMPETENCE so that the job of the presidency can be done well. There must be CHARACTER so that our national leader will lead the nation with integrity and honor. There must be COMMITTMENT is that we can be assured of a focused and dedicated public service and national leadership. Lastly, CARING for the least, the lost and and the last among our people because we want a humane and just human society. Whoever we choose must past these four tests and pass them with flying colors. Or else, why should we vote for any of them?