‘Immature’ political party system allows candidacy of pols with poor credentials — UP prof

The existing status of the political party system in the Philippines does not require the electoral candidates to take firm stands on principles and even fosters political turncoatism, according to a political science professor on Monday.

"Wala talaga tayong tinatawag na matured political parties... Kung ina-allow sila ng sistema, halimbawa artista ka, tapos napakadali mong lumipat sa kung anu-anong partido, talagang magiging kandidato siya," said Dr. Jean Encinas-Franco, a political science professor from the University of the Philippines, in an interview on Eleksyon 2019: The GMA News and Public Affairs Special Coverage.

She said the public should look at the bigger picture to analyze why and how candidates with weak credentials ascend to power.

"Mahirap na sisihin lang 'yung mga botante, kumbaga tingnan mo rin 'yung sistema that allows them to be candidates for the electoral exercise," she added.

Franco, however, said that the perpetuation of the practice of jumping from one political party to another can also be attributed to the lack of criticism from the public.

"That's why politicans do it. Kumbaga, walang karampatang shame. In other countries, in other contexts, that's frowned upon," she said. — Dona Magsino/RSJ, GMA News