Voters urged to assess candidates' transparency, accountability ahead of May 9 polls

Right to Know, Right Now! (R2RKN) Coalition, a freedom of information advocacy group, on Wednesday urged the public to examine the transparency and accountability of the candidates they will vote for in the May 9 elections.

In a virtual briefing, R2RKN co-convenor Malou Mangahas underscored the importance of assessing the candidates' accountability and transparency to prevent the abuse of state resources.

“Napakahalagang tutukan natin kung usaping pera. Dapat i-assess natin yung mga kandidato, sino ang tapat at sino ang nanggugulang. At ang konsepto po ng abuse of state resources ang tinutukan ng research team. Ang problema kasi natin hindi ganoon kalinaw yung konseptong ito pero mukhang precisely kailangan natin tutukan,” she said.

(It is very important that we assess the candidates who are honest and fair. The concept of abuse of state resources is what the research team is focusing on. The problem is that this concept is not that clear so we precisely need to focus on it.)

Mangahas said one "test" to determine a candidate's transparency and accountability is through her or his use of public funds.

“Unang test po ng transparency and accountability ang paggamit ng pondong bayan ng mga kandidato. The sad side to elections is incumbents and political parties that are dominant or favored by the dominant parties could actually abuse, misuse or even deny resources of funds to their rival candidates,” Mangahas lamented.

(The first test of transparency and accountability is the use of public funds by the candidates. The sad side to elections is incumbents and political parties that are dominant or favored by the dominant parties could actually abuse, misuse or even deny resources of funds to their rival candidates.)

“Marami pong ibig sabihin nito kung paano naabuso ang pondo ng bayan. Puwedeng paggamit ng mga resources ng katulad po ng mga vehicles, personnel na kinakaladkad sa mga rallies,” she added.

(This means a lot on how the country’s resources are being abused, like the use of government vehicles and personnel in rallies.)

“Puwede rin pong coercive powers paggamit ng mga pulis at sundalo para takutin yung mga rallyists ng kabilang kampo pwede rin pong statutory or legal abuse halimbawa po yung paggrant ng mga exemptions sa mga ayuda programs at iba pang petition,” she furthered.

(Coercive powers can also be used by the police and soldiers to intimidate the rallyists of the opposing camp. There can also be statutory or legal abuse, for example, the granting of exemptions to aid programs and other petitions.)

Issues

According to Mangahas, R2RKN looked into the issues during the Duterte administration in order to find out the work awaiting the next president.

On the transport sector, Mangahas said among the outstanding issues was whether or not the provision of assistance or "ayuda" to drivers and operations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic was equitable.

“Sa transport sector, ang outstanding issues po naming nakikita ay nag-ayuda nga, pero mabibigyan ba lahat o magiging bahagi ng political patronage yung proseso lalo na at may balanse na implementation sa mga naunang ayuda under Bayanihan 1 and 2?” she said.

(In the transport sector, the outstanding issues we saw include the distribution of assistance. Was it given to all or was it influenced by political patronage, especially with a balanced implementation of the previous assistance under Bayanihan 1 and 2?)

The R2RKN co-convenor said that the problem of vaccine rollout has slowed in January especially during the campaign period.

Mangahas emphasized the importance of looking into these issues especially since most of the candidates vowed that they would push for pandemic response initiatives, "ayuda" systems, and expand Build, Build, Build or the Duterte admnistration's infrastructure program, among others. —KBK, GMA News