What are the six important issues confronting the 2016 Presidential Election?

Candidates for the 2016 Presidential election are expected to deal with the most important issues confronting us today. Six of these most important issues that they will be facing are listed below in alphabetical order.

Climate change. This is one of the recurring election issues confronting the Philippines since the late 90s. Candidates for national positions seldom pay serious attention to this. As in the past, Presidential candidates will likely offer only general answers to questions related to climate change. Anyway, the major political parties have not drafted specific policies and programs to address this concern.

Economy. Candidates will either pay tribute to or debunk the so-called economic gains of the present administration. Poverty and unemployment statistics will serve as incontrovertible tool against any claim of economic recovery by the LP standard bearer. Amendment of the economic provisions of the Constitution to give way to alien ownership and to attract foreign investors will not be much of an issue considering that it seems that all Presidential aspirants favour the policy shift.

Foreign relations. This is a very emotional issue but not necessarily on top of the agenda of most of the candidates. Most likely, all candidates will favour the present tract of the government in reclaiming the Scarborough Shaol from China.

Graft and corruption. Of course, all eyes will be set on VP Jojo Binay when the issue hit the campaign. All other candidates will find a common cause to pin down Binay on this issue. However, the discussion will likely be far from becoming one-sided. Assertions regarding DAP, PDAF, and irregularities attributed to Aquino allies will be in mainstream also to the prejudice of the administration bet, Mar Roxas.

Health care, education and social services. This seems to be VP Binay’s strongest point and Roxas’ weakest link. It is expected that Binay will drum on this to make it on top of the political debates. Other candidates will join him on the issue but they are not expected to offer different other strategies to address these social policy issues.

Insurgency, peace process, and criminality. Presidential candidates usually gloss questions related to insurgency. However, considering the controversial Mamasapano incident, insurgency will be one of the contested issue in the coming presidential election. The Bangsamoro Basic Law will be asked and discussed with only the administration candidate favouring the same. Unfortunately, the discussion on insurgency will end with the MILF and Abu Sayaff. Most of the candidates will likely avoid issues concerning the CPP-NDF-NPA because of the influence of its most vocal followers in the mainstream media.  Candidates will surely ventilate the present state of the law and order in our country during the campaign. The failure of the DILG to curb the rising incidents of violent crimes, including drug trafficking, kidnapping, robbery and murder will be one of the issues which will be mounted on LP standard bearer, Mar Roxas.