Comelec urges public to send questions for presidential, VP debates

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) called on the voting public to send their questions for presidential and vice presidential candidates in the upcoming May 9 elections.

Comelec Chairman Juan Andres Bautista said that some of the questions in the presidential and vice presidential debates will be crowd-sourced.

"We will be crowd-sourcing many of the questions that will be asked during the debates," Bautista said.

Three debates for presidential candidates will be held in Mindanao (February 21), Visayas (March 20) and Luzon (April 24).

Bautista said that the commission has prepared the possible topics in the upcoming debates.

Agricultural development, poverty reduction or asset creation and redistribution, charter change and peace and order will be discussed in the Mindanao debate.

For the Visayas debate, disaster preparedness and climate change adaptation, healthcare, education and fighting corruption might be discussed.

Meanwhile, issues on traffic and public transportation, electoral and political reforms, foreign policy, tax reform and national defense might be tackled in the Luzon debate.

All topics might be included in the vice presidential debate that will be held in Metro Manila on March 10.

"We will meet different organizations as well as candidates to narrow the topics that will be tackled," Bautista said.

The debates will be telecast live on national television. The public may send their questions by using the hashtag #PiliPinasDebates2016 through social media sites.

Debates are essential for an informed electorate! Tweet your questions now! #PiliPinasDebates2016 pic.twitter.com/Q3LXreGAOM

— COMELEC (@COMELEC) January 11, 2016

Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said that the public may also view all crowd-sourced questions for the debates by visiting http://www.electionsphl.com/pilipinasdebates/.

The Comelec is also looking to hold debates for local candidates.