A good start

Egay Uy .

AS reported in the news, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has supported the calls of the National Citizens Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) to require candidates of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections to submit at least a one-page resume.

It has been long overdue. While the Constitution lays down the qualifications for even the national elective positions to the barest minimum (ability to read and write, age requirements, etc.), it will serve the public best if those who will run for public office are first subjected to an independent screening by a competent body.  This is, of course, on the assumption that the screening body is independent.

Running a public office may be more intricate and complicated than managing a private company, especially if the public office is in the higher rungs of the governmental structure.

But for what purpose will the one-page resume be? We take note that the Namfrel’s recommendation complements the DILG’s ongoing campaign dubbed as “Matino, Mahusay and Maaasahang Barangay and SK Officials.”  That being said, will the DILG screen candidates and disqualify those who do not possess the three basic qualities?

Maybe the fundamental law has to be amended along this line. To run a public office means to govern an entire political jurisdiction which may be bigger than any private company in terms of people, territory and resources.

If private companies thoroughly screen the people they hire, especially those who manage their operations and resources, why can’t this be done to those who want to sit in a public office?

At least this will be a good start.  Even if no candidate may be disqualified by the Comelec or the DILG for having no capability to run a public office based on the one-page resume, the Namfrel could aggressively launch a campaign to inform the electorate of the qualifications, or lack of it, of the candidates.  But it has to have the necessary resources to be able to do so.

Being able to read and write should not be enough for one to be elected to public office. The task is tremendous and the challenges sometimes insurmountable that they require more than just the ability to read and write.

Don’t get me wrong.  I am for giving equal opportunities to every citizen to run for public office. But as the position gets higher, there ought to be more stringent qualifications before one may aspire to be elected to that office.

While better qualifications are not a guarantee that those in power will be less corrupt or more competent, at least it will be a good start.