The People’s Primaries National Candidate Screening Committee Formed
The People’s Primaries spokesman Ricky Xavier announced that the following have accepted the invitation to form part of the committee that will screen nominees for alternative presidential candidate: Bro. Roly Dizon of De La Salle University System, Bishop Deogracias Iniguez, Diocese of Caloocan, Bishop Reynaldo Cristobal of NSCPII., Sixto K. Roxas of the Maximo T. Kalaw Institute for Sustainable Development, Nene Guevara of Movement for Good Governance and Tony Roldan of Transparency International. Others expected to respond positively to the invitation are Nina Galang of Miriam College and Mina Ramirez of the Asian Social Institute.
The People’s Primaries is organizing a "ground-up" and participative process to single out just one non-traditional presidential aspirant from amongst the ranks of a growing list of perceived non-traditional aspirants. Some names already declared or soon to be declared by their various supporters are: Nicanor Perlas, Among Ed Panlilio, Danny Lim, Ed Dorotan, Ed Ramos, Grace Padaca, Pabol Trillana, Jesse Rebredo, JC de los Reyes, Alex Lacson, Bro. Eddie Villanueva and Chief Justice Puno.
“Any candidate that is self-proclaimed or proclaimed by only a small group of party officials / endorsers or proclaimed by a process that is highly opaque to the public or by a process that does not generate accountability to the public is, from the concept of the People's Primary project, already a product of (an inadequate) process that is part and parcel of the existing political order that needs to be reformed” said Ricky Xavier. The People’s Primaries allows the voting public that is looking for real electoral reform to select the most viable alternative presidential candidate that will challenge the Administration and Opposition Traditional Candidates.
There is a huge advantage to unify all the voters who are seeking fundamental political reform that starts from the very process a presidential candidate is annointed into one political force. Given that the Traditional Politicians are going to splinter and fragment and even atomize their political markets, the People’s Primaries process has a chance to catapult an alternative candidate to the highest position of the executive branch of government.
Ricky Xavier added: “Historically, the Primaries in the U.S. came about because of a need to reform the political system which was corrupt and where only a handful of well-heeled people influenced the direction of the country. The primary system was a backlash against the backroom dealings of corrupt politicians. The primary system was meant to transfer the right to elect a presidential candidate from an elite, entitled few into the hands of voters. It also forced candidates to pay attention to issues that voters considered important. It played a key role in forming the platform of the candidates. Issues that gained popular support were normally adopted by the chosen candidate. Most importantly, it alleviated corruption in national politics and provided yet another avenue through which citizens could take part in the process of choosing their own leaders. The interest generated by the primaries moved many first-time voters to register and go to the polls.
Today our political situation is similar to that of the United States when at the turn of the 20th century they adopted the Primary System. At this stage of our history, we need to retool our Democracy so we can fix our corrupt political system. At the time that our present brand of democracy was established by our forefathers and their American tutors, they did not completely adopt the U.S. electoral system. Whatever their reasons were, personal, foreign and national they must have believed that majority of our people were not yet prepared to responsibly choose their leaders. Things have changed, a greater majority of our voters are better informed of the issues, and the youth have access to more and better sources of information. While we do not have a two party system, there is a clear demarcation line been the “Trapo “and “Non Trapo “ (politics).
Now that the National Screening Committee is formed, the People’s Primaries is now accepting nominees for alternative Presidential candidate. Nominations are received through local or national organizations that have joined the National Facilitators Group of the People’s Primaries. The nomination period ends on Aug. 6, 2009. More details on the People’s Primaries can be seen at http://subsidiaritymovement.net website.
- from the email, peoplesprimaries@yahoo.com
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