The winner of the first Comelec-sponsored debates of presidential candidates organized with GMA-7 and Philippine Daily Inquirer based on my monitoring of social media and exchange of notes with friends was Grace Poe.
It’s not a scientific survey, of course.
Political analyst and De La Salle University Professor Richard Heydarian summed up the performance of the candidates as:
Grace: Forceful, assertive and displayed informed familiarity with issues;
Mar: Spent too much time defending status quo, but was very composed and combined a bit of drama with substance;
Miriam: Took an admirably principled but unpopular position on certain issues, bravely calling for Aristotelean leadership;
Duterte: Skillfully redirected questions to his own platform, and good to see him in Barong;
Binay: He should start boycotting debates, unless he changes his script
Marilyn Robles said, “It’s toss up between Poe and Duterte.” She added:”Roxas looked handsome tonight!”
Even early in the debate, journalist Jason Phillip Gutierrez scored it in favor of Poe:
Round 1: Grace is grace under pressure; Binay in attack mode; Roxas on the defensive; Miriam and Rody in mutual admiration.”
Another journalist, Manny Mogato, observed that “Grace Poe came well prepared for this debate.”
Netizens were very perceptive. Jaime Garchitorena noted early in the debate that “Miriam is losing steam.”
A number commented on Roxas’ negative start and his adherence to “Tuwid na Daan.”
Many liked the quote of Duterte,”Wala along nakitang matuwid na daan, puro kulubot.”
Philippine Graphic Editor-in-Chief Joel Salud posted his reaction to Binay’s declaration of “Ako po ay decisive and effective leader”: “Muntik ako masamid.”
Presidenital Spokesman Ediwn Lacierda Edwin Lacierda complained:”@gmanews: @comelec you changed the format 2 allow Binay to have the last say to Mar’s statement. That’s a clear violation of ur own rules!”
“There were also too many candidates to allow a meaningful exchange among them.
“Poe, Duterte, Roxas and Miriam came ready with stats and figures. They probably used less than 10 percent of those preparations and about 5 percent of their brain power.
“The only really shaky moment was Binay’s when questioned on his properties. Miriam, given half the chance, could have done a lot more, cancer or no cancer.”
Heydarian said “The debate was good in a sense that it showed which candidates are up for the task, can compose their thoughts, and understand the complexity of the challenge. And reach out to multiple audiences.”
The next debate will be on March 20 to be held at the University of San Carlos in Cebu with TV5 and the Philippine Star. It will be a panel format.
The third and last will be on April 24 at the University of Pangasinan with ABS-CBN and the Manila Bulletin. It will be a town hall format.
Before the last presidential debate, the candidates for the vice presidency will also square off with one another on April 10 to be held in Metro Manila. Lead media organizers are CNN Philippines, Business Mirror and Rappler.
Be informed. Vote wisely.
The veterans were thrashed by the neophyte. It was quite revealing that Poe came prepared and seemed like an expert on even the screwballs thrown at her direction. The rest, we’ve heard them recite their great-grandmother of motherhood statements and their litany of fearless and/or vague promises many times before. Miriam is simply a disappointment.
Yey!
Good to know, tongue! 🙂
At the end of day, its all about realistic view of the candidates on the issues being ask and their responses on how to address it. I give it to Grace Poe from opening to closing of the debate because I felt she has the understanding of the issues and had articulated her ideas on how to address it realistically. She is composed followed by Rodrigo Duterte. I give it to Rodrigo Duterte when it comes to drug, smuggling, and criminality issues. He was firm. I thought that its really doable because I believe criminality like smuggling and drugs are being coddled by some in our government. With Duterte at the helm, it will not flourish so long as he is true to his words which I believe that he is. There are positives for Binay and Roxas but it sound like a recycled old politico statements. Too general in my view.
I don’t like the format because it lacks the actual debate. I thought that the candidates should be given leeway to give their views in depth. a minute or a minute and a half is not enough.
Poe cannot even say PALAY in tagalog…she pronounced just like an American would. She must not have seen palay before.
How can we have a president that is so Americanized with American husband and KIDS? She said her husband will denounce his citizenship if she wins, what an OPPORTUNIST..
Grace won Round 3. She talks sharp, clear, authoritative. No groping or hiding, plain Tagalog. Awesome. – Teddy Locsin Jr
http://politics.com.ph/who-won-first-presidential-debate-grace-poe-says-teddyboy-locsin/
“Poe is far and away the best,” Locsin tweeted.
#4, ana Duran, nadale mo, sa leeg ang tama.
#6 Delivery of speech has nothing to do with the EXECUTION of job as President therefore I don’t think Grace should win otherwise we’ll have another REGIME of OJTs.
I also believe the debate ( as compared to arguments) is won by the clarity of the responses to the question and the rationality of the answers. Answering the question without giving the “specific” for example on how to go about carrying the program is nothing but an empty answer.
When a candidate promised to do this and do that, he must not shy to tell that it will cost the taxpayer this much and that much or this Big a deficit..
And that keeping the peace will also needs the services and Training of more peace officers and perhaps investment for their tools. Not just simply Killing the suspects…
Si Binay natanong kung saan galling ang mga yaman niya.
Sumagot yung ungas: “nagpractice naman ho ako ng law. Yung mga yaman ko po ay namana ko.”
Pero sa paid advertisement niya namatay yung nanay niya dahil walang pambili ng gamot at pampa-ospital.
Gagawa lang ng kwento mali pa. Puñeta.
“Binay: He should start boycotting debates, unless he changes his script.”
Kaya pala may nagsabing “special participation lang itong si nognog.”
Bakit di binaggit ang pork barrel? Sabi ni Miriam saan daw kukuha ng funds. Di sa pork barrel, para mabawasan naman ng mantika ang mga nguso ng nasa kongreso.
Hindi ako maka-log-in, whether at home or in the office. Ngayon lang, because the OS operating system of this computer was reinstalled.
I agree with Ana. I do not believe in debates. Para yang question and answer sa Miss Universe. You mean to tell me with a question or two, malalaman mo na kung matalino ang beauty contestant?
Similarly, with a few questions, or even series of questions, one will be able to measure a candidate’s qualifications? Their records in public office speak for themselves. If they have never been in public office, their records in private business reveal a lot about them as well. Case in point, Donald Trump and his companies’ bankruptcies.
Ang debate, para lang sa mga fans and cheering squads, so they can have something to cheer.
Reminds me of Haydee Yorac, when she announced in our freshman class, that a bunch of candidates to the Student Council (pompously called Law Student Government by the UP Law), were going to speak to us.
“Okay class, some people want to talk to you. Welcome to the College of Law’s annual circus; otherwise known as the student elections.
Kung magaling talaga ang candidato, lumabas sana sa job performance, not debate performance.
Much ado.
If a candidate can speak well then that means he is articulate that’s all but it will not mean that the person can deliver a great work. Therefore I agree with #13 that experience is the best way to gauge the candidate e.g. Roxas who has been in gov’t for 30 long years and we know that he cannot deliver unlike Duterte. People who talks so much do not think because talking is the only thing they are good at. After talking no energy is left to do anything. That’s why engineers do not talk so much because they have to do deep ANALYSIS.
Kahit anong anggulo ang debate ay walang saysay kasi ang debate pagalingan lang pagsalita. Ang importante may pinapakita na nagagawa kahit hindi magaling magsalita. Ano ang nangyari sa pilipinas ng ang pangulo ay babae. Dalawa na ang naging pangulo ng pilipinas na babae. Walang magandang kinahihinatnan kapag ang presidente ay babae. Dapat ang presidente ay lalaki. Si roxas o kaya duterte o si binay.
Newer ROXAS, he is a weakling. He is hinding under the skirt of his mother Judy Araneta and Korina the chipmunk…