MAYORAL CANDIDATES FORUM IN ATENEO DE NAGA UNIVERSITY

ADNU Hosts Mayoral Fora

The University Social Involvement (USIC) - Committee on Socio-Political Education and Involvement (CSPEAI) and the Social Sciences Department of the Ateneo de Naga University (ADNU) teamed up to hold mayoral forums entitled Safeguarding 2010 and Beyond: Getting to Know the Candidates last 18 February 2010.

The first of the two forums was held at ADNU’s Gymnansium from 9-12 o’clock and featured four Naga city mayoral candidates – Atty. Adan Botor, former City Councilor Luis Ortega, Incumbent City Councilor Atty. John Bongat and former City Mayor and former Camarines Sur 2nd District Representative Sulpicio Roco.

The forum was divided into three parts. The first part gives the candidates 20 minutes to answer key issues on Governance, Environment, Economics, Peace and Order, Education, Arts and Culture and Social Services. The second series of questions came from the panelists composed of Office of Student Affairs (OSA) Director Atty. Jo Aileen Cabiles, Arts and Sciences faculty member Bernadette Gumba, Noel Amador of University Student Recruitment Office (USRO) and Ateneo Personnel Club (APC) and Jose Rizal Model Student Chanelle Anne Allorde. For this part the candidates was given only two minutes to answer questions. The third and last series of questions, pre-screened by a technical board, came from the audience consisting of students of Naga city. For this part the questions range from the pertinent “What’s your stand in the RH bill?” to the revealing “If you won, will you appoint one of your rivals as city administrator? If yes, who will it be?” The question which solicited much interest and applause from the crowd was “If you’re not running, who will you vote for among your rivals?”

The second forum was held at Instructional Media Center (IMC) form 1:30- 4 in the afternoon. Resource persons for the event were mayoral candidates of the municipality of Pili composed of former municipal mayor Tomas Bongalonta, incumbent municipal mayor Romy Salazar, Atty. Noreen San Luis and Dexter Morano.

This forum likewise followed the three section format. Panelists were Deputy Academic Vice president for Formation Janet Badong-Badilla, OSA Director Atty. Jo Aileen Cabiles, Noel Amador of USRO and APC and Glenn Fabia of the Supreme Student Government-Student Tribunal.

Elmer Abad III served as the forum’s Master of Ceremonies.

The event was meant to educate voters. Over 800 participants joined the two forums.

— Rex Perez
http://www.adnu.edu.ph/NewsAndEvents/02192010d.asp