‘Same old, same old’ in local races

CHEERS TO the Philippine Daily Inquirer and the Manila Bulletin for running a story on local candidates in the coming elections.

With the start of the week-long filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) on October 12, the Inquirer reported what appears to be happening in many localities across the country. “In local races, same faces, same families” published on October 13, the Inquirer reported on the candidates seeking re-election, who are attempting a comeback, or running for posts other than those they currently occupy.

Put together by various Inquirer bureaus, the report found the usual names among the candidates running in areas near Metro Manila, Bicol, Northern and Central Luzon as well as in the Visayas and in Mindanao. Members of political dynasties, re-electionists, and incumbents who plan to run for other posts, were named, providing a picture on what local elections across the country will look like in the coming months. The Bulletin’s “Who’s running where?” published on October 14 also enumerated candidates who seem to be “not bowing out of politics.”

While common during elections, efforts to document them are stand out among the usual stories on electoral controversies, endorsements, Commission on Elections preparations and the focus on candidates for national office.

As the nation moves closer to the 2016 elections, reports on the campaign for national posts will definitely gain more media mileage. But media organizations could provide the electorate at the local level the information it sorely needs.