Taguig-Pateros Representative and former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said he is proposing five debates and fifteen-week one-on-one debates in the lead-in to the 2022 national elections.
"So ang proposal natin limang debate. Isa either November or December, then January, February, March, April, so imbes na tatlo, lima," he told DZRH in an interview.
(So our proposal is five debates. One either in November or December, then January, February, March, April, so instead of three, we have five.)
Aside from the debates, the representative is also seeking a 15-week long one-on-one debate between the candidates.
"Second, bukod sa limang debate na lahat sila maglalaban-laban, lahat ng magkatunggali, president, vice-president, kasunod naman po ay one-on-one debates, labinglimang linggo lang ang kailangan natin kapag pumayag," he explained.
(Second, aside from five debates where competitors will clash, including candidates for president and vice president. The next is one-on-one debates, where we will need 15 weeks if they all agree to it.)
Cayetano, who is also seeking a senatorial seat, said such debates are necessary in order to give Filipinos an idea of who is the most capable to lead the nation in the future.
"So ang kahalagahan nito is making the right decision based on the right information," he said. "Sa debate lalabas lahat yan, so hindi natin pino-propose yung batuhan ng putik, yung asaran lang, yung ba bangayan lang."
(The importance of this is making the right decision based on the right information. All of that will come out in the debate, so we are not proposing mud-slinging, taunting, and arguing.)
He noted that it would be much better if the media, academe, or even business groups would handle such debates, which could scrutinize the candidates' personalities as well as their careers.
"Lahat ng problema may lunas, at kapag nag-debate lalabas at lalabas yan," he said.
(All problems have a solution, and all of it will come out once the debate happens.)
The topic of in-person debates among the presidentiables has been raised over the past weeks.
Senator Manny Pacquiao dared other presidential aspirants for an in-person debate, a challenge accepted by Vice President Leni Robredo.
Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso, Senator Panfilo Lacson, Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, and labor leader Leody De Guzman also agreed with a face-to-face presidential debate.
