THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) will closely study the insights of delegates of the "Debate Visit and Best Practices Symposium" at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in relation to holding future election debates in the country.
According to Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez, their interactions with representatives of other nations have so far provided them with insights on how to design, prepare for, and mount debates.
He particularly noted the delegates from Jamaica, which he lauded for its"efficiency."
“If we can learn from the Jamaican experience in terms of how they maintain a constant state of readiness, our debate preparations can benefit from increased efficiency and, ultimately, efficacy...Holding debates at the local level, which Jamaica is already doing, is also one of the Commission’s goals and is desired by many Filipinos," Jimenez said in a statement.
The poll body official is representing the Philippines at the symposium, which brings together around 50 delegates to share their unique stories about mounting debates in their home countries. It was organized by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) and National Democratic Institute (NDI).
Jimenez is set to give a presentation on the politics and background of election debates in the Philippines, part of the discussion on “Debate Sponsor Models: Perspectives of Election Authorities and Media Regulatory Groups” on the second day of the symposium.
It can be recalled that the Comelec conducted a series of PiliPinas Debates 2016, prior to the May 9 national and local polls. (FP/Sunnex)