10 questions for Senate, Congress candidates

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Today is #juanvote Blog Action Day and I have these questions to ask candidates for senator, and district and partylist congressperson:

  1. Internet freedom is important to Filipinos: Are you going to file or support a bill repealing the Cybercrime Law and the Data Privacy Law?
  2. Government and all officials should be accountable and transparent to citizens: Are you going to file or support a bill on Freedom of Information?
  3. Free expression by journalists and citizens should be upheld: Are you going to file or support a bill decriminalizing libel?
  4. Hardworking families need support: Are you going to file or support a bill lowering income taxes for persons earning less than P1,000,000 in annual net income?
  5. Small businesses should be encouraged: Are you going to file or support a bill simplifying business registration procedures and exempting small business from taxes?
  6. Reduce VAT: Are you going to file or support the bill lowering the VAT rate on oil products, power and water from 12 to 10 percent?
  7. Unemployment and underemployment numbers are up: What are your plans to encourage mass employment opportunities?
  8. Callcenters and BPOs are thriving but agents need help: Are you going to file or support a bill for mandatory health care insurance for all BPO and call center agents, with coverage from Day 1 of probationary period?
  9. Time for better internet for the Philippines: Are you going to file or support bills strengthening consumer protection, setting and raising standards for internet services, and fighting monopoly and foreign control of telecommunications companies?
  10. Education is a right, not a privilege: Are you committed to raising the budget for state colleges and universities and public elementary and high schools to adequate levels? Are you committed to opposing so-called “socialized tuition fee schemes” in state schools?

Congress is important. Candidates running for congressman or senator should have commitments and a plan on which we should judge them now that they are campaigning and, if they win, once they occupy their honored places as legislators.

This is my contribution to the #juanvote Blog Action Day.