Today is #juanvote Blog Action Day and I have these questions to ask candidates for senator, and district and partylist congressperson:
- Internet freedom is important to Filipinos: Are you going to file or support a bill repealing the Cybercrime Law and the Data Privacy Law?
- Government and all officials should be accountable and transparent to citizens: Are you going to file or support a bill on Freedom of Information?
- Free expression by journalists and citizens should be upheld: Are you going to file or support a bill decriminalizing libel?
- 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?
- Small businesses should be encouraged: Are you going to file or support a bill simplifying business registration procedures and exempting small business from taxes?
- 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?
- Unemployment and underemployment numbers are up: What are your plans to encourage mass employment opportunities?
- 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?
- 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?
- 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.