Nuisance candidacy

Of course our constitution respects the rights of individuals to run for public office so long as they meet the basic qualifications set by the Comelec. But common sense is the gauge that could determine one’s fitness to launch a campaign machinery, and to assume the aspired position in case he wins. Some aspirants are obviously not capable of both, and so they end of being nuisance candidates.

Perhaps, if the position aspired for is not that high enough as in the case of barangay councilor in remote barangays, that could be alright. But if the position is lofty like a senate post, an aspirant could be easily identified as either nuisance or not. The gravity of the responsibility attached to a senator, the knowledge that the position requires, and the necessary logistics for the campaign period, are some of the determining factors that gauge the aspirants.

Unfortunately, it appears that majority of the aspirants do not qualify based on the above qualifications. One may be too rich to launch an extravagant nationwide campaign, or too popular to win the people’s knowledge of him, but he does not possess the required knowledge for the job. On the other hand, one may have all the technical know-how for that job, but he is hard up and unpopular to gather the people’s vote.