MANILA, Philippines  (The Adobo Chronicles) – In election years in the Philippines, there are mass political rallies, but no televised live debates.  But that could soon change if a lawmaker’s proposal to create a Presidential Debate Commission is approved by Congress.

Representative Estrellita B. Suansing (1st District, Nueva Ecija) filed the proposal last year which aims to benefit presidential and vice-presidential candidates as it will provide them a good venue to present their platforms and positions on issues that affect the country, and also clarify matters facing the candidates themselves before the voters.

“I hope it will merit the approval of Congress and the president during the remaining months of the 16th Congress so we can already have a Presidential Debate Commission in place prior to the May elections. The Presidential Debate Commission shall obligate all presidential and vice presidential candidates to participate in the debates, and thus, will help the voting population discern who to vote for,” said Suansing, who is also the vice chairperson of the Committee on Women and Gender Equality.

The proposal embodied in House Bill 5269, otherwise known as proposed “Presidential Debate Reform Act”, has already been referred to the House Committee on Government Reorganization and has a counter-part measure, Senate Bill 1797, submitted by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

In anticipation of the first Philippine presidential debate, CNN Philippines has offered to host and broadcast it live. The cable news network has even designated its star anchor Anderson Cooper to moderate the proceedings.  Cooper was moderator in last night’s U.S. Democratic presidential debate on CNN.

Cooper is extremely popular in the Philippines.  His ground zero coverage of the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in Tacloban gained him the respect and admiration of the Filipinos.  Following his stellar coverage of the disaster, Cooper was rumored to being considered the next U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines.

Upon learning of the news, broadcaster Korina Sanchez, wife of administration presidential candidate Mar Roxas, registered her strong objections to Cooper being named as debate moderator.

Many will recall that Sanchez had her own debate with Cooper when she accused the American news anchor of not knowing what he was talking about in his coverage of Typhoon Haiyan.  Cooper challenged her to leave her airconditioned broadcast studio in Manila and do her own live coverage at ground zero in Tacloban.

“Cooper, because of our conflict, will not be a fair and balanced debate moderator since my husband is one of the presidential candidates,” Sanchez said.