Anakpawis Rep Slams Proposed College Graduate Requirement for Elected Officials, “It’s Anti-Poor”

Anakpawis Party-list Representative Ariel Casilao strongly opposed the proposed college degree requirement for aspiring lawmakers such as congressmen and senators. This is after the Charter Change panel had agreed via 13-5 votes that the said requirement to be included in the new Constitution under the proposed federal system.

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"The suggestion is a property qualification for running for elective posts. It will disenfranchise the poor from even aspiring to become candidates, from having a chance to run in any election and for any government post. One's educational background should not be a hindrance for people to run for government posts," Casilao said.

"We urge the Con-Com not to close the door to ordinary, poor and property-challenged Filipinos who want to serve the country in their capacity. The proposal of the Con-Com is manifestly anti-democratic. Clearly, it violates the basic rights of every Filipino who aspires to serve the people," He added, noting that there were great lawmakers who did not finish college.

Last Tuesday, former Chief Justice and Con-Com Chairman Reynato Puno said in a press briefing that the subcommittee decided to include the provision to improve the quality of laws from Congress. He emphasized that the committee recommendation came easy considering that only a few congressmen are not college graduates.

“There were lots of discussions on the issue of imposing this educational qualification. On one hand, there is school of thought that somehow that this is anti-democratic somehow on the ground that you’re limiting the right of some Filipinos those without college degree to run for office,” he said. The Consultative Committee is set vote after the Lenten break.



Under Section 3, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution, senatorial candidates are required only to be at least 35 years old, able to read and write, a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, and a resident of the country for at least 2 years before the elections. It can be recalled that the late-senator Miriam Defensor Santiago made the same proposal in 2013.

Contributed by Renato Pasayao