The Philippines should now start opening the conversation on whether or not runoff elections will work in the country, presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo said.
"Kailangan pag-usapan na natin, magwo-work ba dito sa atin yung runoff elections. Ang model sa ibang bansa merong runoff elections. Para sa akin buksan na natin 'yung discussion. Buksan natin 'yung debate (We need to start discussing if runoff elections work for us. The model of other countries has runoff elections. For me, let's start opening the conversation. Let's start opening the debate)," Robredo said during the KBP Presidential Candidates Forum on Friday, Feb. 4.
Runoff elections is a second election used in other countries if the top vote-getting candidate did not achieve the minimum percentage of votes required during the first election.
The Vice President brought this up when she was asked on her opinion on Anti-Turncoatism Bill and the needed reform for political parties amid voters' perception that all political parties in the country are all of the same feather.
Robredo said it's high time for the Anti-Dynasty Law, which she co-authored, to be passed into law. She cited this as among the ways to improve and strengthen the political parties and the politics, as a whole, in the country.
"Feeling ko panahon na para ipasa iyon. Kailangan meron na din tayong batas on premature campaigning kasi naabuso ito. Kontra tayo sa substitution kasi naabuso din ito (I feel like it's time to pass the law. We should also have a law on premature campaigning because it is being abused. We are against substitution because this is also being abused)," she said.
The aspiring president further said that political parties must be strengthened because "our democracy depends on it."
She pointed out that turncoatism or the shifting of allegiance from one party to another should not be allowed, stressing that it's also high time to not allow it like what other countries do.