[WATCH] All-male panel in KBP forum, no questions on women’s issues

MANILA, Philippines – Among the many things that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) might need to consider when staging the next presidential forum is to make sure that the panel would be well-represented by male and female.

That’s the recommendation of Rappler columnist and editorial consultant John Nery as he gave his observations on the recently concluded Panata sa Bayan: The KBP Presidential Candidates Forum hosted by Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) on Friday, February 4.

“Maybe I can start and point out the obvious, there were too many men. It seems that Karen Davila is the token female… It’s already 2022 and we need to already break out of that thinking, and that also I was struck by the fact that provincial KBP representatives are also men,” Nery said during the recent episode of In the Running.

The same sentiment was shared by Rappler’s senior multimedia reporter Bea Cupin: “Women’s issues were not discussed at all. I think that’s the result of predominant male panel.”

The KBP forum featured an all-male panel of seasoned journalists: Ed Lingao from News5, Roby Alampay from One News, Elmar Acol from Bombo Radyo, and Dan Andrew Cura from the Far East Broadcasting Company. 

During a segment where KBP’s provincial news anchors got to ask questions to the presidential bets, all those who inquired were also men. 

The Comelec is set to host a series of national poll debates beginning February.

The all-male panel was also among the issues raised by netizens during the forum. – Rappler.com

In the Running is the continuation of Rappler’s coverage of the 2022 national elections. Watch the latest episode here.