THE Commission on Elections has described Philippine democracy as “vibrant” following the big number of persons who want to run for president. For the Comelec, the vibrancy of democracy is measured by the number of would-be candidates for the highest office of the land.

But days after heaping praise on our “vibrant” democracy, the Comelec has started to weed out the candidates it considers “nuisance” or who would make a mockery of the elections. If there’ll be fewer candidates, then Philippine democracy will be less vibrant. I say, let all those who are at least 40 years of age, natural born Filipinos, resident of the Philippines for at least 10 years and able to read and write run for president.