For every presidential election, many Filipino citizens, and especially the current high school students prepare to vote for the first time. And the question we can be asking is: What are the qualities tone should look for in a presidential candidate?

We’ve asked one of our youth correspondent kaker Alegre and shares the following:

Perhaps, I am a dreamer, but I am looking for a presidential candidate with a heart and mind towards his/her people. The Philippines needs a presidential leader who will raise the importance of solving the drug problem, hospital medicines and equipment, and making the education of every student a top priority. 

A presidential candidate would get my vote if he/she took a strong stand on crime. Drugs are a serious problem in the Philippines. The future of our generation is "scary" unless we get it under control now. I believe not all hospitals in our country have a lot of medical supplies and most especially the public health institutions were lacking medical equipment. It needs a huge budget to fill what is necessary health supplies to provide for the public hospitals. 

The next president of the Philippines would need to put more money into our schools and bring respect back to the teaching profession. We are the leaders of tomorrow and education is a vital tool to our success. I'd like to see a big emphasis on the basics: reading, writing, and arithmetic.

My dream for a presidential candidate can come true if I vote for the candidate that is totally committed to solving the drug problem, hospital needs, and giving us a top-rate educational program in the Philippines.

All Filipinos have different ideas about the importance that character plays in the job performance of the President. Considering all of the hats that a President must wear, perhaps the symbolic role that the President plays is mostly affected by character. Presidents must somehow symbolize what Filipino citizens believe to be the essence of their country. A president represents what is valued now, for the future, while learning from the past.