Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales said on Wednesday that the qualities of a good president should be God-fearing, with morals, not involved in any anomaly, and knows how to give value to the poor and life.

Rosales issued the qualities over the Church-run Radio Veritas 846 last Tuesday.

“A lot of people in our society are coming out, saying they might run for president and whoever wants to be the country’s next leader should have these four qualities,” he said.

The Cardinal said that it is important for the people to be informed of what to look for in a candidate this early, citing the country’s need for good leadership, not to mention the prevailing poverty.

The Archdiocese of Manila is expected to come up with a detailed list of qualities in January next year, four months before the national elections.

Rosales said that the first quality the voters should look for in a candidate is that the person should be God-fearing.

“If the person is only paying lip service to God to be popular, then we should not vote for that person,” he said.

Next on the cardinal’s list is morality.

Rosales said a person with good morals do what is right and avoid what the wrong.

A candidate, he also said, should be anomaly-free. Rosales added that the candidate should know how to value the poor and life.

‘If a candidate possesses all those four qualities, then that person is worthy to be a leader because that person knows how to value not only the country and the people, but also knows how to value life,” said Rosales.

Among those running for president in 2010 are Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, Sen. Manny Villar, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, former president Joseph Estrada, and Jesus is Lord (JIL) leader Bro. Eddie Villanueva.