Over 100 certificates of candidacy have been filed in the Commission on Election for the country’s top spot. Out of those, only a handful will be permitted to run for president. The GUIDON takes a closer look at six of the top gunners for the presidency.
Photo from Bullit Marquez for AP
Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Cojuangco Aquino III
Age: 49
Education:
AB Economics, Ateneo de Manila University
Previous Parties: Liberal Party
Current Party: Liberal Party
Previous Positions Held:
Representative, 3rd District of Tarlac (1998-2007)
Senator (2007- present)
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government
On the economy
– Aquino plans to create good working conditions for businesses and citizens alike.
– Rural communities, previously treated as problem areas, will be seen as investment areas for achieving food security.
– Programs should be created to give working opportunities to the poor rather than merely giving dole-outs.
– He says more local jobs should be provided to make working abroad “a choice rather than a necessity.”
On agrarian reform
– Aquino’s family owns the controversial Hacienda Luisita. The family has been criticized for failing to subject the estate to the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, which would have given the estate’s workers a share of the land.
– During his term in the Senate, Aquino first voted against agrarian reform. As the Liberal Party’s presidential bet, he said that the issue was being politicized and used against him by leftists. However, he is said to be considering giving up the family’s rights over the estate.
On Charter Change
– “I am against any move to amend the Constitution and I am against this move by the lower house to desecrate the identity of Congress as a bicameral institution. I am committed to preclude this rushed manner of changing our fundamental and sacrosanct law,” Aquino said of the Lower House’s vote to amend the Constitution. He argued that the basis for doing so had not been properly identified, nor was it the pressing problem at the time.
On Visiting Forces Agreement
– In the “Face to Face” forum by ANC, Aquino noted the foreign superpower agenda in Mindanao. He said the VFA should be reviewed to be of more service to the country than to America. While he acknowledged the value of joint military exercises, he believes that Filipinos should be granted more rights than convicted Americans.
On Reproductive Health Bill
– Aquino, a member of the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development, supports the bill despite the possibility of not getting the Church’s support.
– He believes that legislation can help provide proper sex education, which can counteract misinformation from the Internet and other sources. Aquino also supports the plan to have government health centers ready for the public to avail of contraceptives.
– “There are provisions in the bill that I want to correct and I also want to clarify some results made by the Senate committee handling the bill,” Aquino says.
Photo from http://ronaldredito.org
Gilberto Eduardo Gerardo “Gibo” Cojuangco Teodoro Jr.
Age: 45
Education:
BS Commerce, Major in Financial Institutions, De La Salle University
Bachelor of Laws, University of the Philippines
Masters Degree, Harvard Law School
Previous Parties: Nationalist People’s Coalition
Current Party: Lakas-Kampi-CMD
Previous Positions Held:
Representative, First District of Tarlac
Secretary of National Defense
Assistant Majority Leader of the 11th Congress
On the economy
– Two goals to reach the highest possible level of human welfare: (1) eliminating poverty and breaking its cycle from one generation to another and (2) ensuring continuous improvement in people’s living standards
– “I concur with their view that to achieve these twin goals, we must have sustained growth of income and employment, macro-economic and price stability, and safeguard political and economic freedom,” Teodoro says.
On agrarian reform
– Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said administration standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro, who is Aquino’s second cousin, should also bare his position on land reform.
– “Most of those running for the highest positions in the country are landowners or somehow connected with families that own lands,” Reyes said.
On Charter Change
– Teodoro argues that there is a need for a new constitution. He believes that the 1987 Constitution is a reactive constitution that has already served its purpose, which was to remove all vestiges of the dictatorial regime at that time.
On Visiting Forces Agreement
– “Troops should be given the chances to work together, to train together. Military alliances are good things. That is why I am not for the abrogation of the VFA,” Teodoro said. He added that soldiers who acted improperly were “dealt with very severely.”
– Teodoro believes that the VFA should be studied carefully both for its positive and negative aspects. However, he said that the review should be done after the elections. “It’s going to be influenced by political emotions and political sentiments. This is an issue on international relation and national interest should prevail,” he said.
On Reproductive Health Bill
– Until recently, Teodoro had been in favor of the bill, arguing for freedom of informed choice and against the “enforced belief” that contraception is bad. However, Teodoro and his wife, Tarlac Representative Monica Louise Prieto-Teodoro, withdrew support for the bill last November, saying it has been “defanged and now toothless.” The bill, Prieto-Teodoro said, does not directly address the problem of poverty in the country.
Photo from AFP
Manuel “Manny” Bamba Villar Jr.
Age: 60
Education:
BS and MA in Business Administration and Accountancy, University of the Philippines-Diliman
Masters Degree, Harvard Law School
Previous Parties:
Lakas – Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD)
Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino (LAMP)
Current Party: Nacionalista Party
Previous Positions Held:
Representative, Lone District of Las Piñas-Muntinlupa (1992-1998)
Representative, Lone District of Las Piñas (1998-2001)
Speaker of the House of Representatives (1998-2001)
Senate President (2001-2003, 2007-present)
Chair, Senate Committee on Finance
Senate President Pro-Tempore (2001-2003)
On the economy
– Villar plans to promote entrepreneurship by making it easier for returning OFWs and fresh graduates to raise capital.
-mHe will require the creation of quarterly reports from each government agency to promote greater transparency and accountability with public funds.
On agrarian reform
– Villar introduced Senate Bill Number 2636 which would extend the deadline of CARP by another five years. This bill also provides for the creation of a Congressional Oversight Committee on Agrarian Reform to ensure transparency during the five-year extension.
On Charter Change
– He opposes the move to amend the Constitution, but says that his view may not be reflected by his party.
– Villar has warned that the plan to amend the Constitution’s economic provisions could lead to a complete overhaul. ““The proposed amendment to the economic provisions, to me, is just a decoy. Once we allow it, everything is now open for amendments,” he said. He added that political provisions may also be amended once charter change is allowed.
On Visiting Forces Agreement
– In 2006 Villar, a member of the Legislative Oversight Committee of the VFA (LOVFA), urged the scrapping of the agreement because of the negligible benefits the Philippine military has received from the treaty. He added that the people’s sentiments on the agreement should also be considered.
On Reproductive Health Bill
– Villar does not have a clear stand on the bill. His wife is a known supporter in the House of Representatives, but the he has not released an official stand.
Photo by Jess Yuson for Inquirer
Richard “Dick” Juico Gordon
Age: 64
Education:
AB in History and Government, Ateneo de Manila University
Bachelor of Laws, University of the Philippines-Diliman
MA in Business Administration, University of the Philippines-Diliman
Previous Parties:
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL)
Lakas – Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD)
Nacionalista Party
Current Party:BAGUMBAYAN
Previous Positions Held:
Olongapo City Mayor (1980-1986, 1988-1993)
Chairman and Administrator of Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (1992-1998)
Secretary of Tourism (2001-2004)
Senator (2004- present)
Chair of the Senate Committees on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations, Tourism, Constitutional Amendments and Government Corporations and Public Enterprises
On the economy
– Gordon says the Philippines should renegotiate with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to address the country’s debt problem.
– Part of his priorities is education, which he considers “the key to national development to compete and lead in the new global economy.”
On agrarian reform
– Gordon supported the passage of Senate Bill 2666, also known as Carper, which extends the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) by five years and a budget of 147 billion pesos. He considers agrarian reform important because “farmers would end up more impoverished” if the government did not act upon this issue.
On Charter Change
– Gordon believes that changing the Constitution is ill-timed and would raise suspicions of lifting term limits. “I strongly advise our colleagues in the House against moves to bypass the Senate in their attempt to railroad Charter change. Resist the temptation because it would not do any good for our country now,” he said.
– He added that both the House and the Senate should vote separately to amend the Constitution. He has filed Senate Resolution 26 calling for a Constitutional Convention after the elections with the new members of the 15th Congress as delegates.
On Visiting Forces Agreement
– Gordon says the VFA is for the country’s interest and would promote good relationships with the US. ”We have a historical attachment to them. It is in our national interest to have a VFA to have a good relationship with America,” he said.
– Although Gordon supports the agreement, he also wants to clarify criminal jurisdiction to avoid a repeat of the Subic rape case.
On Reproductive Health Bill
– Gordon has expressed support for the bill. He is also in favor of teaching sex education to high school students, saying it is most appropriate to teach it to those entering puberty. Regarding contraceptives, he said that the government should ensure that these are safe to avoid future health problems.
Photo from http://rightonthemark.wordpress.com
Joseph Marcelo “Erap” Ejercito Estrada
Age: 72
Education:
2nd year high school, Ateneo de Manila
Attended an engineering course in Mapua Institute of Technology
Previous Parties:
Nacionalista Party
Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC)
Current Party: Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP)
Previous Positions Held:
Mayor of the Municipality of San Juan (1967-1986)
Senator (1987-1992)
Chair, Senate Committee on Cultural Minorities
Vice President of the Philippines (1992-1998)
President of the Philippines (1998-2001)
On the economy
– Estrada will prioritize peace and order to divert military funding and manpower to building homes, schools and hospitals. He believes that security will increase foreign investments and tourism and therefore will help the economy.
On agrarian reform
– Estrada has distributed 108,907 hectares of land during his term as president. He has also launched EO 151 which allows the voluntary consolidation of small farm operation into medium and large scale integrated enterprise that can access long-term capital.
On Charter Change
– Estrada has been vocal in his opposition to charter change. He says that if it proceeds, Arroyo would have violated the Constitution for the third time. In an Inquirer article, he said that Arroyo had done so in 2001 when she assumed power and in the Hello Garci scandal in 2004.
On Visiting Forces Agreement
– The agreement was passed by the Senate and signed by then-president Estrada in 1999. In 2000, the Supreme Court declared the VFA constitutional and said that both the Senate and Estrada did not abuse their discretion in the ratification of the agreement.
– His stand however remains unclear.
On Reproductive Health Bill
– Estrada has expressed full support for the bill and for the teaching of sex education to high school students. He says that he will pursue a policy of freedom of choice.
Photo from http://pagodkanaba.blogspot.com
Nicanor Jesus “Nicky” Pineda Perlas
Age: 59
Education:
BS Agriculture, Major in Agronomy, Minor in Agricultural Economics from Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro City
MS (candidate) in Botany from University of the Philippines Los Baños (1978)
Current Party: Independent
Previous Positions Held:
Co-Chair for Civil Society, Philippine Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), Office of the President (1996)
Adviser on Strategy and Integral Sustainable Development for Lifebank (1999-2008)
Co-Founder and Chairman, International Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture (IASA)
Chair of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development(1998)
On the economy
– Perlas plans to create programs and microfinance ventures in the agricultural and fisheries sectors. Also, he plans to increase government resources for their modernization, and move towards “strategic micro-finance” where individual enterprises will be interlinked into larger networks of larger value.
– Oppressive local monopolies should be removed, and non-economic factors vital to poverty reduction efforts should be addressed. Perlas also aims to provide meaningful employment to the poor.
On agrarian reform
– Perlas aims to implement the Agrarian Reform Programs on private land and speed up the passage of “a comprehensive land use for the country.” He also plans to provide agriculture-related support services to reform communities, such as providing roads, post-harvest facilities, and broadband Internet services.
On Charter Change
– In his platform, Perlas says that he will support a change in constitution through the right means, the right time, and the right reasons. He does not want the change done before the 2010 elections, for term extension of officials, or through constitutional assembly, preferring a constitutional convention instead.
On Visiting Forces Agreement
– Perlas has not released an official stand on this issue.
On Reproductive Health Bill
– Perlas believes that responsible education is crucial in all stages of reproductive health. He is advocating for a balanced approach to the bill: the right to life and importance of responsibility vis-a-vis the right to free choice. However, he thinks that certain revisions should be made to the bill.
Editor’s note: As of press time, Nicanor Perlas’ COC (Certificate of Candidacy) was rejected by Comelec.
