The Philippine Online Chronicles

Elections are not just about our candidates. It is about us, the electorate, as well. Responsible voters don't just vote right. They vote responsibly and respond to the challenges that lie beyond their commitment to push for their causes. Knowledge is the key to power, and these are the things we should know:

• Know your beliefs. It's about time we all stand up for something. If you don't have an opinion on some of the critical issues that we face, get the facts through research. Being informed is always the start of our political maturity.
• Know our candidates well – their complete profile, their political history, their business dealings, etc. How they achieve their present status can show us how competently they will be able to perform as our national leader.
• Know their platform of government. This will be a tool to help our economy grow. Don't be swayed by surveys, by their celebrity supporters, or by their promises alone.
• Know that you are the focus of negative campaigning: the undecided, the critical, the careful and deliberate voter. You are the one intended to be manipulated. They just want you not to show up at all on election day. If you stay away, their dirty tricks would have worked. Don’t give them the satisfaction. It’s up to us to break the shackles of ignorance and apathy by educating ourselves and finding out the real score regarding the people we want to vote into office. It won’t be easy but if we persevere, the truth will reveal itself in the end.
• Know that surveys do not provide information on platforms. Surveys just say that one candidate is popular at the particular time that a survey is conducted. Let’s not waste our vote by basing it on trending and survey-driven analysis. The real results arrive on election day.

The challenge for the May 2010 election is maturity in the way voters and candidates conduct themselves. It starts with ourselves- scrutinizing the candidate and verifiying candidate claims. We then decide on all factors combined- our conscience, our faith, and the candidate’s character, competency, coherent platforms, and a clear vision.

Blog Watch and Wikipilipinas collated the platforms of social issues from the presidential candidates into a platform matrix (View it here)

Be informed by reading this guide to nine (9) presidential candidates and then adding further research through their official websites, forums, and other credible sources of information.

Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” C. Aquino III

Introductory brief

Noynoy viewed politics as a necessary vehicle for change, a perspective he formed early in life through the examples set by both of his parents. Noynoy focused on the fiscalizing role of a legislator. He felt that there were already too many laws, and good ones at that, but they seemingly lacked proper implementation. He concentrated on crafting laws that would help create opportunity rather than impose additional burdens to those who are already disadvantaged. He actively took part in budget deliberations to ensure that government initiatives will address the plight of the people who need help the most. The passing of his mother, former President Cory Aquino, stirred a long-dormant yearning for good leadership. Filipinos from all walks of life, here and abroad, began to look at Noynoy as the new hope for a better Philippines. The groundswell calling for him to run for President became too loud to ignore, and eventually overcame his reluctance.

Party

Liberal Party

Age

50 years old

Primary platforms

Noynoy Aquino’s platform is about transformational leadership. An example of which is from a President who tolerates corruption to a President who is the nation’s first and most determined fighter of corruption. He asserts good governance, transparency and prudent budgeting, education and social welfare, and economic reforms as his primary thrust if the nation will elect him as President in the coming 2010 Elections.

Political background

In 1998, he ran for a seat in the House of Representatives and won, serving as Congressman of the second district of Tarlac until 2007. He served on numerous committees as a member of Congress and served as deputy speaker from November 8, 2004 to February 21, 2006.

In May 2007, he ran for senator and won, placing sixth in the national elections. At the Senate, he chairs the Committee on Local Government and is also the vice-chairperson of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

Track record

In his three terms as a congressman and one term as a senator, Noynoy only had a handful of bills and resolutions. He authored nine bills, two of which are pending before the House of Representatives. Noynoy Aquino has held chairmanship on the Committee on Local Government. He Co-Chaired the Committee on Justice and Human Rights. He has been a member of the committees on Urban Planning, Ways and Means, Youth, Woman and Family Relations, and Public Works, Trade and Commerce as well as Peace, Reunification and Reconciliation.

Pros

Noynoy enjoys immense popularity among voters, primarily because the public perceives him as an extension of his parents. He is not perceived as a corrupt official. His initial reluctance to enter the presidential race is a plus factor. He has also been shown to take positions adverse to his political allies.

Cons

Noynoy however, has not been able to adequately answer the Hacienda Luisita issue. He has relatively insufficient political experience and is being criticized for not being able to achieve much as a senator or as a congressman. He is also perceived as riding on the coat-tails of his parents.

Website- http://noynoy.ph

John Carlos "JC" de los Reyes

Introductory brief

JC de los Reyes may be a member of the powerful Gordon clan, but this young Presidential aspirant truly considers the Ang Kapatiran Party his political family, if his platform of governance and campaign strategy is any indication. Armed with a theology degree from the Franciscan University of Steubenville (Ohio, USA), a master’s degree holder in Public Administration from UP, and a Law degree from St. Louis University, two-time Olongapo City Councilor JC de los Reyes may have a handicap in terms of popularity, political experience and traditional resources for his political campaign, but what he lacks in those departments, he makes up for in his high hopes and diligent efforts to win over the electorate with his promise of transformational politics.

Party

Ang Kapatiran Party (AKP)

Age

40 years old (he was born on a Valentines’ Day, February 14, 1970)

Primary platforms

JC de los Reyes political platform strictly adheres to that of his party, which is closely affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church (although membership is open to other denominations willing to abide by AKP’s vision). His political party is possibly the only one in the Philippines which aims to “seek the Kingdom of God” as part of its platform of government. Among the notable features of his platform are the following: the abolition of gambling, death penalty and use of torture, the active promotion of natural planning methods and responsible parenthood (he is strongly against the RH Bill which advocates the equal promotion of artificial birth control methods), progressive disarmament geared towards the creation of a gun-less society, abolition of the pork barrel system, fixing the AFP Chief of Staff’s term to three years, regardless of the statutory retirement age, forbidding elective and appointive public officials to become media practitioners while in office, the prohibition on using billboards and like media to show the pictures or names of public officials responsible for government projects, and strict enforcement of laws on nepotism and against political dynasties.

Political background

JC de los Reyes’ political experience is strictly as a local legislator. He first became City Councilor of Olongapo in 1995, He ran for the same post and placed second in the 2007 elections, and was the lone winner from his party, despite of his decade-long absence from the local political scene (admittedly brought about by his disillusionment with politics). For one so outspoken against nepotism and political dynasties, these victories were in part brought about by his being a Gordon.

Track record

As a councilor, De los Reyes took special interest in the poor, the youth, cooperatives, and appropriations for local projects. He is described by colleagues as a diligent councilor.

Pros

To his credit, JC de los Reyes shows consistent adherence to the guiding principles of AKP—good news for voters who support the vision of the group. In this sense, one can say that this candidate is very platform-oriented and idealistic. Unlike most presidential (and for that matter, most traditional aspirants for elective office) who spend fortunes for political advertising, de los Reyes’ campaign expenses are kept at a minimum, focusing instead on campaign sorties, the use of internet resources (the AKP has an official website and blogs as well as a Facebook account) and participation in various presidential debates and interviews conducted by national media. Although not a seasoned politician like most presidential contenders, his law degree and Masters Degree in Public Administration may come in handy if he becomes the next President.

Cons

On the other hand, JC de los Reyes's lack of sufficient political experience and his low popularity ratings may prove to be his undoing. Unlike present and past presidential aspirants who have had experience in the legislative, executive and/or judicial department, his track record shows experience in local legislative matters, and not much else.

Also, his adherence to the principles of the AKP may not sit well with a number of voters—for instance, those who favour the Reproductive Health bill. The ideals of the AKP, no matter how commendable, has been criticized as unrealistic and would most certainly meet strong opposition from various sectors in society.

Website- http://www.angkapatiranparty.com/

Jose Marcelo “Erap” Ejercito

Introductory brief

After being granted a presidential pardon for his conviction in plunder and corruption charges committed while he was a sitting President, Jose Marcelo Ejercito, better know as Joseph Estrada or simply Erap, is again running for Presidency, despite questions on the legality of such candidacy. After being involved in a jueteng scandal which led to a second People Power Revolution that forced him to step down from the Presidency, Estrada is bent on returning to his former post, much to the dismay of his critics and much to the pleasure of his supporters. Estrada is asking voters to bring him back to Malacanang to allow him to complete his unfinished business which was cut short by EDSA People Power 2.

Party

Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP)

Age

72 years old (born April 19, 1937)

Primary platforms

Estrada adheres to the political, economic and social platforms of his political party, whose political platform emphasizes the pursuit of an independent foreign policy; reconciliation with insurgents who take up arms against the government; making the judiciary fair, impartial and efficient; and local autonomy. Its economic platform emphasizes the development of the national economy and the countryside; privatization, deregulation and debt reduction for the benefit of the masses; limiting of foreign debt servicing to a certain percentage of our export earnings; comprehensive agrarian reform program for food and production security; implementation of programs that allow Filipinos to own and/or control big business enterprises critical to the national economy; improved tax collection; and requiring government corporations to pay taxes. Its social platform, on the other hand, emphasizes the equitable distribution of wealth, environmental protection, and education.

Political background

Joseph Estrada is a popular movie actor and this became his springboard to enter the realm of Philippine politics, first as a two-time mayor of San Juan, next as Senator, then as Vice President, and finally as President.

Track record

As senator, Estrada was among those who were against the presence of US military bases in the country. While Vice-President, he was made the chairman of the Presidential Anti-Crime Commission (PACC) of then President Ramos. Estrada, alongside former President Aquino, then Senator Arroyo, and Jaime Cardinal Sin led an anti-charter change rally against Ramos.

Caught in the middle of the Asian Financial Crisis, the fiscal deficit doubled during Estrada’s short stint as President. He also led an all-out war against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mindanao. Following the October 2000 expose of Ilocos Sur governor Luis "Chavit" Singson that he gave Php 400 million to Estrada as jueteng pay-off aside from the P180 million tobacco subsidy set aside for farmers’ marketing cooperatives, a much-televised impeachment case was filed against Estrada. When the impeachment court voted not to open the second envelope allegedly containing evidence on Estrada’s involvement in jueteng, the people again took to the streets of EDSA to force Estrada to resign from office. He was thereafter convicted on corruption and pardon charges but was later granted a presidential pardon by President Arroyo.

Pros

Erap intends to continue his pro-poor platform during a time when the country is besieged with the worst economic crisis in history. It is his own way, he says, of giving back to the masa when they have continuously supported him even after his downfall.

Cons

His party, PMP, is not really a political force to reckon with anymore. His stronghold for mobilization is mainly focused in Metro Manila, his bailiwick San Juan in particular. Legal luminaries are at odds as to whether Estrada can still run for President a second time given his circumstances.

Website: http//erap.ph

Richard “Dick” Gordon

Introductory brief

Richard “Dick” Gordon is the other half of the “Transformers” tandem, with Bayani Fernando as Vice President. To call himself a transformational leader would seem appropriate for this Presidential aspirant. With two terms as a senator, a stint as Tourism Secretary, the distinction of being the first SBMA Chairman, two terms as Mayor of Olongapo City, and the Philippine Red Cross Chairmanship under his belt, Dick Gordon is a strong contender for the presidency, albeit not among the top two most popular choices among voters, if SWS surveys are to be believed.

Party

Bagumbayan

Age

65 years old (He was born on August 5, 1945)

Primary platforms

The primary platforms of Dick Gordon are best encapsulated in the document entitled “Manifesto for Change” of his party, Bagumbayan. In the manifesto, he identified the problems besetting the country and the group’s guiding principles geared towards the alleviation of the country’s woes. He begins with a focus on individuals as having primary responsibility for themselves and their fellow Filipinos in the task of transformation. He wants an educated Philippines.

Political background

Senator Dick Gordon traces his roots to a powerful political clan as the son of the slain James Gordon and Amelia Gordon. Following his parents’ footsteps, Senator Gordon served two terms as mayor of Olongapo City and later became the first Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman. He later served as a member of the Cabinet as the country’s tourism Secretary. After landing the fifth spot in the 2004 Senatorial elections, he is at present a Member of the Commission on Appointments, and Chair of the Senate Committee on Government Corporations and Public Enterprises, Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments (13th Congress), Senate Committee on Tourism, and the Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations (Blue Ribbon).

Track record

During his term as Mayor and as SBMA Chair, Olongapo and Subic became the models for development, peace and order, and economic growth after the devastating Pinatubo eruption, bringing in billion-peso foreign investments from blue-chip companies. He successfully pushed for the creation of the Freeport and rejection of the 1991 bases agreement with the US. As the Secretary of Tourism, he gained praise for his Wow Philippines program which enjoyed relative success in promoting the Philippines as a prime tourist destination. As a Senator, he has the following notable pieces of legislation to his credit: Automated Election System law; the Tourism Bill; Veterans Equity Law; the law fixing the regular elections of the ARMM; the Sin Tax Law; laws fixing the tax regime in Special Economic Zones and Freeports in Clark in Pampanga, Poro Point in La Union, and John Hay in Baguio; the law abolishing the death penalty; and the Biofuels Act of 2007. As head of the International Red Cross, he was a visible figure in the rescue and relief operations for the Ondoy and Pepeng typhoon victims.

Pros

Gordon’s background and years of experience in the legislative and executive departments, his being a lawyer by profession, and his impressive track record have attracted many supporters. His performance in Subic and Olongapo lend credence to the “Transformers” tagline and shows strong political will.

Cons

Gordon’s governance style is firm and straightforward and is often perceived as a dictator. But a true leader, he said, must be feared by and not captive of his constituents.

Website-http://www.dickgordon2010.com/

Maria Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal

Introductory brief

Known to many as Jamby Madrigal, she belongs to a family of public servants and nation-builders. Her aunt, Senator Pacita Madrigal-Gonzales, was a senator during the Quezon and Magsaysay administrations and was the first Administrator of the Social Welfare Administration (predecessor of today’s Department of Social Welfare and Development). According to the Senate profiles, before Madrigal entered politics, she headed several foundations that aimed to improve child awareness and education. She will run as an independent candidate, without a vice president and without a senatorial slate, to allow “all like-minded candidates and people to unite under a shared and genuine progressive vision and platform of government based on principled politics.” Moreover, she said she intends to go on a solo presidential campaign so as not to be indebted to any party or big businessmen who fuel the machinery of other candidates. Determined to pull off a one-woman show in her presidential bid for 2010, she ought to prove that she is not a traditional presidential aspirant, but "a candidate of the people."

Party

Independent

Age

51 years old (born April 26, 1958)

Primary platforms

She will prioritize the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA). For the needs of the different sectors, she intends to undertake necessary tasks for genuine change, such as rechanneling foreign debt service to public education, raising the salaries of teacher and government employees, a P125 daily hike on workers’ wages across the board, and genuine agrarian reform.

Political background

During the Estrada administration, she served as the head of the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Children’s Affairs. She is currently the Chairperson of the Senate committees on Youth, Women and Family Relations; Environment and Natural Resources; and Peace.

Track record

As a legislator, Senator Madrigal has worked for the protection of the environment and has authored significant bills defending human rights and the rights of women and children. Under her chairmanship, the landmark Magna Carta of Women law was finally enacted after pending for more than a decade in Congress. Likewise, she successfully authored and passed the Anti-Child Pornography Law.

Senator Madrigal has likewise filed bills to advance nationalist economics and has a 100% consistent nationalist voting record. She voted against oppressive legislation such as the E-VAT law, the JPEPA treaty, and the Anti-Terrorism law.

Pros

Committed to the cause of poor Filipino children.

Cons

She is more known for her family and political controversies rather than her achievements as legislator.

Website- http://www.jambymadrigal.com

Nicanor “Nick” Perlas

Introductory brief

Environmentalist and civil society activist Nicanor Perlas may not have held any elective office prior to the 2010 Presidential elections, and may not be as popular as other seasoned politicians, but he has proven himself to be a genuine contender for the Presidency given his credentials, broadening (albeit small) support base, and active participation in various media and business group-sponsored presidential forums and debates.

Party

Partido ng Marangal na Sambayanan (PANGMASA)

Age

60 (He was born on January 10, 1950)

Primary platforms

Nick Perlas's primary platform is PANGMASA’s detailed platform of governance. The preamble states his advocacy, true participatory democracy, and explains that its platform is in the nature of a social contract with an underlying set of governing principles which is to become the basis of new politics. These principles are to be the basis of the “social contract” with the Filipino people and not personalities. Some of the notable programs mentioned are as follows: eradication of poverty and enhancement of quality of life, improvement of the government’s fiscal position, improvement of social justice and the peace and order situation, promotion of infrastructural developments in poorer regions of the county, sustainable population control, advancement of moral and effective governance, a comprehensive approach to climate change and other environmental issues and concerns, and strengthening the role of civil society.

Political background

Nicanor Perlas has no political background to speak of. He has never been elected to public office. However, he has served as technical consultant/resource person to the United Nations (UNDP, FAO, UNCSD, UNICEF), the Philippine government (Office of the President, Senate, House of Representatives, NEDA, DSWD, DA, DENR, and official Philippine delegations to the UN and APEC), and donor agencies as well as various civil society organizations and movements. He was a resource person in more than 90 global conferences and 140 national conferences as well as an author of more than 500 articles including “Shaping Globalization: Civil Society, Cultural Power, and Threefolding.”

Track record

Perlas co-wrote the Philippine Agenda 21 which is the official government blueprint for sustainable development and was adopted by no less than the United Nations as a preferred approach to solving world problems. Though not a public official, his work led to concrete policies today such as the laws which involved a multi-sectoral approach to solving poverty and introducing sustainable development. Among his many successful civil society activities led to the mothballing of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), the banning of 32 pesticide formulations, and regulation of genetic engineering products and processes. His role in uncovering the anomalies in the BNPP led him to go into hiding due to threats on his life. In recognition of his work, he received the Right Livelihood Award or Alternative Nobel Prize; Global 500 Award or Earth Warrior Award given by the UN Environmental Program; and the Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL) among others.

Pros

For voters who are tired of politicians, Perlas is a welcome candidate, championing alternative politics. He is not a total stranger to the world of politics however, since his role in civil society and various consultancy works with the government enabled him to work in the corridors of power. As such, he is unstained by corruption raps that haunt traditional politicians, nor by overspending for political ad campaigns. The exposure to civil society coupled with his educational background somehow make up for his lack of political experience.

Cons

Perlas, however, remains an unpopular presidential candidate. He has a very good and detailed platform of governance, but it is not an easy read for the regular Juan. His lack of political experience (holding a local or national elective or appointive office) also puts him at a disadvantage.

Website: http://nicanor-perlas.com

Gilberto Eduardo Gerardo "Gibo" Cojuangco Teodoro, Jr

Introductory brief

At an early age, the young Teodoro sowed the seeds for a life in politics by becoming president of the Central Luzon Kabataang Barangay for five years as well as a member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Tarlac. As the 34th and youngest Department of National Defense Secretary, Gibo is adamant on preserving the security of the country. As chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council, he is proactive and involved in disaster management. Teodoro enjoys the support of a number of administration members, including governors and party leaders. He is hoping to become the third national defense secretary to become president after Ramon Magsaysay in 1953 and Fidel V. Ramos in 1992.

Party

Lakas Kampi CMD Party

Age

45 years old (born June 14, 1964)

Primary platforms

Teodoro identified basic education reform, health care, agriculture, and long-term infrastructure planning as the priority concerns of any administration that he will head, with infrastructure development and lowering power costs as the most important urgent economic issues that would need to be addressed by a new President. He said he was also for independent monetary policy, developing power from sustainable energy sources, and improving investor confidence in the country. Because of the potential economic benefits of the new Tourism Act, he will also be focusing on the tourism sector. Teodoro pushes for academic excellence and a better curriculum, because he thinks that the current curriculum does not place enough focus on technical skills, mathematics, and English. Teodoro hopes to enable the poorest of the poor to finish college by encouraging them to loan from the government. He also intends to increase farm productivity through modernizing our agricultural and agri-industrial sectors.

Political background

From 1998 to 2007 he was a House Representative for the First District of Tarlac province. He assumed the position of Assistant Majority Leader in the 11th Congress and the head of the Nationalist People's Coalition House members. He was also a member of the House Contingent to the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council. At the age of 43, he was the youngest person to ever have become the Secretary of the Department of National Defense, a position he was appointed to in August 2007.

Track record

For seven years, he honed his skills as a lawyer in the famed EP Mendoza Law firm. Armed with years of experience, he went to the Harvard Law School in Cambridge for his Master of Laws and completed it in 1997. He is also a licensed commercial pilot and a Colonel in the Philippine Air Force Reserve.

Gibo Teodoro’s voting record included a Yes for the Fair Elections Act and the Electric Power Industry Reform Act as well as the Automated Elections and Juvenile Justice acts. He voted No for the Anti-Money Laundering Act, Dual Citizenship Act, Tobacco Regulation Act, Meralco Franchise Act, and Government Procurement Act. During the 13^th congress, Teodoro also voted No when the Anti-Terrorism Act was brought to a vote.

Pros

Teodoro is a consensus-builder and wants all political groups to gravitate to the Office of the President. He will talk and make compromises with those who will oppose him, a mark of a true compromiser and democrat. Teodoro can give a lot of balance to things. He knows the long-term structural and institutional requirements of the country. Because of his experience being in both the opposition and the administration he has the capacity of making people work together.

Cons

Running under the LAKAS KAMPI CMD party, he is associated with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA). According to a Pulse Asia survey, most Filipinos will not vote for any presidential candidate endorsed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the May 10 elections.

Website: http://www.gibo.ph

Eduardo “Brother Eddie” Villanueva

Introductory brief

Brother Eddie C. Villanueva is one of the nation’s leading church leaders who has touched the lives of many Filipinos here and abroad as Spiritual Director and President of Jesus Is Lord (JIL) Church and Chairman of the nation-wide Philippines for Jesus Movement (PJM). Villanueva's campaign in the 2004 Philippine presidential election did not go unnoticed because he was the only candidate with a very strong religious identity. But Bro. Eddie is beyond his spiritual preoccupations. Apart from being a deeply spiritual man with strong moral convictions and high ethical principles, he is most of all a Filipino who loves his country and his people and a man who is committed to leading the transformation of the Philippines into a prosperous and respectable nation through the Bagong Pilipinas, Bagong Pilipino Movement which he also heads. Because of his desire to put a stop to moral decay, poverty and corruption, he was convinced to run as "no other candidate has moral ascendancy to bring about change."

Party

Bagong Pilipinas Party (BPP)

Age

63 years old (born October 6, 1946)

Political Background

He has not held any government positions. In 2004, he was a presidential candidate in the Philippine election but lost to incumbent Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and placed last in a field of five candidates, with 6.2% of the vote. Many Filipinos have since believed that the 2004 election in general was a large-scale election fraud, particularly due to the Hello Garci scandal. A former supporter of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, he turned into one of her most rabid critics after the election. Until now, he remains one of the most visible figures of the opposition side, calling for the resignation of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for alleged election fraud and corruption.

Primary Platforms

Bangon Pilipinas Party believes that for the country to recover from the terminal cancer of corruption, injustice and poverty, both the leadership and the people must weave back the basic tenets of love for God and love for country into the fabric of Philippine politics and governance. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and strength and love your neighbour as you love yourself,” is not only a credo for personal life, it is also the cornerstone of all nation-building. “Diyos at Bayan” (God and country) is the core philosophy of BPP.

Track record

As a consequence of the fact that Bro. Eddie has not been elected to any public office nor appointed to any public office, he has no track record of governance to speak of.

Pros

He is not tainted with corruption or personal ambition. Although he lacks experience in the realm of politics, he has had leadership experience as a religious leader and a businessman.

Cons

Because of his religious identity, he was accused of running for the presidency due to religious interest and detractors stated that if elected his main goal would be converting the nation to Pentecostalism, a charge unlikely to be ignored in the Philippines, the third-largest Roman Catholic country in the world.

Website: http://broeddie.ph

Manuel “Manny” Villar, Jr.

Introductory brief

Manny Villar claims he is the most prepared among the presidential aspirants. He said the next president has no time to lose in rebuilding the country. The next leader has to hit the ground running and there is no time for on-the-job training. He believes that the first year is the most crucial, and that he has to start off outstandingly. His claim to managerial and political expertise is backed up by his solid background in business as a self-made billionaire and as former House Speaker and Senate President. He likes compromises, and manifests them even in his choice of candidates in his national ticket. He would like to unite the country, which is why he brought together personalities from the left and the right to form a broad coalition that would fight poverty and turn this country around.

Party

Nacionalista Party

Age

61 years old (born December 13, 1949)

Primary platforms

Manny Villar does not make promises alone. Although he has made poverty alleviation a top priority, he knows this is something that everyone, including the poor themselves, must strive for and work towards. Entrepreneurial revolution and a competitive environment will be the centerpiece of Manny Villar’s program if he is elected to the presidency. Manny Villar stressed that in his first hundred days in office, he will approve on national television all the contracts that need to get done in his six years in office, all above board. Villar believes that this impact will encourage investment, and will encourage belief in his government to work. It appears from his many interviews that he thinks it is easy for a candidate to hire speechwriters and consultants to draft platforms and mission-visions on paper. What mattered, according to him, is how an aspirant can validate any claim to a platform with past experiences and records. His plans, he claimed, are backed up by his own past actions, and are not mere promises to deliver.

Political background

Villar began his political career in 1992, when he was elected to the House of Representatives, representing the district of Las Piñas-Muntinlupa (and later the district of Las Piñas City). He served for three consecutive three-year terms, consistently posting landslide election victories. In 1998, he was chosen to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives. As Speaker, he presided over the impeachment of President Joseph Estrada on corruption allegations in November 2000. In July 2006, Villar was chosen to become Senate President. He had previously held the position of Senate President pro tempore, as well as the chairmanship of the Committees on Finance, Foreign Relations, Public Order, and Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries. In November 2008, he resigned the position due to a lack of support in the Senate, and was succeeded by Juan Ponce Enrile, who later on investigated Villar for the C5 Scam. To date, Manny Villar is the only post-war public official who became both Speaker of the House of Representatives and Senate President.

Track record

Compared to other presidential candidates, Villar has a relatively more impressive legislative track record. He was third highest filer of the 12^th Congress and the first among neophyte senators to file 204 bills during his debut. He authored 44 laws during the 12^th Congress, and filed bills aimed at providing business opportunities for the people and improving the Filipinos' quality of life through basic health care, decent shelters, responsive social services, and high quality education. He authored and passed into law the New Magna Carta for Small and Medium Enterprises (RA 8289). He initiated creative legislation such as the establishment of the Small and Medium Enterprises Stock Exchange, and Business One-Stop-Shop centers.

Pros

He invokes his record and past actions and experiences to back his plans up, which he claims cannot be said for the other leading presidential aspirant. He is often criticized for his campaign spending. Being his own financier means he is not indebted to anyone. He added it is his only way to level the playing field among other contenders with celebrity status, with celebrity parents and siblings, or with government machinery.

Cons

The Senate Committee Report claims Villar failed to avoid a conflict-of-interest situation by not divesting himself of his shareholdings or interest in Adelfa Properties Inc, which owns Golden Haven Memorial Park and Azalea Real Estate Corporation (now Brittany Corporation). The Senate Committee Report also adds that Villar was the proponent of the Las Piñas-Parañaque Link Road project and the C-5 road extension project implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). It added that Villar used his power to satisfy the interest of his corporations (read more here).

Website- http://www.mannyvillar.com.ph

View the Platform Matrix

(Click here)

Caucus of Development NGO network also provides profiles of the national candidates.

Making a choice

Executive Director Gerardo Plana of People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) added that if none of the candidates possess all of the desired qualities, Filipino voters should pick "whoever comes closest" to fulfilling these standards. Who is that person you can live with, even with the weaknesses? You are aware of a person's strong and weak points, so you might not get all perfect. But of all of these pluses and minuses, [ask yourself], 'Who can I live with?' That's still an enlightened decision-making process rather than any other way. "The strategic role of a president is very different from that of a big organization's president. It requires a lot of maturity and competency in terms of moving this country forward," he said. "In the end, it's about assessing the risks and choosing which risk is most acceptable to you. We might not get the best results now, but it's a step in the right direction."

The "Guide to Presidential Candidates" can also be read at Metro Magazine, May Edition and was written by the author on March 5, 2010. The platform matrix is a project of wikipilipinas.org, BlogWatch and the Philippine Online Chronicles.