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| Saturday, 01 May 2010 00:29 | |||
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The Presidentiables Your guide to the candidates of the 2010 Philippine Elections
Political Party: Liberal Party Political Slate: Vice President – Mar Roxas; Senators: Nereus Acosta, Martin Bautista, Ruffy Biazon, Franklin Drilon, Teofisto Guingona III, Risa Hontiveros, Ralph Recto, Sonia Roco, Alexander Lacson, Yasmin Busran-Lao, Danilo Lim Age: 50 years old, born on February 8, 1960. Aquino is the only son of former President Corazon Aquino and former Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. Possible First Lady: As Aquino is single, will his sister Kris assume the role of First Lady if elected into office? Education/Work Experience: Aquino studied in Ateneo de Manila University for his elementary, high school, and college education, graduating in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. After college, he joined his family in Boston in exile. Shortly after the murder of his father in 1983, Aquino joined the Philippine Business for Social Progress. From 1985 to 1986, he was retail sales supervisor for Nike Philippines and later an assistant for advertising and promotion for Mondragon Philippines. In 1986, he joined the family-owned Intra-Strata Assurance Corporation as vice-president. He then went to work for Cojuangco family’s Central Azucarera de Tarlac in 1993. Political career: In 1998, he won a seat in the House of Representatives and served as Congressman of the 2nd District of Tarlac until 2007. In his nine years as Congressman, Aquino assumed the role of a fiscalizer. However, critics said that Aquino did not make any significant contributions to legislation as 12 years in the legislative branch only saw him authoring nine bills, paling in comparison with 738 bills filed by Miriam Defensor Santiago over the same period. Of the nine bills, none has yet been passed to become laws. In May 2007, he ran for Senator and won, placing 6th in the national elections. He chaired the Senate Committee on Local Government, and is also the vice-chairperson of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights. Claim to Fame: Son of slain hero, Benigno Aquino Jr. and Philippine President Corazon C. Aquino. Platform of Government: Expand the coverage of health insurance among Filipinos to 100% within three years or by 2013 to ensure the poor and the elderly will have access to professional health care. Along with expanded healthcare, better education, economic growth and job creation are key areas. Controversies: Hacienda Luisita continues to be a sore spot. Noynoy drew flak when he issued statements against the workers of Hacienda Luisita who went on strike in 2004. Recently, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac-Expressway (SCTEX) project was seen to have provided numerous concessions to the Cojuangco’s Hacienda Luisita, with Aquino’s influence. Aside from P84 million (or $1.9 million) paid to Hacienda Luisita for the right of way, the construction of the SCTEX-Hacienda Luisita interchange was overpriced at double its original budget; that is from P18.7 billion ($425 million) to P32.8 billion (or $746 million). Plus/Minus Points: His parents were revered and admired by the Filipinos but he is also the brother of actress and TV host Kris Aquino who has an on-going love/hate relationship with the general public. Trivia: Aquino is an audiophile, history buff, marksman and self-taught billiards sharpie.
Political Party: Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino-United Opposition (PMP) Political Slate: Vice President – Jejomar Binay; Senators: Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, Jose de Venecia III, Apolinario Lozada, JV Larion Bautista, Serge Osmeña (guest candidate), Miriam Defensor Santiago (guest candidate), Francisco Tatad (guest candidate) Age: 73 years old, born in Tondo, Manila to parents, Engr. Emilio Ejercito and Maria Marcelo Married to: Senator Luisa “Loi” Pimentel Ejercito Education: His primary education was obtained at the Jesuit-run Ateneo de Manila University. He later took up an Engineering course at the Mapua Institute of Technology. Political career: Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, which he put to good when he entered the field of politics. He served as mayor of San Juan for 17 years, as Senator for one term, then as Vice President of the Philippines under the administration of President Fidel Ramos, and eventually becoming the 13th President of the Philippines in 1998. In January 2001, Estrada was ousted from power when the Armed Forces of the Philippines withdrew its support and transferred allegiance to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, paving the way for Estrada to be charged in the Sandiganbayan. In 2007, Estrada was sentenced to reclusion perpetuafor plunder, only to be later granted a pardon by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. To this day, the former president maintains his innocence. Claim to Fame: Estrada distinguished himself in local government when he turned San Juan into an outstanding municipality. As Vice-President, he chaired President Ramos’ Presidential Anti-Crime Commission (PACC) where he arrested criminal warlords and kidnapping syndicates – much like in his movie roles. In 1998, Estrada ran for president and with almost 11-million Filipinos voting for him. His margin of victory was the biggest-ever registered in Philippine electoral history. Platform of Government: Eradicate poverty by eliminating the secessionist movements in Mindanao and the Communist New People’s Army. There would be no international investors or tourists to propel the nation’s economy if there is no peace and order. Plus/Minus Points: He is Erap. Trivia: Estrada is a five-time Best Actor awardee – a feat he repeated by winning the Best Picture award an equal number of times. This earned him a rare place in the FAMAS Hall of Fame in 1981 and 1984.
Political Party: Lakas-Kampi-CMD Political Slate: Vice President – Edu Manzano; Senators – Silvestre Bello III, Ramon Guico, Raul Lambino, Rey Langit, Lito Lapid, Bong Revilla Age: 45 years old, born on June 14, 1964. He is the only child of former Social Security System (SSS) administrator Gilberto Teodoro, Sr. and former Batasang Pambansa member Mercedes Cojuangco-Teodoro. Married to: Former model and Tarlac House Representative Monica Prieto Teodoro. They have one son, Jaime Gilberto, 11 years old. Education/Work Experience: Teodoro’s elementary and high school years were spent at Xavier School. Upon completing highschool in 1980, he had his first taste of politics when he was elected President of the Kabataang Barangay for Tarlac and concurrently assumed Presidency of the Kabataang Barangay for Central Luzon until 1985. He also became a member of the Sanguniang Panlalawigan of Tarlac from 1980 to 1986. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from De La Salle University in 1984. In 1989, he completed his law studies at the University of the Philippines, where he was awarded the Dean’s Medal for Academic Excellence. He likewise topped the Philippine Bar exams in the same year. He practised law with Estelito Mendoza’s law office for seven years, after which he pursued his Masters of Law at the Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, He completed his masters and was also admitted to the State Bar of New York in 1997. Political career: Teodoro represented the First District of Tarlac as Congressman from 1998 to 2007. During his term, he became the Assistant Majority Leader in the 11th Congress and head of the Nationalist People’s Coalition House members. After the maximum of three terms in office, his wife, Monica Prieto-Teodoro, succeeded him. In August 2007, Teodoro was Secretary of National Defence of the Philippines, the youngest appointee to ever hold the position at 43. In 2008, he bolted from the Nationalist People’s Coalition to join the Administration’s Lakas-Kami-CMD party. In March 2009, he announced his intention to run for President. He was selected as the party’s presidential standard-bearer in September, beating the other nominee MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando by a 42 to 5 margin. Claim to Fame: 1989 Bar Topnotcher. The youngest Secretary of National Defence appointed into office. Platform of Government: Radically change economic and investment policies to become more responsive to the demands of the new global economy. Bureaucratic reform has to be done to make doing business easier. Strengthen national security to finally end armed insurgencies. Upgrade the educational system to produce a skilled workforce that will make the Philippines a major economic player. First 100 days will see a massive program of low-cost urban housing, particularly medium rise buildings, to reduce disaster risks and spark urban redevelopment. Plus/Minus Points: The current administration’s machinery is behind Teodoro, as he enjoys the support of a number of local government officials and party leaders. However, this same advantage is also a disadvantage for his public image since he is associated with the highly unpopular President Gloria Arroyo. Trivia: Gibo Teodoro and Noynoy Aquino are second cousins. He also made a cameo appearance as himself in the primetime soap opera Tayong Dalawa. He is also a licensed commercial pilot and a Colonel in the Philippine Air Force Reserve. He is more comfortable wearing t-shirts and jeans and he buys his clothes online. Favourite brand of jeans is Harley Davidson, which costs $40 a pair.
Political Party: Nacionalista Party Political Slate: Vice President – Loren Legarda; Senators; Pia Cayetano, Bongbong Marcos, Mon-mon Mitra, Susan Ople, Gwen Pimintel, Ariel Querubin, Gilbert Remulla, Adel Tamano. Age: 60 years old, born on December 13, 1949 in Moriones, Tondo, Manila. Villar was second of nine children of Manuel Montalban Villar, Sr., a government employee from Iloilo and Curita Bamba, a seafood dealer, from Pampanga and Bataan. Married to: Cynthia A. Villar (Congresswoman, Las Piñas). They have two sons, Paolo and Mark, and a daughter, Camille. Education/Work Experience: Villar was a working student, putting himself through school at the University of the Philippines where he earned his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Business Administration. After graduation, he joined Sycip Gorres Velayo & Co. (SGV & Co) as an accountant. He resigned to set up his own seafood delivery business. He then worked briefly as a financial analyst at the Private Development Corporation of the Philippines, only to resign soon after to go into the sand-and-gravel business in Las Piñas. Villar then thought of selling low-cost house-and-lot packages at a time when prospective homeowners would buy lots and build the houses themselves. Manny Villar then became the low-cost mass-based housing industry leader, and the biggest homebuilder in Southeast Asia. Political career: Villar entered politics in 1992 as congressman of Las Piñas and Muntinlupa for three straight terms. In 1998, he was chosen Speaker of the House of Representatives. He was elected Senator in 2001 and assumed the Senate Presidency in July 2006. Second only to Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Villar filed a total of 737 bills, 10 of which were passed into law. Claim to Fame: As businessman, Villar received several awards including the Ten Outstanding Young Men in 1986, Agora Award for Marketing Management in 1989, Most Outstanding CPAby the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in 1990. In 2004, Manny Villar was named the Most Distinguished Alumnusof the University of the Philippines. Villar is the only post-war public official who became both speaker of the House of Representatives and Senate President. Platform of Government: “All Out War against Poverty” is Villar’s campaign platform with “pro-poor” and “pro-development” programs lined up. A self reliant and sustainable economic development program will be pursued by implementing agrarian reform, increasing agricultural productivity and developing domestic industries. Loren Legarda, as running mate, will tackle the problems of environmental destruction, climate change and recurring calamities. Plus/Minus Points: Manny Villar is said to be one of the very few successful businessmen who is also successful in politics. He has the powerful Nationalista Party backing him up. Villar is also successful in forging alliances with the centrists, the Marcos family and “left-leaning” political groups. He has the support of the masaas his rags-to-riches story appeals to them and he has the endorsement of several celebrities like Manny Pacquiao, Willie Revillame, and Dolphy. However, the controversies surrounding C-5 and infrastructure projects favouring Las Piñas City continue to hound him until now. Trivia: According to Forbes Magazine (August 2009), Villar’s wealth totals US $530 million, making him the 9th richest Filipino. Richard Juico Gordon (a.k.a. Dick)
Who is he? In the early 1990’s, Richard Gordon became a well-known personality when he became chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) as he spearheaded projects to transform Subic into an investment hub in Southeast Asia. However, Gordon’s plans were cut short when then President Erap Estrada removed Gordon from office. When Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was installed as President, Gordon was appointed Secretary of the Department of Tourism, which launched the highly successful Wow Philippinestourism campaign. Gordon then decided to enter the legislative branch as Senator in 2004. He has filed 228 bills with eight bills passed into law – one of which was the Election Automation Law.
Political Party: Independent Who is he? The only presidentiable who has never assumed public office, Nicanor Perlas served as technical consultant/resource to institutions like the United Nations, various Philippine Government offices, and civil society organizations (NGOs). His main focus is on projects involving trade liberalization and globalization, and environment protection. Initially banned from running for President and considered a “nuisance candidate” in December 2009, the Commission on Elections reversed its decision and allowed Perlas to run for office after an international campaign in support his candidacy was launched, including Right Livelihood Award Laureates. Perlas himself was a Right Livelihood Awardee in 2003. John Carlos Gordon de los Reyes (a.k.a. JC)
Who is he? John Carlos de los Reyes finished his Bachelor of Arts in Theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, finished his Masters in Public Administration at the University of the Philippines and his law degree at Saint Louis University in Baguio City. In 1995, he was elected as the city councillor of Olongapo City and focused on issues concerning the poor, the youth and cooperatives. He provided free legal assistance under a project known as Justice Crusade. Being a devout Catholic, de los Reyes has gained endorsements of several archbishops of the Catholic Church. De los Reyes is the nephew of another presidentiable, Richard Gordon. His mother is the sister of Sen. Gordon.
Political Party: Independent Who is she? Jamby Madrigal came from an illustrious line of politicians and public servants, the Madrigal and the Abad Santos families. Madrigal’s social consciousness has always been for the plight of street children, such that she was appointed in 1999 by then President Estrada as Head of the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Children’s Affairs Madrigal became a Senator in 2004. Currently, she is the Chairperson of four Senate Committees: Committee on Environment, Committee on Youth, Women and Family Relations, Committee on Peace, Unification and Reconciliation, and the Committee on Cultural Communities. Eduardo Cruz Villanueva (a.k.a. Brother Eddie)
Campaign slogan: Anim na Taon na Walang Korupsyon, Pilipinas ay Babangon Who is he? Eduardo Villanueva is founder and leader of the Jesus Is Lord Church who launched the Bagong Pilipinas Movement in 2009 as his political vehicle. He owns ZOE Broadcasting Network, a commercial TV station currently operated by GMA Network/Quality TeleVision (QTV). He is also the owner and president of Jesus Is Lord Colleges Foundation Inc. (JILCF) which is a Christian school based in Bocaue, Bulacan. In 2004, Villanueva was also a candidate in the Philippine presidential elections who placed last in a field of five candidates with 6.2% of the total vote. In this year’s election, he will be running with former SEC Chairman Perfecto Yasay as Vice-President and five senatoriables. Have a comment on this article? Send us your feedback.
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Political Party: Bagumbayan
Political Party: Ang Kapatiran Party
Political Party: Bangon Pilipinas