By Niña Terol*
It’s a Saturday morning, and politics should be the last thing on my mind, especially as I see sunlight filtering in through my sliding door, beckoning me to come out and take a walk already. But I will postpone my grocery trip for at least another hour because the first thing on my mind when I woke up this morning was Barack Obama’s relatively successful first 100 days, and an article that my favorite editor, Fareed Zakaria, wrote about it on Newsweek (May 4, 2009 issue).
“No other American president in modern memory has faced a learning curve as steep as the one Barack Obama has encountered,” Zakaria begins. “When he began his quest for Democratic nomination three years ago, the Dow Jones industrial average was 14.000, and the world was in the midst of a great economic boom. By the time he took office, America’s financial industry was in chaos, credit markets were frozen, housing values were plummeting and the economy was in its worst contraction since the Great Depression. Add to that Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, and North Korea, and you get an extraordinary set of challenges.”
“And yet, by most measures, President Obama’s first 100 days have been successful…So far, any president would be envious of Obama’s accomplishments.”
Zakaria rightly points out that all these policy changes and acts of reaching out are merely overtures, whose effects and endings have yet to be determined. Still, America, who has lost and suffered much since September 11, 2001, is feeling hopeful again. In spite of the continuing spate of bankruptcies and job cuts, Americans are talking about “green shoots”—bright spots that denote recovery in the US economy. Thanks to President Obama, Cuban Americans can now visit the land of their roots. There is optimism in the air, because of a calm and collected leader who knows how to steer a panicked crew through tumultuous waters.
We can’t say the same for the Philippines. In contrast to the United States, we have not encountered major upheavals similar to 9/11 and the 2008 financial crash since the 1997 Asian financial crisis—two presidents ago. We are not engaged in any external war that threatens the lives of millions of our citizens—and the insurgency in the South has been going on for decades. (It’s hardly a crisis; sadly, it’s already practically a state of being for that region.) Our biggest problems now are the same problems we’ve been facing since 30 years ago.
Sen. Kiko Pangilinan pointed out in a news release just yesterday that the Philippine economy hasn’t moved in decades, and he’s right. Except for a couple of sunshine industries, the poor 30 years ago are still poor now—if not poorer.
We are the laughingstock of Asia, people. Wake up.
So unlike the 50 or so congressmen who have Pacquiao on their minds this weekend, I am wondering about the state of things and whether or not they will ever change. I am wondering about whether or not our presidentiables really have a clear program of action to steer our country out of the mess we’re in. I am bombarded with political ads every time I tune in to the local channels, and I wonder if their soundbites and their advertising messages will really be backed up by clear policy measures.
More specifically, here are some questions I’d like to ask the presidentiables:
1. How will you create more quality jobs in the Philippines? (And this means not hiring thousands of street sweepers that wear shirts with your name, and say that you’ve just created thousands of jobs.) What industries will you support? How will you ensure global competitiveness among our students and workers? What is your take on serial contractualization?
2. How will you protect overseas Filipinos and the families from the rising social costs of migration? Will you introduce more safety nets for the families left behind? Will you eventually curb overseas deployment in favor of job creation and investment in the Philippines?
3. How will you make the economy less reliant on overseas remittances?
4. HOW WILL YOU ELIMINATE CORRUPTION?
5. Will you elevate graft and corruption to heinous crimes? (After all, when you rob your citizens of millions or billions of pesos that should be going to basic services and it results in more people starving, I think that’s heinous enough.)
6. How will you ensure that big-time, high-profile tax evaders (some of whom might be your funders) are caught and punished?
7. Will you be willing to declare the full extent of your campaign fund sources and expenditures?
8. How will you stop smuggling, drug trafficking, people trafficking and prostitution?
9. What is your take on nuclear energy, and what are we to do about the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant?
10. What is your take on the reproductive health bill?
11. What is your plan to move the Philippines towards eco- and energy-sustainability by 2020?
12. How will you balance food security and self-sufficiency while promoting the production of biofuels?
13. How will you lower our power rates to be at par with those of our Asian neighbours?
14. What is your stand on legalizing marijuana, to be in the same classification as tobacco and alcohol?
15. What is your stand on divorce? (And I don’t mean, “Let’s follow Church doctrine.” Even Italy has divorce laws.)
16. What is your stand on the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with Extension and Reforms?
17. What will be your plan to boost tourism to overtake Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia?
18. Will you go after Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, her husband, their cronies, and all those who ought to be punished post-2010 (e.g., Virgilio Garcillano, Benjamin Abalos, Romulo Neri, etc.)?
19. Who will your cabinet members be?
20. What role will you give your Vice President?
21. How will you trim down the government bureaucracy to make it more streamlined and efficient?
22. How will you ensure sufficient healthcare services especially for indigents?
23. What is your plan for upgrading our state colleges and universities? How will you ensure global competitiveness among our students?
24. How would you amend the Constitution, if you were to do so? (This is not a “yes” or “no” answer.)
25. What is your stand on the VFA? On the Spratlys? What will be the bases of your foreign policy?
26. How will you end extra-judicial killings and ensure the end of human rights violations in government?
And here are some questions for specific presidentiables:
For Chiz Escudero: Aside from producing great soundbites, what have you really DONE throughout your entire political career? Why should we trust you?
For Loren Legarda: You wept when the second envelope was not opened in 2001, and then you joined the opposition’s camp in 2004? Why should we trust you?
For Jejomar Binay (“Dito sa Makati…”): How do you plan to produce “the Makati effect” in provinces and regions that have a very low revenue base? How will you encourage investment and tourism and enable tax collection in fifth- and sixth-class provinces? How will you ensure equitable distribution of resources across the country? And you are going around the country with a former president who was a womanizer, a gambler, and a plunderer. Why should we trust you?
For Mar Roxas (“Padyak”): If you weren’t seeking higher office in 2010, would you be proposing to Korina Sanchez at all?
Pardon the Saturday-morning operation of this brain, but I think these questions will be more than enough to keep some people busy for the next couple of months.
What are YOUR questions?
Niña Terol, 29, is a key mover of the groups Movement for Good Governance and YouthVotePhilippines. She is a political communicator by day but believes that being Filipino is a full-time undertaking that knows no time or geographical limits. To follow her or subscribe to her blogs, click follow her here: http://outoftheuniverse.wordpress.com/subscribe-find-nina-online/
22 Feedbacks on "Questions I’d like to ask the presidentiables"
mang godo
you have too many questions to ask for these presidentiables to answer.
besides, that is a general question for every country in the world.
our problem is their problems too. no specifics.
laughing stock of asia?… i have a japanese, chnese, korean, thai, vietnamese, indian, arab, indonesian friends… they are not laughing about our country.
where did you get that coined word as laughing stock of asia. the only animal i know that laugh is the hyena.
for sure, countries in the world are not laughing on us but envious because we have manny pacquiao… we are not the laughing stock but a good stock for investment.
Willy Fred Chica
Most of the queries poised here are relevant but all of them require of the candidate to have credentials of A Team Leader.
Not his own staff, his think tank but most of all, his ‘constituency’: the civic-spirited voters’ he needs to motivate to act for the needed reforms.
kudotmansana
hi, we all know the intellectual capacity of each Presidential aspirant then those questions posed can easily be answered and expounded to convinced people to vote for them, that’s the same way did by our political ancestors, but in real score nothing was made…and how about adding question like something about addressing the Global warming effect in the Philippines …we can always threw thousand questions to them but…are they GOOD GUYS to lead the country?? Pag-isipan po natin…
pedro
A long list of questions. And many of them cannot be answered by the candidates. For several reasons, like they just do not know, they wouls have to act against their own interest, or if they answer what really they think, they would never be sponsored or elected.
Who, f.i., will ever be able to create enough local jobs as long as Filipinos produce babies like rabbits and the Church uses all her power and influence to stop any try to curb it by using contraceptives? Its the poor who fill the churches.
Who willtruly declare his or her sources of election funds if many of them would come out as not declared wealth or income? Has not Legacy boss delos Angeles supported the election of de Castro? Maybe that is still valued, other people with such accusations and charges would lprobably ong time lready be jailed, delos Angeles still sits as Honorable Mayor in his office and at the end will be unable tobe put to jail for “health reasons.
Who will delare now that he or she will prosecute GMA and cronies? It would be like a suicide in case a pro GMA would win.
Why Binay should not go with Estrada? Binay is opposition, Erap visibly the leader of theopposition and as seen, still veryaccepted by the people. Being a womanizer has nothing to do with being good or bad president, at least he stand to his liaisons, supported and accepted them, instead of hiding mistresses as so many others do. Plunderer? That hangs entirely on the very questionable testimony of Singson, who admitted to be a criminal and stealing tax money. But it has also been proven that his story of delivering it to Erap is untrue and even impossible. GMA has admitted that she, with Sinson, Church officials, Generals and buiness has plotted the ouster of Estrada already one year earlier. Why they are not sentenced for destabilization like now anyone? Lastly, Estrada as president again would maybe the president who most ofall would try to be sure not to make any mistake or wrongdoing, knowing that an army of enemies just waits for that.
Could Mar Roxas ever admit that his going together with Korina is political since he has no chance as a single and she wants to become First Lady? No, they will say it is the outbreak of big love.
How to improve economy and cometitiveness? Really not by creating more and more non working days but who will tell the benefitting gov. mployees that all will be cancelled? Just now, GMA creates a National Celebrity Day for Paquiao. Has RP nothing else to do and no one else to celebrate than a boxer? Sure, he wins but why only in Las Vegas, known as a place where Mafia-like organiations rule who wins, who becomes a star, where money rules more than anything else in this gambling paradise? Poor Philippines if Paquiao’s winning or losing unites the nation. Lets just hope that Manny will bravely pay his income taxes, one or two hundred million taxes could help the government more than the hundreds of hard earned Dollars coming from OFWs. As a national hero, Manny should not be a tax evader. Since he was already telling that he will go into politics, this should be a question to him. Up to now, Manny was listed as one of the richest Filipinos and now with about plus 430 million Pesos for the nfight, 60 million for the local TV rights and a lot more for the usual ad income, slowly he also should show up as one of the biggest taxpayers. At least he couyld afford to finance his campaign…
That’s only a few examples. But generally, how many of the pro Chacha congressmen are pro for the good of the country? Maybe no one. First, there is absolut no proof that just changing the charter will improve anything, its the people behind, not the chrter. There is enough in the existing constitution for to improve the economy and the life of Filipinos, just do it. Secondly, the main reason to be pro is the chance to stay in political power and enjoy the pork barrel from a Prime Minister who owes them her status.
Norrie
Hurrah Nina!!! These are exactly the questions that any voter should ask any presidential wannabe. Although you are still young, your questions reflect wisdom, understanding, and maturity. I pray that the majority of Filipino voters will follow your lead and not vote in the 2010 elections for any wolf, in sheep’s clothing, who surely will devour any glimmer of hope we cling to.
Alex Maaliw
Thanks for the questions. I’m pretty sure, if these will be asked of the Presidentiables, all their staff will be busy trying to provide answers that will make the wannabe “Presidents” appear serious and credible. Of course, how to concretize whatever comes out of their (and their staff’s) mouths is the larger concern. The question for Sen Escudero would be whether or not Sorsogon had come up from one of the most impoverished provinces in the country during his term. Also how can he reconcile his affinity with the martial law administration? Most people’s impression about him is just his tongue is really fast moving, but no hits at all. So what were the results? For Sen Roxas, his demeanor does not inspire much confidence. People have been expecting more action from him in the Senate. Is there a way by which some of these candidates can dissociate themselves from past discredited regimes? Question 24 should not even be asked because most believe that the present Constitution does not need an amendment.
Nina Terol
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS!
Reading your own thoughts has made me realize more things that either: (a) need to be asked, or (b) will probably never be answered. If anything, I’m seeing that although a lot of these questions deserve to be answered, they are, in reality, rhetorical questions that are asked only for purposes of debate.
In reality, people don’t really consider these when they vote.
So let me ruminate on these thoughts and reactions a bit and then I’ll get back to everyone with another blog post
Salamat po uli! Keep ‘em coming!
Rico Baltazar
Tama lahat ang mga tanong mo, I agree 100% dapat sagutin yan ng mga Presidentiables sa DEBATE.Can you make a copy of these questions in TAGALOG, our National Language?Para maintindihan ng NAKARARAMI? This is the term Bayani Fernando want you to call the poor.Ayaw niya ng SQUATTER.Masakit nga naman pakingan squatter ka sa sarili mong bayan.Also please ,in TAGALOG , make a list of Standards on how to Vote a Presidentiable come 2010.Salamat Po.
Jose Borja
question to all presidentiables:
it is no secret that Filipinos are frustrated with the BIR and the entire tax system, how will you streamline and simplify the tax system to lessen corruption, decrease tax evasion and make it easier for every income earning citizen to register and pay the right taxes?
Sage
I agrree, Lets talk about the issues now. The best way to this is that each candidate should have a website that states all their policies for each issue. I also urge the Inquirer (the media) to be host for the candidates’ platforms. These documents will not only be the basis of who we vote for but also the list that we can judge them by when they come into power.
At this point I a want firm results already. I would like to recommend that this coming 2010 election, we the people should have a single theme/slogan/ mission statement which is to eliminate poverty in our country in 10 years. We then demand the political parties for the their plan of action.
Harry King
It is useless to question the presidentiables.
They are either too stupid to understand the questions or would just play deaf and dumb; and, those that manage to give lame responses know pretty well that they cannot stay true to whatever they promised during their campaigns.
Vince
Wow, great questions Nina!
It’s good to know we have some people who are still focused on the important stuff.
It’s easy to get distracted with other “irrelevant” things when the REAL issues that our leaders should be focusing on - like equality, health, corruption and our future, gets pushed into the background.
victor manalac
do not bother to ask. barrack obama is of a different make. we had a ninoy but his usefulness was in his dying. after him no one has come up with such patriotism. cory was a sincere as a loving mother to her constituents. but her administration was swallowed in chopsuey mix of various ideologies and attitudes that just got stirred repeatedly. and then good governance was gone.
and honesty or good governance in those elected after faded , and then there was none.
Tommy Praxedes
Reading about this presidentiables make me wanna puke…i could only see one, that do have a moral conviction, and even then, i am not sure that he could work with what he will be inheriting from this present incompetent corrupt president,NON, that i see from all those that are running for office has the right caliber or the moral intention of correcting, the mistakes of this “Evil President”, non of them directly answered the questions that everybody wants to know…Mar Roxas has been using all kinds of media exposure, there was the crying incident, there was the vulgar language incident,Why do i feel, that this man will use his wedding with Korina,as another tool, for exposure…We need a man, for a President not a wuss…it would be like having GMA again but instead of having a fat dude, it would be a loud mouth wench,who will be working behind close doors,making back door deals,hmmm,very dangerous,a newly wed on the country’s expense..NO MAR !!! NO MORE !!!… save your drama for your mama !!!! ang baduy mo… thanks–
De los Reyes
Those are great questions to ask the presidential wannabes, Nina. I bet you virtually all of them are clueless on how to answer half of the questions. Why? Because none possesses the intellect, moral authority and leadership that will command the respect of the people. I can give a couple of well-respected names with high integrity, who have excelled in the fields of economy, business, and leadership and are no match to these wannabes but unfortunately they are in the private sector and have no interest in politics. I just hope they’ll change their minds and offer their services for people and country.
I take exception to your statement that the Philippines is the laughing stock of Asia. Have you checked lately the economic/political Asian totem pole and see where we stand today? Criticisms are fine but exaggerating issues will affect your credibility. The same reason why the Opposition has lost its glitter.
Kenneth Santos
If sen. Panfilo Lacson has any delicadeza, he should abstain from the ongoing probe into the Villar ethics case. It seems he’s using the opportunity to get what appears to be a strong presidential contender out of the way. Not that i’m supporting Villar though; his business put my brother out of a job. It’s just not right that Lacson use his position to strengthen his own and use the Senate as a means of crucifying a potential presidential rival.
satur
well a good choice to question them
ihope they are not a communist
mabuhay jovito panplaran ibagsak ang activista at kommunsta
ER
I lauded the questions on the four presumed presidentiables!!
Although I had lost interests in our presidential elections because of the absence of ” REAL CHANGE” after the 1986 Edsa Revolution, still I cannot just close my eyes here in the United States, while watching our ambitious politicians crumbling to be the next leader of our hapless nation.
I come to a point where I keep on asking, why despite of four presidents since Marcos time, we are still If not worst, in the same situation where majority of our people still struggling to make a living?, our workers still continue leaving to work abroad?, our domestic helpers continue to be victims of abuses abroad? our economy still one of the weakest? our politics and culture are still soaked with corruption from top to bottom?
Having new President and leaders every four years and a functioning democracy are the real answers? or..changing our political system really the answer to the hunger of millions of Filipinos?
Regardless of who will be elected President in 2010, we Filipinos should understand the the real solution to all our problems rests on our individual hands, and not on our leaders alone.
ER
Good questions Nina Terol!!
You specifically pinpoint clearly those questions that needs to be answered by anyone with presidential ambitions, I would prefer them to give our people a clear cut answers and specific actions to take.
But somewhat I come to think, is the rightful and determined strong President with those agenda well equipped in our constitution to pursue those? Somehow, because Filipinos are well addicted to the real meaning of “freedom” our leaders with good intentions become so powerless due to selfish interests of politicians who abuse our system of checks and balances.
If one day, a nationalist, strongwilled Filipino leader in the personality of Lee Kuan Yew that steered his nation in one of economic bastion of South east Asia, only then our nation probably will move out from economic mess.
Good luck to you Nina, I wish we can deliver your questions to all of the presidentiables.
brotherlouie
My “question and answer” for all the presidents?
Can you decide without considering “UTANG NA LOOB” for the benefit of the filipino people?????-this is the “most culprit” after election.and the aftermath of the election whoever the winner is.Of course everybody will lie and say yes “you hipocrites-MGA EPOKRITOS”.
nur
Very good questions Ms.Nina…
In addition to your questions, i am pleased to take this opportunity to share my impression on the “early birds”: Puno, Villar, Roxas, Teodoro, De Castro, Fernando, Binay,and other who can not simply wait for the filing of their candidacy and official commencement of political campaign period. They appear so cheaps and so opportunists! They cannot even obey simple provision of the Election Code. How could they be worthy of citizens’ trust for any of them to occupy the highest position in the Philippine government?
Raymond Arzadon
Presidentiable din kasi ako kaya pagbigyan po ninyo akong sagutin ang mga ito as intelligently as I can:
1. How will you create more quality jobs in the Philippines? (And this means not hiring thousands of street sweepers that wear shirts with your name, and say that you’ve just created thousands of jobs.) What industries will you support? How will you ensure global competitiveness among our students and workers? What is your take on serial contractualization?
ANSWER:
go to the countryside and empower all local industries instead of kowtowing to the major industrial players
2. How will you protect overseas Filipinos and the families from the rising social costs of migration? Will you introduce more safety nets for the families left behind? Will you eventually curb overseas deployment in favor of job creation and investment in the Philippines?
ANSWER:
Encourage Filipinos to migrate para mabawasan ang tambay sa kanto. Do the same with their families para di na natin sila problemahin.
3. How will you make the economy less reliant on overseas remittances?
ANSWER:
Lustayin ang nire-mit nila para wala na tayong pinu-problema
4. HOW WILL YOU ELIMINATE CORRUPTION?
ANSWER:
Eliminate the source
5. Will you elevate graft and corruption to heinous crimes? (After all, when you rob your citizens of millions or billions of pesos that should be going to basic services and it results in more people starving, I think that’s heinous enough.)
ANSWER:
Definitely yes! Elevate this to qualify as a heinous crime. Ano sila sinusuwerte?
6. How will you ensure that big-time, high-profile tax evaders (some of whom might be your funders) are caught and punished?
ANSWER:
No need. Igigisa ko na lang sila sa sarili nilang mantika by levying excessive taxation. Magka-letse-letse na.
7. Will you be willing to declare the full extent of your campaign fund sources and expenditures?
ANSWER:
No. Talk to my lawyers if you want.
8. How will you stop smuggling, drug trafficking, people trafficking and prostitution?
ANSWER:
Legalize it. Ewan ko na lang kung may kumontra pa.
9. What is your take on nuclear energy, and what are we to do about the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant?
ANSWER:
Nuclear energy is much maligned by those who don’t really understand it. Educate the people. Wag yong umaasa lang sa mga pelikulang tulad ng The China Syndrome or sa mga docu no’ng charlatan named Al Gore. Seriously, we need to educate people about the good side of nuclear energy.
10. What is your take on the reproductive health bill?
ANSWER:
Dapat lahat ng politiko bago ma-qualify to run should be neutered with garden tools para huwag na sila dumami pa.
11. What is your plan to move the Philippines towards eco- and energy-sustainability by 2020?
ANSWER:
Ano raw?
12. How will you balance food security and self-sufficiency while promoting the production of biofuels?
ANSWER:
Ano ulit? Parang malabo itong tanong na ito.
13. How will you lower our power rates to be at par with those of our Asian neighbours?
ANSWER
See no. 9
14. What is your stand on legalizing marijuana, to be in the same classification as tobacco and alcohol?
ANSWER:
Alam nyo mga apo, masyado kayong na-impluwensiyahan ng mga pelikula ni Carlo Caparas. Mas di hamak na mapanganib ang tobacco kesa marijuana. Legalize it.
15. What is your stand on divorce? (And I don’t mean, “Let’s follow Church doctrine.” Even Italy has divorce laws.)
ANSWER:
Same as my answer above. Legalize it. kalokohan yang stand ng Catholic Church on divorce. Absurd to say the least.
16. What is your stand on the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with Extension and Reforms?
ANSWER:
Napaka-naive naman natin para maniwalang susulong pa ito nang husto. Kung si President Cory nga di mabitaw-bitawan ang Hacienda Luisita iyon pa kayang iba. Next question.
17. What will be your plan to boost tourism to overtake Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia?
ANSWER:
Advertising budget. Seriously, kayang makipag-sabayan ng mga beaches natin sa Bali at Phuket. Maingay lang sila at tayo ay walang budget kaya mas quilala sila ng mga mapuputlang turista.
18. Will you go after Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, her husband, their cronies, and all those who ought to be punished post-2010 (e.g., Virgilio Garcillano, Benjamin Abalos, Romulo Neri, etc.)?
ANSWER:
SUbukan nyo. Kung gusto ninypong mag-aksaya ng panahon. Subukan ‘nyo.
19. Who will your cabinet members be?
ANSWER:
Nasan’n na si Manny Pakyaw? Saka si Lito Lapid. Saka iyong mag-amang Revilla at Estrada. Isali na rin si Ipe.
20. What role will you give your Vice President?
ANSWER:
Thge same role that Noli de Cstro has. Professional hanger-on.
21. How will you trim down the government bureaucracy to make it more streamlined and efficient?
ANSWER:
Lahat dadaan sa akin para deretso na. Wala nang middleman.
22. How will you ensure sufficient healthcare services especially for indigents?
ANSWERS:
Hayaan nyo na mga indigents. Di naman bumubuto nang maayos mga yan, eh. Laging maysakit.
23. What is your plan for upgrading our state colleges and universities? How will you ensure global competitiveness among our students?
ANSWER:
Ebnroll mo sila lahat sa Poveda. Iyong iba sa IS.
24. How would you amend the Constitution, if you were to do so? (This is not a “yes” or “no” answer.)
ANSWER:
Yes. I will amend the constitution. Parliamentary na lang para wala nang chance mai-boto mga katulad nina Lito Lapid at Bong Revilla at Manny Pakyaw.
25. What is your stand on the VFA? On the Spratlys? What will be the bases of your foreign policy?
ANSWER:
Wala dapat foreign policy kasi wala namang pakialam foreign community sa mga kahunghangan natin. May sumeseryoso ba sa ‘yo kung ang nakaupo ay iyang mga tinamaan ng kidlat na mga magnanakaw na ‘yan? Wala. Walang foreign policy. Tipid pa sa national budget.
26. How will you end extra-judicial killings and ensure the end of human rights violations in government?
ANSWER:
I will encourage extra-judicial killings. Umpisahan ko sa judiciary, tapos sa Executive tapos sa upper and lower houses. O, di sikat!
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