WHY SHOULD CEBUANOS VOTE FOR ME?
Noynoy Aquino: Magandang-magandang hapon ho sa lahat, pasalamatan ko muna ang Cebu Chamber of Commerce, the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Cebu Business Club for inviting me and giving me this occasion to talk before my beloved Cebuanos. In 1983, probably about 2 weeks after my dad’s assassination, I was assigned by my mother to come represent her and the family in talking to the Filipino people and to talk about the tragedy that befell my family. I must say thank you once again, for even though that was the period of Martial Law, I really felt that the whole of Cebu at least Cebu City, was already a liberated zone. And come 1986, my mother was here, she was protected by the people of Cebu against the forces that would have frustrated the people’s will. And after she won the presidency, Cebu led the way to progress and showed what democracy can bring to our country. Isn’t that a fact? Is it not a fact that numerous projects, numerous endeavors, but most importantly the exemplar for the rest of the nation of what can happen if we have a government focused on growing the middle class, on empowering the people gets into power especially in lieu of a government of self-interest. Did you not, by your active participation and cooperation construct the Transcentral Highway? Did you not lead the country also in transforming the Mactan Export Processing Zone, I am told, from just 6 locators to 49 locators and 800% growth by the time my mother stepped down in office through the efforts of Cebuanos led by the then Gov. Lito Osmeña. Is it also a fact, that come the term of President Fidel Valdes Ramos there was a necessity to further expand the Export Processing Zones because the growth of Cebu continued because it was empowered because the middle class had finally arisen democratic space came to the forefront. My friends, the question before me is “Why should the Cebuanos vote for me?” By shaping or life shaping experiences of my life, had a lot to do with the 14 years of Martial Law. The sense of helplessness, the sense of powerlessness, and most importantly the feeling of hopelessness, it was I guess the first vestige of hope that I saw when I was assigned there in Cebu. When I alighted from the plane, the crew of the Pacific Airlines flight then looked down at the stair well, looked at the members of the Execom and said, “Noynoy, goodluck nalang sa’yo.”. But when I stepped out of the airport, when I saw the people of Cebu, it seemed fair did not exist there, it seemed the control of the mind, the spirit, and the soul did not exist there. It showed us that the Filipino given the right milieu is able to accomplish time and time again. Today, we find ourselves in the same situation. I am in the opposition...
Estrada: Our Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Governor Gwen Garcia, my fellow presidentiables, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, maayong hapon kaninyong tanan…
First of all I’d like to thank the Cebu Chamber of Commerce, the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Cebu Business Club for inviting me to their forum, “Choices and Voices for 2010”. I consider it a privilege to share my dreams for the Philippines with the utmost respected leaders of the Cebu business community and with our kababayans here in Cebu. But I come here in highest speaks not only because I’m excited to be in Cebu again as you might have noticed I’ve been here 8 times since I was released from prison, but also because this week has been a very blessed one for me. Nine years ago, on Jan 21st, I experienced the most painful moment of my life when I was ousted from power. I thought that when I won for president in 1998 that would be the last performance of my life. E yon pala eh..may karogtong pang drama pa… and it’s almost as if I was destined that the opportunity to serve the Filipino people would be returned to me on the very day that it was taken away. I should know the COMELEC declared 2 days ago that “Yes, Erap can run for president in May 2010 election”. And yes I’m eager to grab the opportunity to serve the Filipino people again because there is nothing that brings me more happiness than serving the people, especially the poor. Now, I must answer the question why should….
Richard Gordon: What a great pleasure, this is democracy in action in Cebu, the queen city of the Philippines. Malice at the center of the circle, the circumference which is self – imposed, “walang circle na humaharang sa Cebu,” Cebu has built itself; I’m a great admirer of Cebu, were kindred spirits. Subic and Cebu, ports, tourism, exports, yan ang galing ng Cebu. Idol ko ang Cebu bilang Subic Chairman and that is why we have succeeded in doing Subic well. I have promoted Cebu many many places in the world. Wow Cebu has become famous not only in Manila but the entire world. Cebu is known for its craftsmanship, its tourism, the culture of its people is based on the work ethic “way kayod, way kaon” dito sa Cebu. Well ngayong hapon na ito I’m here to tell you why I think my track record in Cebu of building schools here, I’m building it with the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, we’ve put in ambulances here weve created a tourism study here with McKenzie. We make tourism rise here in this country and tourism was always ahead because Cebu was ahead. Handicrafts in the world are recognized because Cebu was ahead and port operations. There are 80 percent of port operations in the whole country all in Cebu. Cebu is the model and that is why I always come here and I enjoy myself being here. And let me just say here today that when you vote for a president, you vote for transformation. You do not vote for him because he has plenty of money. You do not vote for him because he has a pedigree to protect. All those count indeed, but the most important factor is, he must have a track record. He must be able to motivate the people to volunteer and do for themselves what they want to do without being told what to do. He must be able to look for jobs in the whole world and be proud of it. He must be able to restore dignity in this country because in this country, if we do not allow ourselves the excitement, the privilege of voting for the right person for the presidency, then we will be condemned and we will continue to loose our dignity. Lapu-lapu, “sa manlulupig di ka pasisiil” is in Luneta. We fought for that, the biggest statue of Lapu-lapu; a Cebuano Tausug is in Luneta coz we belive “sa manlulupig di ka pasisiil”. Tinayo natin yan over the objection of the National Historical Institute because I wanted the Philippines united. Lapu-Lapu the Muslim Cebuano and Rizal, “ang mamatay ng dahil sa iyo”, a Tagalog Christian. One won it by the sword; one won it and became the 1st Asian to beat the colonial invaders. He was a Cebunano. And that is Cebu and that is why I think we will win with Cebu.
Gilberto Teodoro: Mga pinalangga kong Sugbuanon, maayong hapon kaninyong tanan. We all know the virtues of the Cebuano and the achievements of Cebu. In services, 61 percent regional average this, the countries average of 53 percent; in tourism, in ship building, in industry and in voting intelligently and wisely. But what we need is gearing Cebu for the future. Its development potential is there in industry, in tourism, particularly in services. We need to support and this is important. This is a place where local autonomy works. Local leaders have shown the example of what they can do for their provinces and their cities. And the national gov’t should support them thru adequate infrastructure like the parallel road to Escario, widening of the Hernan Cortes, a third Mactan-Cebu Bridge, and a bridge perhaps linking Cebu with Bohol and other bridges linking it with Negros. We need additional improvements in sea ports, perhaps and additional runway in Mactan and an additional airport in Cebu because we cannot have Cebu with a single runway. But in the midst of opportunities, there are problems we have to gear for a possible shortfall in demand for electricity to the tune of about 2000 megawatts; we have to prepare for that. We have to support the local government units in their initiatives to get a stable and sustainable supply of potable water. We also have to support the tourism industry here in Cebu like the Suroy-suroy of Governor Gwen Garcia. We have to support the towns giving them adequate facilities for tourists because such deserves to be international event. In short, Cebu is unique. It is not merely the Queen City of the South but a Queen City of the Philippines. And together with enlightened national government, macroeconomic policies together with peace and order, together with national unity, Cebu can be a bastion and a beacon of national progress and it can jump start our national development through its theme, One Cebu and One Visayas. Thank You very Much and Daghang Salamat ug Maayong Hapon kaninyong tanan.
Eddie Villanueva: Ladies and gentle men good afternoon. Maayong hapon sa inyong tanan. The local gov’t of Cebu asserts itself as being number one. The pride Cebu holds in its history is the same pride that pushes it to make a mark in a position of leadership. I will keep with your face, I will be direct to the point so frankly let me say that I’m here to introduce what I can offer to the country and to the Cebuanos and in doing so, court your precious votes. Why should Cebuanos vote for Brother Eddie Villanueva? I offer a blueprint of national development and progress anchored on good governance marked by integrity and competence. To many who have been the solution, good governance has already become a cliché, a dream to good to come true. However, I stand on a prim belief that good governance is possible, posibleng possible po. Like the Cebuano, my personal history determines my going to the right direction. In other words my track record determines what I can do where I can steer the people whom I wish to serve. My long experience in both secular and ecclesiastical speaks of my character as a person. As a student activist, I put forth justice although I was imprisoned twice during Marcos Regime. As an economist, I advocated for sound economic policies. As an evangelist, I cared for people, I minister to them. What is common among the hats that I wear as an activist, economist and evangelist, I have the eyes to see the peoples needs, I have the heart to feel and to empathize with the untold sufferings of the masses of our people. And I have the will to help them. In secular language, we call this service. In ecclesiastical context, we call this ministry. In language all common to us we call this public service with integrity. Beloved Cebuanos, we are just offering together with Bangon Pilipinas Party a kind of government never done or never experienced before in entire history, a government with moral leadership. As Archbishop Lagdameo said, the number one problem of our country for many many years is the utter lack of morality, the moral bankruptcy of the government. My fellow presidentialbles have good intentions, they are all qualified to run for president but with due respect to them, our party is the only party not beholden to any political power, not beholden to any business economic power, not beholden to any foreign based power, not beholden to anyone but except to God and to the Filipinio people. We have a blue print that will make Cebu as the global world city. Thank You and God Bless.
Manny Villar: Maayong Hapon Kaninyong tanan. Why Cebu? I like being here in Cebu and I would like to thank our Chamber, our businessmen here, sponsors. I like Cebu because Cebu is the center of entrepreneurial development; Cebu is the center of entrepreneurship. And it is, the development of entrepreneurship in the country central to my platform. Napakahirap po ng kalagayan ng ating bansa. Limampung taon na po ang nakakalipas, mahirap tayo hanggang ngayon mahirap tayo. And we cannot move forward unless we are able to develop an army of entrepreneurs at nakikita ko po yan sa Cebu. Iba po ang Cebuano, masisipag kaya to me, we should make Cebu as the model. Dapat dito po ay lalong paunlarin para gayahin pa ng ibang mga ciudad. Nito pong mga nakakarang panahon, nailagay sa ating mga isipan na hindi nating kayang mag-isa. Sinasabi ng mga dayuhan na di nating kayang mag-isa. Dapat baguhin po natin yan. We must now start an entrepreneurial revolution. We have tried all kinds of revolution but the one revolution; we have green revolution, educational revolution, lahat po ng klase ng revolution ay nagawa natin. But the one revolution that will really create wealth for our country ay yun pong rebolusyon na tunay na mag-aangat at lulutas ng kahirapan. Entrepreneurial revolution, hindi pa po natin ginagawa, ni hindi pa po natin pinag-uusapan. By that I mean, yung mga nagtitinda ng balot, nagtitinda ng mani, nagtitinda ng sampaguita ay tulungan nating lumakipara ng sa ganon, hindi lamang lumaki an gating ekonomiya, kung hindi ang mga mahihirap nagkakaroon ng pag-asa, tumataas po ang kanilang mga kita at gumaganda po ang kanilang mga buhay. Kaya ito po, unless na magawa po natin ito, hinidi ko nakikita kung papano po tayo uunlad and I see Cebu as the center of this. Kinakailangan tulungan po natin ang Cebu sa infrastructure, sa tourism, agriculture, lahat po ng aspeto kinakailangan tulungan natin. Because only in the development of entrepreneurship, Cebu is number one, Cebuanos are number one. Only this development can restore the pride and dignity of our people, hindi na po ang iba pa. Kaya binabati ko po ang mga taga-Cebu and im very proud of you. Ito po ang dapat maging sentro, dapat pamarisan ng lahat ng mga bayan dito sa Pilipinas bilang pangunahing magbabangon, mag-aangat sa ating bansa mula sa kahirapan.
What element or quality that you have, that you carry with you that all the past presidents that have failed us did not have?
Estrada: Well, a leader must be decisive and very firm as long as you will decide for the interest of the greater good of the greatest number. Nobody can stop me. That’s all.
Aquino: Ayaw ko naman hong ikumpara ko yung sarili ko du’n sa ating mga katungali kung tayo po’y hindi makakasabi ng magandang bagay na sigurado’y wag nalng po tayong magsalita. Pero palagay ko, naipakita na po ng inyong abanglingkod naipakita na po rin ng kanyang mga sinusundang mga yapak na ninuno na importante na kapag nagbitaw ng salita ay gagawin po. Kami po ay merong mga ipinaglalaban na pagkatagaltagal na po at nademonstrate na paulitulit. Kung kailangan mag sakripisyo, gagawin, kung kailangan pong mapahirapan, dadaanan, kung kailangang pong isugod at ipaglaban, lahat to para lang itagwid yung tama, gagawin po nananalig na remedyos na tutulong sa kakulangan po natin. Eh, hindi ko naming sinasabi na hindi ho kaya nung iba nating kasamahan. Pero sa akin nga ho, pagnagtanong kayo sa sinumang tao may kakilala sa atin ang una-una katangiang sasabihin “eh, totoo akong kausap, kung ano po an binitawan paniningdigan. At ang focus po natin, ang sa kin lang ho talaga dito may pagkakataon na talagang napakaganda napakaunique. Meron tayong panahon para matapos na itong pinaglalaban na to. Nandiya ang taong bayan mula ‘t gising at talagang kayang hantungan maski anu man pong ganu kataas na problema’y malulutas natin. Salamat po.
Teodoro: I cannot say what I have that the other gentlemen do not. But I can say what I do believe in and the important thing is that I have a genuine desire to have a genuine political reconciliation in this country. Policies are not sustainable; there is no long term infrastructure plan principally because of political disharmony and the failure to understand or separate partisan politics from institutional requirements of the country. Marami na pong nasasayang na mga oportunidad dahil sa pagka-watakwatak ng ating bansa and it goes not only sa pulitika pati kung hindi pati sa religious conflicts, sa regionalism and at sa bigotry paminsanminsan and stereotyping ng ating mga kababayan. Kailangan itigil na natin ‘yan because we have to judge each person as an individual given the fact that each individual is unique and has a benefit to the country and deserves total respect in using that kind of a mindset to motivate people and place bigotry, place hatred aside. That is what our country needs. Honest to goodness reconciliation and renewal.
Villanueva: With due respect to all our previous presidents, we will bring to the presidency and the republic of the Philippines what Abraham Lincoln said, “Honesty and integrity are the best policies”. Together with moral courage, absolute political will with national transparency that will start in the office of the president, no business transaction will ever be implemented in any office of the of the government, especially in the executive office without the knowledge of the people. We will bring transparency, accountability policy absolutely because we believe we can never resolve the evils of corruption in this country unless we have a president who is not afraid of absolute transparency of all the transactions in the office of the president so that all offices in the legislative as well as judiciary will follow the example. We will bring in to the office of the presidency the so called leadership by example, never done in the history of the Philippines. We will wage a real war against corruption, against injustices, against poverty. No sacred cows and I believe in my heart we will have much funds in funding the economic development.
Gordon: Palagay ko po ang kailangan ng ating bayan ay a leader that distinguishes himself from the others at ang kailangan po dito siguro ay ipakita natin, palabasin natin ang galling ng Pilipino. For that kailangan natin palabasin ang common good, kailangan alam natin kung ano ang kabutihang pangkalahatan. A leader must use the bullet phalpet kailangan sabihin nya kung ano ang ambisyonan ng Pilipino, bigyan niya ng bagong definition ang ibig sabihin ng Pilipino, and for that I have a track record, I said when I was Mayor of Olongapo what this country needs is not a change of men but a change IN men, pagbabago ng kalooban. I said we must aim high, mag-ambisyong hindi na yung Pilipino na bata pag humarap sa audience ay nakaganon, lumalakad paganon, nahihiya. Hindi na pwede yung Pilipino na Juan Tamad, kailangan bawal ang tamad and we did that in Subic Bay. Pinalabas namin ang galing ng Pilipino nang nagvolunteer ang mga tao doon, walang bayad kaya nagulat ang buong mundo at sila ay nag-invest. It was not Dick Gordon who sold Subic Bay, it was the Filipino from Cebu, the Filipino from Ilokandia, the Filipino from Pampanga, sila ang nagbenta ng Subic at nagulat lahat ang mga tao noong araw. And that is why it is important na malaman natin that we must have transformational leadership, tapos na yung panahon ng transaction, na kapag ibinoto kita maykapalit, iboboto mo ako bibigyan kita ng trabaho, No. It is time for us to lift by ourselves by our boot straps and say it is time for the Philippines now, not tomorrow but today. Kaya kailangan po mamili tayo, use our head, use our mind. Don’t look at the advertising, tanggalin yung pangalan, tingnan nyo yung track record, ‘yan panalo ang Pilipino
Villar: Leadership, managerial ability, experience. Yan po ang mga katangian na hindi natin ginamit nung mga nakakarang mga panahon. And a lot of people are asking, why are we becoming poorer and poorer every year. Why have we not moved forward? I think in the past years, in past decades, we have always used just popularity and emotions as a basis of electing a president. Mahalaga po at alam po natin importante ‘yan, naranasan ko ang lahat ng kahirapan, naranasan ko na maging squatter, naranasan ko na ang magtinda ng hipon sa palengke, naranasan ko na ang mamatayan ng kapatid dahil wala kaning gamot, naranasan ko na ang hindi kumain. Kaya sa pag-ikot ko sa buong bansa, nakikita ko yung kahirapan, napakarami nating pinaguusapansublit ang kahirapan ay kinakalimutan natin. And to me, the most important problem to address now is poverty. Marami po sa labas natin naghihintay, nag-uusap, ano kaya ang mangyayari sa eleksyon na ito. Kaya kaya nang maging pangulo na baguhin ang ating ekonomiya, magkatrabaho tayo, umangat na an gating buhay,. And to this, I think we should look into the experience of the candidates. May karanasan ba ang kandidato. Kaya ba niyang gawin ang sinasabi niya, pare-pareho po ang plataporma namin, pero ang napakahalaga, kaya mo bang gawin yan. Napakita mo na ba nung nakakaraang panahon na kaya mong gawin yang mga sinasabi mo. Mahalga ‘yan. You must have demonstrated the capability to manage our country.
PREPARED QUESTIONS
The Philippines ranks in the lowest 23 percent in the world when it comes to corruption. The 43 million Filipinos living in poverty, a lot probably caused by corruption. The word corruption has Latin root words, core meaning heart and rumpere meaning broken. What are you going to do to stop this vicious cycle of corruption that is eating into the Philippines’ moral fiber, political fiber, and economic fiber?
Villanueva: Unang-una po, ang ating gagawin yung sinabi ko na yung ako ay alokin ng GMA government na anti-corruption czar ang sabi ko ay, I can only accept that if my is agreed upon by Malacanang Palace. First, I should be allowed to overhaul and appoint key people sa Commission on Audit, Ombudsman, Department of Justice. I should be allowed to form a small composite army from AFP, PNP and NBI and I should be allowed to form different task forces composed mainly of principled lawyers and certified public accountants and within 30 days, all these scandals be submitted. In other words, I will implement genuine transparency and accountability affairs giving teeth to the overhauled judicial system, no sacred cows, strengthen the courts, especially against plunderers and let there be an example in the office of president to the lowest office of the government. Leadership by example with moral leadership.
Estrada: First of all, graft and corruption, I’ve been there. I’ve been there as your president for two and a half years and I would say that in avoiding graft and corruption you must have men of integrity. Appointing men of integrity in the, especially in sensitive position. And I’ll give you as an example. When my wife and my son, Jinggoy was charged of graft and corruption, I was the one who called the Chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon to investigate immediately my wife and my son but they were not able and my wife and son were proven innocent. Every single cent was accounted for. That’s what I want to tell you. And at the same time, there must be certainty of punishment to all who commit graft and corruption. And I could just set as an example that no one of my cabinet member has ever involved in any scam or any anomalies.
Aquino: Number one, the fact is we have very good laws. Question, is it being implemented? Case in point: Fertilizer scam, Jocjoc Bolante-- Four years before they started investigating; Judicial system—six years to adjudicate a case on average. Namatay nalang ang witnesses of fertilizer scam di pa nauumpisahan, di pa naiimbistigahan nang mabuti. Dulo po nyan, tama yung kay Presidente Estrada, kailangang may certainty. Pag may ginawa kang kasalanan, kailangan may certainty of punishment if you commit a crime. Not what we have now. Commit a crime, ang fiscal file sa case, the case has only an 18% chance of prospering, ok ho ba sa inyo yon? Hindi man 20% chance na may conviction sa atin pong bansa. Sinong matatakot kung ganu’n? pero hindi po pwedeng puro stick. Hindi pwede puro palo’t parusa ang gagawin po natin. Di naman po tama na nag-aasa tayong mahusay ang emplayado ng gobyerno. Ayaw naman po nating icompensate ang tama. Ang tawag po namin sa approach po namin, “Carrot and Stick”. Kailangang mabigyan natin ng tamang compensation. Presidente ng Republika, bago yong Salary Standardization Law 3, fifty thousand pesos a month ang sweldo. Ang pinapangasiwaan, 1.5 trillion pesos. Pwede ho bang hindi ninyo matukso pag hindi pinagaaral yung anak kung hindi kayang pag-aralin. Dapat ho ay itaas natin yan. Magyayari po yan pag ineliminate ko ang corruption. Certainty, as experienced sa track record sabi ng mga katungali natin, 18 years na po bumaba ang aking ina, hindi po na charge ang ating ina sa corruption. Ang atin pong mga kapatid. Yun po ang record.
Teodoro: There are 3 things that you need to do when you address graft and corruption. Numero uno, non-tolerance of graft and corruption and setting the example na hindi ikaw ang mangunguna sa paggawa nang masasamang bagay sa gobyerno. Pangalawa, also you have to have a balance, you should give incentives for good behavior. First and foremost is the daily wage and the other emoluments of public servants. Its really unfair that they are faced with the temptation of gaining a huge sum with a small salary. Its like a small child, you dangle a forbidden toy before the small child; it’s only a question of time when that child will try to grab at the toy. Now, we should because it is systemic, try to incentivize through structures, through appropriate incentives for good behavior. Now, thirdly, there is a very important thing, transparency in procurements and other transactions where we need an activist public to participate and watch over these. According to a famous justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant and the streetlight the best policeman”. Light in public transactions, exposing them to public scrutiny is the best guarantee against anomalies.
Villar: Hindi po tayo makakaangat sa ating bansa, kung hindi po matitigil yang corruption. Alam po natin na ito ang isa sa pinakamahirap na problema subalit kailangang gawin kung hindi natin to makukuha, mabibigo tayo na ibangon ang ating bansa na iangat mula sa kahirapan ang atin pong mga kababayan. To me it’s very important that we inspire whoever will be president on June 30 should be able to inspire our people on the first 100 days. Lahat ng pwede i-bid out, i-bid out on television. Lahat imbitahin, mag-imbita ng investors, mag imbita ng gusto sumali and tell them na walang hihingi sa inyo, ang sino mang humingi sa iyo, isumbong s’kin on television because on the first 100 days and the first year you must be able to tell everybody that you mean business. Kinakailangan na ma-establish natin sa atin pong mga foreign investors, sa ating mga kababayan, sa bureuecracy that this term is different, this president is different. He has the capability to stop corruption. Kaya niyang pangatawanan ito. Meron tayong strategy dapat. Madaling sabihin i-stop out mo ang corruption, but you must have a strategy and the capability to do it. Dapat unahin mo muna yung halimbawa, sa unang 100 days, unahin mo muna yung mga malalaking ahensya, doon ka muna mag focus. But very important, strengthen the judiciary. Walang po tayong magagawa kailangan palakasin po natin, increase ang sweldo po ng ating mga judges.
Gordon: Not only will i not steal. I have a track record of fighting corruption. I have been in the blue ribbon committee. Lahat ng report ko, pinapa-file-an ko ng kaso. Ang president, ang lahat ng cabinet secretary, ang first gentleman na involved doon kay Jocjoc Bolante at saka doon sa ZTE. Dapat palitan natin ang ombudsman na inaapoint sapagkat kung kaklase ng first gentleman hindi maso-solve ang corruption. Kailangan dapat baguhin natin ang konstitusyon para sa ganon magre-recommend ng dalawang tao ang korte suprema. Walang kampanyahan, ang track record lang ang titingnan, yun ang dapat iboto ng tao para ang hari ng ombudsman ay ang taong bayan. Pangatlo, I will go after those who are, walang compromise sa corruption, no tolerance. Hahabulin natin yan and I will not allow anybody around me to go scot free. I will not pardon anybody who is convicted of corruption. And I will tell you this also, I will also make sure that we must have courtesy, honesty and efficiency. When I was mayor of Olongapo, I had that slogan, “Check courtesy, honesty and efficiency”. We had an incentives for the people, kung kulang ang sweldo, makakahiram ang tao sa gobyerno, ginagawa natin ‘yan. When I was in Subic sabi ko, pagnagnakaw na ako, magnakaw na kayong lahat. Pagnagnakaw ng turnilyo, nakawin n’yo na lahat ang Subic, walang nagnakaw.
The Philippines being considered one of the most vulnerable countries to the negative impact of climate change and one of the least prepared, what are the measures that your administration will institute to mitigate and to adapt to the effects of climate crisis?
Gordon: I’ve been fighting disasters since I was a young man in the Red Cross, Ive been 43 years in the Red Cross and I have coined a phrase, “Predict, plan, prepare, practice, cope, mitigate, report, relieve, rehabilitate, and resurrect”. Kailangan alam n’yo kung saan dadalhin ang mga tao kapag may mangyayari. Kaya alam n’yo kung ano ang hamon ng panahon and that is why matuto tayo to reduce the risks. Bakit kailangan palipatlipat palagi yung mga tao sa Mayon Volcano kung pwede naman isang beses lang sa isang center na talagang doon na sila titira at yung mga tatay na lang aakyat magtanim at din a tayo aabalahin ang eskwela para hindi na tayo magbibigay ng pagkain, swak kaagan ang mga tao doon. Bakit tayo magtanim ng magtanim doon sa binabaha? Kung binahabaha ang isang lugar, katulad doon sa Bacolor, itinaas naming, linagyan naming ng tubo, ng mga kahoy ang mga bahay para ang lahar dadaan sa ilalim. At imbes na mag poultry, mag pato (ducks) para lumulutang sa tubig at di nasisira ang ating mga manok. These are sensible things that we can do and that is called adaptation. And if you know how to prepare Predict, plan, prepare, practice, you must also be ready to save lives. Kaya ako (whistles), that means evacuation, takbo na tayo. Doon na tayo sa preconditioned evacuation center, in other words di tayo pwedeng mag sasalita lamang, you practice what you preach. Join the Red Cross, 44 in every baranggay, may 7 kayo and you know where to evacuate, you would know what to do when there is a disaster.
Estrada: Well, we are very worried about this climate change. Alam n’yo po, during my time of term as president, in 1999, we passed this Clean Air Act 8749. So at that time, hindi pa uso itong climate change, nasa ulo na naming ‘yan. First, we must be worried about, we must first do the basic—the flood control; we will also address this itong mga illegal loggers at itong mga miners. We should be very strict in giving them permit because there the cause of all this flood. At the same time, itong mga ginagawa ng mga waste management, we have to take care of our waste management thoroughly. And at the same time, ‘yang ating Clean Air Act, itong mga pollution, we should do the basic things dahil itong climate change eh, ito kasalan ito ng mga first world countries to and they should be the one who…
Aquino: The platform of the party is we try to simplify it and basically it says, “No forest, no watersheds. No watershed, no water. No water, no food. No food, no people.” And I guess that encompasses what we believe the problems are. How many of us are aware that the forest cover, the primary forest covers only 8%? We have not deleviated up to this time the forest we want to protect. We start with basics. Let us determine what we want to save. Let us preserve what we have. Let us replant what is necessary even ‘yong coastal areas, the corals that were already a concern when it was my mother who was president. You had here in Cebu the Bantay Dagat program which was very effective. At that point in time has to be revived. It is true as Pres. Estrada said, that it is a first world problem that we are bearing the brunt of the problem too. So, we can embark on it as a problem that also offers us a solution. We have a problematic economy. We can engage in the trading in carbon credits to improve our environment and at the same time earn revenue for our country and get jobs for our people, which is number one in our platform—Job Generation. So in the end, there is no time rather than today to take care of this problem that with Ondoy and Peping has already shown what disaster can befall our Filipino people.
Villar: We understand that 60 oercent of the cause of global warming is caused by the developed countries China, US, Russia. Napakahalaga na bagamat hindi tayo ang may dahilan dito, unfortunately tayo ang biktima. Kaya sa akin na pakahalaga na maging environmental friendly ang magiging bagong administrasyon. At isa sa magiging kadahilanan kung bakit ginawa kong at pinili kong vice presidential candidate si Loren Legarda ay yung kanyang pagmamahal sa kalikasan. Pareho po kaming nagmamahal sa kalikasan at masasabi ko rin na napakahalaga ng track record dito sa bagay na ito. Marami po kaming magsasabi na marami kaming mga gagawin sa kalikasan subalit mahalga na itanong sa amin anon a ba ang nagawa naming nung mga nakakaraang panahon sa kalikasan. Ako po nung ako’y bata, nagsimula ako pinangako ko sa aking sarili balang araw akoy makakapagtanim ng isang milyong puno. Ako po ay nakapagtanim na ng mahigit sa isang milyong puno as of last year, nagawa na po natin yan. Mahalaga rin po sa Las Pinas pag tiningnan n’yo po kami lang ho ang naka-reverse, na-clean naming yung mga rivers namin sa Las Pinas, hindi na po masyadong tumutubo ang mga water lily dahil medyo malinis na po an gaming river doon. The only successful one in Metro Manila. Napakarami po kaming nagawa nang aking partner at running mate subalit napakarami pa pong dapat gawin. Kailangan ibalik natin yung forest covered natin. At least itaas natin to 5 to 10 percent ang ating forest covered.
Villanueva: Alam po ng lahat na ang Pilipinas ay hindi major contributor sa global warming. Ang mga may kasalanan nito ay mga industrialized countries pero bilang isang maliit na bansa, tungkulin natin na magkaroon tayo nang adaptation system, and mitigation system. Napakarami nating mgabatas. Meron clean air act, clean water act, meron yung tinatawag na solid waste management act. Merong bago ngayong, yung Climate Change 2009 Act. Ang problema, sankatutak ang batas, hindi mapatupad. Bakit, yun hong lakes, ginagawang subdivision, yun hong mga estero, hindi linilinis yung mga estero . Ang mga rivers natin sobra ang pollution. Pag dumating na ‘yung bagyo, dumating si Ondoy at saka si Pepeng saka maghahanap ng rubber boats. I’m sorry, ako po’y diretso magsalita. Ang kailangan po natin ay isang presidency na hindi pwedeng hawakan sa leeg nang sino mang may economic power and political power. Ang kailangan natin absolute ang loyalty sa diyos at sa bayan, gawin ang mga dapat na programa, ipatupad ang mga batas. No man should be above the law kaya para ho sa amin sa Bangon Pilipinas Party, napakahalaga ng moral courage, moral integrity, at saka yung tinatawag pong competence in effecting genuine change and reforms which cannot be implemented by traditional politics.
Teodoro: In order of severity and importance because the Philippines emits only 0.3 percent of the worlds Greenhouse gases, what we should do first is adaptation. Meaning to say, steering up our communities to withstand the effects of erratic changes in weather patterns, as Ondoy and Pepeng have shown the devastation that they brought. We have to redesign our communities. There is no choice but to do so to withstand these weather patterns, from worst typhoons to continuous rains, mud slides, land slides and the like. Now, that is called adaptation. In mitigation, there’s several laws which we need just to implement, the clean air act, solid waste management act, renewable and sustainable energies and the like. But there is also one thing, other than forest cover which admittedly needs to be rebuilt. It’s our marine resources too, they stand in grave danger of being depleted for the future generations because of one thing and all these initiatives are easily said. Example, Ondoy’s damage is US 4.8 Billion already. It’s a question of resources how do you rebuild because safer is not necessarily cheaper, at times it is more expensive. Marine resources, how do you get the resources to you protect your 34,000 km of coast line. Forest lands, how do you get people steward the forests to make them sustainable and development? That is the challenge.
Everyday on my way to school I see dirty looking kids knocking on my car asking for food or money. If you become president, what would you do with these kids so they don’t stay in the streets so that they can go to school?
Estrada: Well, as I have said I have been their as your president for 2 and a half years. And it was proven compared to the post-Marcos administration, in all administration, I put up the biggest budget on social services, the biggest budget in education and the biggest budget on health. This is all pro-poor so that children of the poor families can be taken care of. This is recorded and this is documented. This is the only way how we can uplift the life of our children.
Teodoro: The condition of the street children is a manifestation of something else. You have to address the condition of their parents in order to prevent systemically the perpetuation of that condition. You have to give them opportunities and that is through growing your economy with opportunities for all and that is a function being a president of governance. Macroeconomic policies, peace and order, infrastructure, health care, education so that there is one thing, the Philippines becomes an inviting investment destination and a place for opportunities for all. Now, the existing street children, there is the Department of Social Welfare and Development, there is the Pantawid Pampamilya ng Pangulo Program or the Conditional Cash Transfer Program which critics and allies of the administration alike have said that works. Where rather than use kids to beg, the poorest of the poor are given cash to send their kids to school. But these are mere palliative measures, the systemic thing is that, you cannot have people who cannot afford to rear their children comfortably and within the bounds of the law having children. So the condition of the parents must be dealt with because there will be no street children if there are no consenting adults to bring them.
Villanueva: Ang pinakaugat po poverty. Bakit shocking ang poverty sa Pilipinas, grinding, grabe ang corruption. 40 to 50 percent of the total budget according to World Bank goes to corruption. So resolbahin ang korupsyon, malaki ang pera na magagamit para magkaroon ng massive economic development projects, magkaroon ng strategic economic growth centers sa different provinces and regions of the Philippines. At magkaroon ng tinatawag na Economic Revolution together with moral revolution at nang sa ganon po hindi natin masuway ‘yung sinabi ng Millenium Goals ng United Nations na ang sa total budget ng isang bansa ang dapat naka-allocate na budget sa education at least 6 percent of GDP. Pero sa Pilipinas ‘ho nakakalungkot, imbes na 6 percent, 2+ percent lang ho ang napupunta sa education. And this is a criminal neglect of the government. At ganon din po pagdating sa livelihood, kapag wala ho tayong seryosong massive economic projects and programs at hindi magkakaroon nang economic revolution sa Pilipinas, mananatiling kulelat ang Pilipinas sa Asia. Kaya napakahalaga po ang tinatawag na matino, matapat, matuwid na pangulo ng bansa na walang kinakatakutan kundi ang diyos at kasalanan.
Villar: Clearly it’s a case of poverty and this is precisely what I’ve been saying that the main problem of our country is poverty, kahirapan. Napakarami pong mga batang ganyan at s’yempre ang pangarap nating lahat, ang pinapangako nating lahat, walang maiiwan sa kanila lahat sila makakapag-aral, may pagkain sila, meron trabaho, pero alam nating hindi possible yan. Pero sa akin habang hindi pa natin nagagawa ‘yan, kailangan magbigay tayo ng safety nets. Kailangan ayusin muna natin lalung-lalo na dun sa bottom 25 percent. Yun pong pinakamahirap, yun pong dapat bigyan natin nang atensyon. Kamukha rin ng mga OFW. Yan po ang pinapangarap nati, ang mga Pilipino hindi na dapat lumabas ng bansa para magkatrabaho at magkaroon ng pag-asa sa buhay. Pero habang hindi pa natin nagagawa yan kailangan din magprovide tayo ng safety nets. Kailangan masiguro natin na lahat nang OFW na gusto umuwi na nagkaroon ng problema makakauwi. Kailangang protektahan natin sila. Kamukha rin ng mga kabataan na yan, kailangan sa DSWD maglagay tayo ng maliliwanang na kukupkop sa kanila. Yun talagang maliwanag na maalagaan sila. Transparent, ipapakita natin sa publiko na kaya nating na mangyari ito. Pero in the end, the problem is really poverty; it boils the question of competence. This country must move forward now. We have got to stop this incompetence, we’ve got to stop this corruption. Kailangan magtapos nap o ang mga bagay na ito.
Gordon: 6 percent of our people will not go to school, the hundred that will go to school, 68 will finish grade school, and so on and so forth aabot ng 17 sa grade school at college. Yung 6 percent na ‘yan, if you multiply it by 10 years, baka umabot ng 7 million in ten years. Tanong nga anong problema d’yan? Because yung mga tao, yung mga magulang nila wala talagang trabaho. The president must reach out to the poor to find out what’s wrong that is why kami we created a food donation law halimbawa because there are a lot of people asking for money, asking for food. So the food donation law was passed para yung mga sobra sa mga hotel makuha ng mga organizations like Red Cross at maibigay doon and find out, not as a hand out, find out ba’t wala kayong trabaho and create skills. Government must also disperse industries throughout the entire country, nakasiksik lahat sa Metro Manila, kaya kung bumaha, ang dami ng nadadale doon. Kaya kailangan, kung saan ka naglagay ng infrastructure, katulad sa Subic, Clark, Manila, three airports, two seaports dapat ilagay mu doon sa pagitan ng mga lugar nay yung mga industry para yung mga tao magkaroon ng pagkakataon magkaroon ng hanapbuhay. Sa Cebu, dagdagan natin ang tulay, siguro magkakaroon ng trabaho ang mga tao. Lagyan mo ng wharf to Bohol, an underground railroad going to Bohol katulad sa Hong Kong siguro magkakaroon ng trabaho. We have to create opportunites for the poor so that their children can go to school and give them a quality education at the same time.
Aquino: When I was very young my dad said,”Education is the gift I can equip you. You might be famous today, tomorrow you are a nobody. You might be rich today, tomorrow you might soon lose your wealth.but if you learn that’s yours for life.” All of us, I think agree on a lot of the problems, there’s the issue of poverty, there’s the issue of capability. But have we noticed nobody really says what the solution is? Poverty, how do you address it? What are the job prospects in this country? You have the BPO industry, you have IT, you have the tourism related industries. All of that need the modecom of education. How can you be a call center operator when you can’t even learn English or you don’t even learn English. The truth of the matter is, 100 students in grade school, only 14 finish college, 86% do not. Most of them drop out by grade 2. Why?--poor health. Why?—because of parents can give them allowance so that they can have some means of transportation. Bottom line—we have the resources we can educate them better. Better conditional cash transfers are a key, make sure they are not politicized. Have an opportunity, when you say that they have classrooms. Make sure that those classrooms are extant, it’s not a statistic that you just make them share one classroom and compress 12 years of learning into theoretically 10 years but actually 5 years. You make it an impossible vision for any child that has to be the intervention at the basic education level now.
If elected president, what infrastructure projects would you implement in the country side to boost local economy and solve the employment problem?
Teodoro: We have to have an additional runway for Cebu; the existing single runway in Mactan is too vulnerable for sustainable growth for Cebu. You nee also additional investments in roads. For example, as is said earlier, a parallel route to Escario because traffic is a big problem, widening of Hernan Cortes and a third bridge between Mactan and Cebu itself. You also have to start the planning for infrastructure linking Bohol and Cebu and perhaps if you want to dream big, even with Negros. Those are probably not attainable in one term but we must have a plan and the political unity to let administrations continue and follow through. It cannot be like the skyway which was completed only until Bicutan and it took at least 10 years for the project to continue, that must stop.
Estrada: You know, you must give priority to food security. That is why my first priority is for farm to market road, to help our poor farmers. And in fact, you know the labor force coming from agriculture is about almost 40% and these are poor farmers that need irrigation farm to market road, and, that is what my administration is concentrated on food security. As of now, the latest survey, about 15M Filipinos are experiencing hunger. And now, we are even importing, we are number one importer of rice in the world. We are subsidizing the farmers of Vietnam, of China, of Thailand, but we are not helping our farmers. Instead of helping our farmers, ninanakawan pa natin ng fertilizers. Kaya, kawawang-kawawa naman yung ating mga magsasaka. As far as I am concerned, we should give priority to food security. That is why we must first give priority to farm to market road and irrigation.
Aquino: Let me answer it in a three fold manner. The current administration will leave the incoming administration a 300 billion deficit for 2009 and another 300 billion for 2010 as projected. How do you fund all of these infrastructure projects with a deficit? So, to answer the question directly, I have my interest. I want for instance the trade system in the Cagayan Valley Region so that the farmers get the maximum amount for the labor that they expended in producing the rice that we all eat. There is also a possibility for a railway system in Mindanao so that we can transport from the production areas to the ports that those goods and services that unfortunately have not been a means whereby the farmers and the fisher folks could have maximized these things. But my political upbringing is one of consensus building. I will not presume to tell everybody that this is what you should do first, and what you should be prioritizing. We will consult, primarily with the LGUs, if we are president to determine their problems and to determine the proposed solutions that they will whole heartedly and fully support and in that end, arrive at the solutions to the problems sooner rather than later with the full support of the people and redounding to their benefit at the quickest possible time.
Villanueva: 70 percent po ng ating mga kababayan, directly and indirectly, nabubuhay sa agriculture. Napakahalaga na magkaroon ng urgent modernization ng agriculture. Magtatayo po tayo kaagad ng tinatawag na National Cooperative Bank for farmers and fishermen at mabigyan sila ng soft loans form 3 percent to 5 percent. Ma-modernize ang kanilang farming, ang kanilang agricultural occupation at ng sa ganon po merong technology na papasok according to our economic managers, modern technology, tax free ang importation ng mga necessary machineries. At ang agriculture po natin ay tumaas at the same time magkaroon ng massive infrastructure projects integrating the water, the air, and the land transport para sa industrialization na ayon sa pag-aaral ng aming economic managers through analysis ng bawat probinsya, ano ang strength, ano ang weaknesses ng bawat probinsya, ano ang conducive na industriya na dapat suplayan ng funding at magkaroon ng sustainable and development assistance ang mga local industries. Sa madaling salita, talagang economic revolution ang isasagawa sa different regions and provinces, at ang engine of economy ay bumilis, at ang mga OFW na umalis sa kanikanilang mga pamilya ay bumalik na.
Gordon: I would bring in the tourism enterprise zones, I would accelerate them. Gawa tayo ng airport ng airport, Silay, Ilo-ilo, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and yet walang tourism infrastructure enterprise zones. We’ve already done the law, and were still doing RRR. Kailangan i-accelerate yan because tourism will bring in money, new money from outside, from domestic sources aside from other countries. It will bring in jobs, it will bring in entrepreneurship, it will bring in master planning, engineering lahat tatakbo yan. Kung lahat ng mga islands natin may mga airports, patakbuhain natin kaagad yan para sa ganon magkaroon ng kabuhayan para yung mga sinasabing sumasalubong kay Trevor na kumakatok, di na kakatok, makakapagaral at magkakaroon ng hanapbuhay ang kanilang mga magulang sapagkat ‘yan ang pinakamabilis sa tourism. It is important that we focus. We are supposed to be a country with 7,107 islands pero hindi natin minamaximize yung tourism potential ng ating bansa. “Wow Philippines”, tingnan niyo ang Malaysia, “Malaysia Truly Asia”, they invest on promotions para ma-maximize yung kanilang tourism infrastructure. So kailangan maggawa tayo nang hanapbuhay, nagawa na yung mga airport, ang patakbuhin natin ngayon ay ang tourism enterprise zones na nakalagay sa law para sa ganon pumasok at may pupuntahan ang mga tourists at baka makakita pa ng mga factory na bago at makalikha pa ng trabaho dito sa atin.
Villar: I agree with the fact that we are facing a deficit, a big deficit this year. Napakalaki nang kakulangan natin sa pananalapi at napakahirap mag implement ng significant infrastructure programs. Pero nalaman natin na may paraan naman n’yan. Maraming approaches d’yan, naniniwala ako na kaya’ng gawin. In fact we must invest more in infrastructure. Ito’y napakahalaga at kayang gawin ito. Build operate transfers, strategic borrowing, marami po tayong pwedeng gawin, pero hindi po natin pwedeng kalimutan ang agrikultura. 70 percent ng mahihirap sa ating bansa ay nasa agrikultura kaya hindi natin pwedeng kaligtaan ‘yan and napakahalaga na lahat ng mga doables sa agrikultura ipagawa natin. Repair ng irrigation systems, modernization ng mga miling facilities, paggawa ng warehousing and drying facilities. Kinakailangang unahin natin yan para kaagad matikman nung 70 posyento nga ating mga mahihirap sa agrikultura ang pag-angat ng kanilang kabuhayan. But, having said that, its also important to establish projects that are clearly needed by each area. Meron po tayong Regional Development Council, sila po ang nakaka-alam kung ano po ang dapat. But also we must invest in projects that will inspire our investors that will attract our investors to come here. Kailangan maipakita natin sa kanila na ay ginagawa tayo, may gumagalaw sa ating bansa. We have to show this so that they can invest and create more jobs.
QUESTION FOR TEODORO – What incentives and government sector partnerships will you develop for both foreign and local investors, particularly in enlarging the foreign direct investment for the country?
Teodoro: First and foremost we have to review the incentives on big ticket items, $1 billion or more. The new tourism act like Sen. Gordon said and, I congratulate them for passing it, has all these incentives too for tourism and economic zones under the tourism and infrastructure enterprise zone authorities. Thirdly, you have also to take advantage of your international trade agreements. So you have to engage markets like China and the Middle East, these are future growth areas for Cebu because of services that they need. You need also to enter the bilateral free trade agreements with the European Union and the United States, that’s on the national level. On the regional level, naturally you would have to enter, in your first 100 days into as many BOTs and PPPs as possible particularly with power generating firms to address the potential shortfall and to give the basic infrastructure. That’s the basic thing that you would do within your first 100 days and naturally you would also have to give incentives to educational institutions because people are the biggest assets here in Cebu and you would have really to give them the opportunities for quality education and you start with basic education reform then to tertiary education. And then finally you would have to give incentives to the local government units because they are very crucial element of these and their direction must be supported with appropriate incentives by the national government.
RESPONSES to Teodoro’s Speech:
Gordon: Ano ang ibebenta mo Gibo? Tama yung sinabi mo ngayon tourism enterprise zone. Ito halimbawa, ang Olango island, gawin mong tourism enterprise zone, pwede mong ibenta ‘yan pero dapat may subdivision. Para kang nagtitinda ng subdivision, para pagpunta doon hindi yung pupunta ‘yung turista at sabihin saan ako mag-iinvest, sabihin mo “’dun”. Kailangan talaga ‘eto this is the price of the land, this is the price of water, this is the price of power, this is the price of jobs at kailangan malaman natin para sa ganon papasok ang turista.
Aquino: Marami hong pwedeng gawin eh. Insfrastructure nga ho. Basically, number one, inventory. Anu ang problems ng investors dito? Ano yung “redtape” na nirereklamo? We tend to set up a unit in government that basically deals away or tries to take away all the unnecessary “redtape”. Second, infrastructure na kakulangan that also has been, has to be inventory, tama pa bay yung pinupunduhang mga project ngayon, magkakaroon ba ng saysay pagdating ng panahon nagging, tama po yan. ’Yung rationalization of the fiscal incentives dapat magkasundo—national government’s incentives plus local government’s incentives.
Villar: Alam po naman natin ang gusto ng mga investors but we have to be more specific, we have to be more strategic. We have to pinpoint exactly where the investors would be coming from kasi ngayon napakahalaga ng China, maybe we focus on China and the other countries that may invest here but what they want, iba-iba. For example, ‘yung mga right now corruption ayaw nila ‘yan, yung inconsistent application of laws, ayaw nila ‘yan, ‘yun ang dapat natin lutasin, pero after that kailangan specific na ‘yung ating mga ipapasok.
Estrada: I’ve been there. Nangangako palang sila nagawa ko na. As I’ve said, we cannot attract investors or we cannot attract them to come here because the root cause of that problem is peace and order. Second, the graft and corruption. As long as we don’t have peace and order in this country, you have the MILF in….
Villanueva: Para ma-attract po natin ang legitimate investors, patunayan natin sa kanila yung cost competitiveness, may available na mga raw materials, ‘yung tinatawag na quality competitiveness, available ang technology at higit sa lahat ang ating gobyerno, walang red tape, one stop shop. At ang mga local officials natin siyang mag promote together with our diplomatic embassies sa marketing at nang sa ganun po an mga investors hindi sila….
Tourism is a majoreconomic accelerator but despite our tourism growth the Philippines still lags behind some of its counter parts in Asia in infrastructure, services, and facilities. If you become president, would you fully implement the famous Tourism Act 2009 or would you rather first address the social ills related to tourism like prostitution or human flesh trade, poverty or open skies policy?
Aquino: Tama lang ho siguro na ako yung huling bumiyahe, president pa po si Presidente Estrada. Pero ang bottom line ho, that is one of the growth areas that has to be supported. I really am studying very well the advantages we’d will have with an open skies policy. Bali, I understand adopted the same from 30,000 they now have 3 Million visitors every year. Why can’t we do the same? I have been a victim of some of our tourist facilities. When you go into this hotel run by the government, the room is full of mosquitoes and I wonder how they expect to encourage everybody to go there. You also have to have the attitude changes with the people that we shouldn’t be gouging the people will be bringing the jobs and investments. Now, there are a lot of things that can be done that has to be a priority. Because thanks to the BPO industry and the IT profession to receive seems to have the most “for-a-catch-all” job generation potential for most of our countrymen, and we should endeavor to do so.
Teodoro: I’m for the full implementation of the Tourism Act; I don’t see any inconsistency between the full implementation of the act and sustainable development. Secondly, the problem is you really have to invest in your infrastructure for tourism, the airport is one such infrastructure but there is one thing that is also really important that is the public image of the Philippines as a safe tourism destination. Tourists abroad will not make any distinction between Cebu, Basilan, and Sulu to them it is still the same Philippines and this problem must be addressed. Thirdly, there must be a mindset that we have to invest resources in selling our country properly abroad, every hour on the hour you seen advertisements for other countries, “Visit Malaysia Truly Asia”, nothing on the Philippines, so we have to sell our country, we have to keep it safe, and we have to make tourists comfortable.
Villanueva: Full implementation po ng Tourism Act ang susuportahan ng Bangon Pilipinas at yun pong tinatawag na opening selective, opening of skies policies yung mga secondary airports katulad na nangyari ng Ramos Government nang buksan ang Subic at saka yung Clark Field, biglang tumaas ng half million tourists instantly ang mga dumating sa Pilipinas. Pangalawa, investors start as tourist sa madaling salita maraming magagawa ng gobyerno para infrastructure, peace and order, at magcreate ng yung talaga yung ating natural ambience na mas maganda sa mga ibang mga Asian countries, mafully develop at maging tourist spot # 1 ng Pilipinas. Nakakalungkot po dahil ang Pilipinas nagkakuntento tayo kung minsan sa 2 million tourist more or less a year. ‘Yung Thailand, 13 million a year masyado tayong huli kaya’t its high time to revolutionize our tourism industry.
Estrada: Well, in my experience, as I’ve said, the root cause of all these is peace and order. How can you attract tourists, when even in other countries like US, New Zealand, Australia they’re issuing all t hese travel advices not to come to this country? So, the issue again, the root cause again is peace and order.
Gordon: Promote, protect, and profit. We must promote our country because it makes us proud, remember we had CNN, “More Than the Usual”, it was shown tayo ‘yan. That’s why we created the Tourism Law, the Tourism Law will give us tourism incentives para magawa ‘yung mga lugar dito katulad ng Malapascua where the treasure sharks are, itong Olango Island where the birds sanctuaries are, even Sulu we can put it there and gawin nating mga guides yung mgaf Abu Sayyaf later on. The point is we have to try at kailangan bigyan ‘yan ng incentives yung mga tao na makita nila na pagkamaytrabaho sa tourism gagalaw ‘yan that is why we created a tourism law kailangan mabilisan natin iyan, imaximize natin iyan because yung prutas ng Sulu yung mangosteen pwedeng ibenta diyan, yung lansones ng Basilan pwede rin ibenta rito, yung kama na gawa sa Pilipinas, yung furniture na gawa sa Cebu pwede rin ibenta rito it is an export industry within the country that’s is why kailangan palakarin iyan. No prostitution in terms of flesh trade dapat hulihin yan pero kailangan talaga nakafocus tayo na peace and order promoted, protect this area, and at the same time make sure na makawala tayo.
Villar: Alam po niyo, nagtataka po rin ako na bakit napakakunti pumupunta dito sa Pilipinas, alam natin yung mga problema yan ng peace and order, infrastructure, baka mahinang klase ang ating marketing pero tinanong ko sila sa ibang bansa na bakit ayaw niyong pumunta sa Pilipinas, why don’t you consider the Philippines as a tourist destination, alam niyo sagot nila sa akin lalolalo na sa China, India, napakahirap kumuha ng visa sa Pilipinas, napakahirap kumuha ng tourist visa and doon ko lang nadiskubre na kinakailangan talagang magtulongtulong ang iba’t ibang departamento ng ating pamahalaan para magawa ito ang tourism para maboost natin ito ‘di lang pwede ang Departament of Tourism lamang. Talaga pati yung Foreing Relation, ‘yung DPWH para sa infrastructure, ‘yung DOT, lahat po iyan ay kasama sa pagaddress nito lahat ng mga departamento ay dapat nating gamitin para maitulak natin ang tourism pero alam po nila ang problema, all we have to do is to listen to them, alam po ng mga tourist ang problema.
The globalization of economies has brought people together through trade, travel, and tourism. Technology has created worldwide supply chains, companies, and customers; however, our politics remained largely national and insular. How will you prevent the retreat of globalization towards safety and slow growth of protected national economies and how will you push these industries to be competitive globally?
Villar: Alam niyo po nakita ko rin na magsara yung mga iba’t ibang kumpanya dito sa Pilipinas na masyadong mabilis ang liberalization natin pero nandiyan na iyan and we have to confront this problem. We know that we liberalized too fast but now we have to compete in a global economy. Pero sa akin diyan ay tanungin natin ang mga businessman, this is very important, alam ng mga businessman ang mga problema nila. Credit, hindi nagfoflow ang credit sa ating mga businessman hindi sila makaexpand, ang banking system natin ay cartelized kokonti lamang ang nagpapatakbo ng ating banking system kaya hindi makacompete ang ating mga businessman abroad hindi sila makautang, and then hindi tayo lumalabas ng bansa mahina ang ating DFA, ang foreign relations, yung mga bilateral agreements natin hindi masyadong maganda at hindi naipu-push na natutulak sa ating mga local businessman, and the third yung mga simpleng request ng mga businessman na hindi natin mapagbigyan yung mga tulong sa kanila pero alam po natin ‘yan, pag tinanong natin kung, yung mga Cebu Chamber of Commerce alam po niyo yung kinakailangan natin yung mas murang kuryente, mas murang interest….
Teodoro: The question is about the global competitiveness of the Philippines and the role that the president plays as head of the executive department. First and foremost, you must take advantage of your international agreements for trade and flow of services, people, and trade. Secondly, you must exercise good governance to make your country an investment destination of choice of domestic and foreign investors. Thirdly, you have to educate your people, make them competitive also, make a high school graduate of the Philippines aligned with the high school graduate of other countries. Fourth, you have to have sustainability of policies whether in infrastructure, whether in investment policies and the like, and you must also guarantee free and open domestic competition just like what is happening here, the 7 peso price differential between fuel prices in Cebu and Manila is unacceptable and that is being investigated.
Villanueva: In facing the effects of globalization, first, we have to strengthen the domestic market demand we have to support our local industries, and we should adopt the necessary safety measures for the meantime while our economy is not yet strong to be competitive with Western economies, and most of all by adopting good governance na pagdumating yung foreign investors, kung minsan ang sabi ng mga gov’t officials natin – “Magkano ba sa akin dyan?”, ang dapat ang marinig ng mga investors – “What can we do to prosper your industries or businesses here?”. Kailangan po ang teamwork ng ating Philippine government vis-a-viz with other government of other nationalities. I other words, we have to strengthen first our domestic market demand before we can really compete with other parts of the world.
Gordon: Predictability, consistency and continuity. Kailangan alam ng tao kung paano mag-invest sa Pilipinas at sigurado consistent ang desisyon na iyon at may continuity. Di tayo pwedeng magcha-change ng rules in the middle of the game. Second, para to compete, we must study the markets of the world, ano ang produkto natin, ano ang strength natin para sa ganon mapag-aralan at mapasok natin yan. Pangatlo we must constantly promote. A very aggressive economic diplomacy must beundertaken by all our diplomats abroad. At susundan ‘yan ng mga local governments katulad ng Cebu, lumalabas ‘yan pero dapat may report sa tao, hindi yung nagbibiyahe don. Kailangan ire-report sa tao kun ano ang nakita roon para sa ganon mapaghahandaan ‘yon at kailangnan natin good governance. Ang good governance means may peace and order tayo, ‘yun talagang hindi pag lumapit sa’yo, lalakad yung papel mismo sa opisina, di yung sino ba ang kakausapin ko d’yan. Pumasok ka sa City hall, kailangan hindi kung sino ang kakilala mo, ngunit ‘yong papel, there is a way para in 3 days balik ka tapos ‘yong papel mo para maging competitive tayo.
Estrada: Global competitiveness, parang Olympic ito eh. Kailangan pipiliin natin anong game tayo mananalo. Sa ngayon, talagang sa aking pananaw, when I was president I said “We can only concentrate on agriculture.”, that is why when I came in as president our agriculture growth is -6 percent, but in less than a year we’re able to increase that growth to 6 percent, so that is an increase of 12 percent. And our inflation rate from 12 percent we went down to almost more than 3 percent. So this shows that, in fact ouranalysis shows that before the end of my term we will not be importing rice. So, in short we should identify the industry wherein we can win.
Aquino: What do we do with global competitiveness? The problem with our country is the business modeling this country seems to be we have to be close to the powers that be, the powers that be grant us incentives in the form of undue advantages that is a disservice to increase our competitiveness. Bottomline, bakit pa ako magpapakasumikap, bibigyan naman ako ng panglamang dun sa kapwa ko. Dulo po nya’n noh, we had a progressive car manufacturing program, I think it was a wrong program in the Martial law years. Bottomline, 5 year program they should be ready to compete that was extended, and extended, and extended. Therefore, there was again no incentive to be competitive. The global market gives us a very very big market but we have to develop the industries to compete on a level of playing field which we promise to do if elected so that they are in the position to dominate in the respected markets where we have comparative advantage.
What do you intend to do specifically to address the deteriorating and breakdown of the moral values of our people?
Villanueva: I-overhaul po natin ang educational system mula sa grade school, high school, universities at ang atin hong quality of education dapat ibalik ‘yong good manners and right conduct. Ma-restore ‘yong moral fibers ng mga Pilipino, magkaroon ng delikadesa and integrity. Bata pa lang ho meron nang integrity sa public service at full implementation of the law, absolute ang transparency and accountability policy. Walang transactions sa lahat ng opisina ng gobyerno na nakatago, walang monkey business, absolutely transparent, at lagyan ng ngipin ang mga batas at higit sa lahat ang president ang dapat number one model example ng pagiging incorruptible president. Anti-corruption measures should start from the very office of the president at ng sa ganoon ho ay ‘yong leadership by example, ‘yung moral leadership ang siyang maging pangunahing policiya nang isang pamahalaan at lahat ng nasa gobyerno bigyan nang economic security katulad ng nasa Singapore, sa Taiwan, at sa iba pang mga progressive countries.
Gordon: There’s a breakdown in morality because we have forgotten the definition of morality which is to do good and avoid evil. Kailangan we have to walk our talk. Marami tayong mga leader na sinasabi ito dapat ang gawin pero pag nakita mo di pumipila, sila ang nagkakalat, sila ang nagnanakaw kaya makikita talaga nang tao, confused ang tao. We do not follow the rules anymore and for that you need a president that will be a shining example of what we are talking about here. He has his whole family dahil siya ay nakatira sa isang gold fish bowl, dapat makita na siya ay halimbawa. Then you have to go back to education. Ang education nakalimutan na natin, wala nang accountability. In ecucation if you cheat, you’re out. Kailangnan talaga dapat gandahan natin ang edukasyon, bigyan natin nang mataas na sweldo ang teacher sapagkat sila ang may hawak ng mga values ng mga bata. 8 hours a day, sila ng may hawak ng mga bata, sila ang makakapagturo, kaya dapat bigyan natin ng supporta ang mga teachers.
Aquino: You know, I think the premise of the question is wrong, noh. Is the president the do all, be all, and all of our society? Should the any president be expected to address all of the problems? If that is our attitude, we are passing the responsibilities to an entity that cannot solve with all for us. But having said that noh, the president should be the exemplar, the president should enforce all of the laws without fear or favor. And at the end of the day, the president should be the facilitator for parents to teach their children the proper morals. The president should be the facilitator also and the enabler, for churches to be able to teach morality and the correct value system. But, again, let me reiterate, the president cannot be the miracle worker. To trust in a system like that is flawed…
Villar: Mahalaga po ang pangulo dito. The president must lead, kung magkakaroon tayo ng moral na pagbabago, dapat maging halimbawa ang isang pangulo. Sa integridad, kailangan maliwanag na ang kanyang term hindi magiging corrupt kung maari televised lahat. Lahat ng mga transaction very transparent. Pero importante rin naman na simpleng buhay lamanng yung mga kinakailangan natin ikalat sa ating mga mamamayan, simpleng pamumuhay, pamilya. Napakahalaga po na ipalit natin na ipalit natin ang values ng pamilya, nawawala na po ‘yan. Sa mga OFW, meron po tayong sampung milyon, napakalaki po ng epekto niyan sa ating morality ditto sa ating bansa. Kaya kinakailangan po harapin natin to, tulungan natin sila. Kaya lang naman sila lumabas ng bansa ay dahil saw ala silang trabaho, gusto nilang umangat. Subalit tulungan natin sila na ‘wag masira ang kanilang mga pamilya. Kinakailang medyo magfocus po tayo dito at sabihin po natin sa mga eskwelahan na ituro po lahat ‘yan at sa media po, malaki po ang kanilang responsabilidad.
Estrada: Well, go back to the time during our tender age, we were taught by our teachers “love of God”, “love of family”, “love of God”, “love of country”, and “love of family”. But along the way, “love of country” got lost. It’s only “love of God”, and “love of family”. That’s why the families always praying for them to get richer and richer. They forgot about what’s happening to the country. The country was left behind. That’s why, among our neighboring countries, we were lagged behind because they forgot love of country. I believe that our teachers, our educators should always implant to our young students to see to it that “love of country” is next to “love of God”. I think that’s the way. Right now, as we….
Teodoro: I belive that there is direct correlation between knowledge and morality. A more knowledgeable person is less gullible. And a more knowledgeable person, knowledgeable young man, young child, young lady will be able to more adequately analyze the nuances of a difficult question before him or her. So therefore one of the most important things is educating our young properly, secondly we must realize that society evolves and there are difficult questions of morality that go with that. So, the question is how do you define the proper role of the state in morality and that is through the organs of state, expressions through law, regulations, rules and conduct of the public officer. But there is also one thing, lets remember many bloody wars have been fought over morality and the president has to realize conflicts of morality, be an arbiter and breed a culture of tolerance and not bigotry within our society.
Closing Statements
Teodoro: It was once again a learning experience for all of us and it was a learning experience indeed for the crowd too because the role of a citizen is not merely to listen but to research, to learn, to find out the truth and to know the issues and through our responses thorugh your questions, we hope that you may be guided accordingly in making the right choice. Here in Cebu we have said that it has been a role model of sustainable development, good governance and good interaction between the national and local governments. There are boundless opportunities and lots of challenges. The only way we will be able to get growth started to deal with the problems is to work together. With the spirit that people here know best what is good for them and it is the role of thenational government to support what decisions they make. Of course, the interaction doesn’t stop there because Cebu is also part of the bigger country called the Philippines and what affects the Philippines does affect Cebu too. So it is our role as the president to have policies in the executive department that will enhance the countries image as a whole. And finally, I will keep this short, one message: Genuine national unity, reconciliation and understanding. That is important to heal the wounds that divide our country. To stop conflict so that we would be able to focus on the true problems and issues that face our country. Mag-hiusa kita nga paadto sa tinuod na kalinaw og kauswagan. Kana ang akong gipangayo kaninyong tanan. Daghang salamat ug maayong gabie kaninyong tanan Cebu. Palangga ko kamung tanan.
Villar: The next president will be facing a lot of problems. This year our deficit is 300 billion. Last year was 300 billion, this year is 350 – 400 billion and there are a lot of problems. I believe that the next president must be able to manage this country on day one. He has no time to loose. Napakarami pong problema ng ating bansa. Pagkat kung nagkamali po tayo. Pag tayo ay magaaral pa, napakarami pong masisira na naman na programa. Madi-disappont na naman an gating mga kababayan. Narining po natin ngayon ang mga plataporma namin, what we intend to do. It also important however that we ask the question of “Are we capable of implementing this programs”. Wala pong nagtanong kanina kung anon ano gaming mga nagawa sa nakakaraang panahon para maipakita naming na ito po ay kaya naming gawin. This is very important because our country has waited for 50 years. Dati number two tayo sa Japan. Now, pababa tayo ng pababa, baka ang Cambodia abutan na tayo. We have to stop this deterioration of our economy. Mahalaga po ito dahil po naghihirap ang ating mga kababayan. Tunay po ang poverty, hindi biro po iyang poverty. Sa labas po nitong hall, marami po tayong mga kababayan, 92 porsyento ng ating bansa ang naghihirap sa ngayon, umaasa every election they vote then they are disappointed for the past 50 years. Di po naman natin masisiguro na kung sino man ang mahahalal baka kaya niya. Kaya naman napakahalaga na tingnan din natin ayung naggawa. When we say that you will effect change, have you changed anything?
Gordon: Daghang salamat kaninyong tanan. It is my hope that this debate ay naliwanagan, nagbigay ng liwanag at hindi kislap sa mga isipan at kamalayan ng tao. Napakaganda ng practice ng demokrasayang ito na nakakapagsalita tayo na hindi tayo nagsisigawan pero pinalalabas ang galling ng mga kandidato. Para lumabas ang galing ng mga kandidato, kailangan making ang tao. At para matuto ang tao, kailangan ang tao mag discern. Matuto na makapamili nang wasto. Today, Cebu is enriched by the politics of discussion, by the politics of challenge, we all know what we do not want. We all know that we do not want poverty and corruption. Pero, kailangan we must do our part. The exercise of elections is the most important right of a person. Rich or poor, mayaman o mahirap kailangan mamili at hindi pwedeng piliin kung sino lang kung parang kang pumipili karera. Kailangan aralin mo, hindi para sa panalo, ngunit panalo ka nga pero talo naman ang bahay at bayan kapag ang pinili mo ay mali. Kaya napakahalaga pumili tayo ngayon sa mga humaharap sa atin at napakaganda at kino-congratulate ko ang mga Cebuano for putting this together but the most important part of it all is that we must make a decision, an informed wise decision. Look at your kids when you make that decision. Will she/he have a picture like Trevor demanded. Will that kid knocking on knocking on his car door have a future. And we say that today tayong lahat kailangan must go up to that challenge. Pinili naming ang Bagumbayan sapagkat nung pinaslang an gating mga leaders, kailangan mag transformation ang ating bayan. Kaya pinili kong vice president isang engineer, isang mayor na nagging katulad ko at nagging secretary katulad ko. Alam naming ang gagawin naming we know where we we’re going and the world will always step aside to let any country pass provided they know what they are doing, Thank you very much.
Estrada: Maayong gabii muli sa kaninyong tanan. First of all, I want to thank you to each and everyone of the organizers for having assembled all the presidentiable candidates. And again, I would say that they have good plans and good program of government. It has been like that for so many so many candidates and even, if some of you are born way back in 1950s we all know that in the early 50s we are number 2 to Japan in terms of economic growth. We are richer than Hongkong. We are richer than Taiwan. We are richer even than South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand; even Vietnam had overtoked us already. We are richer than them. We are number two to Japan. Now where are we? We are number 2 to the last. We have graduates in Phd in economics, in Harvard, in Georgetown. We have the best economist, like Cesar Virata, Washington Sycip, Manny Villegas. But where’s our economy today? So as I’ve said, as long as there is no peace and order, we will never move forward. Right now we could see, how can we expect our ASEAN neighbors to respect us when we can’t even impose our own laws in our own land. The insurgency in the Luzon-Visayas, they are already there for 50 years, more than 50 years. In Mindanao, we have the MILF; the MILF, more than 30 years. The kidnapping continues, bombing continues, hold-up continues, raping of women continues there in Mindanao….
Villanueva: To the leaders and members of Cebu and Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industy and Cebu Business Club, congratulations for this historic event that you have given to the Filipino people a great service by encouraging the Filipino people to vote wisely. The Good Book says, “Righteousness exhaults a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people”. When the righteous are in authority the people rejoice but when the wicked rule the people mourn. There are three major problems of the Philippines, grinding poverty, shocking unabated political corruption, and injustices. Mahatma Ghandi said, “Poverty is the worse form of violence”. Nelson Mandela, legendary hero of Africa said, “Poverty is man made, and therefore man has the right and obligation to correct it.” Edmund Burke said “What is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing”. You know John Maxwell, a famous lecturer on leadership,”Everything rises and falls on leadership”. So beloved countrymen, remember the preamble of the Philippine Constitution. The Filipino people, the sovereign Filipino people implore the aid of the almighty God. Pray that this coming election would be peaceful clean and credible. And let the Filipino people to be given a chance to choose their leadership according to their conscience minus political (__________)……. Let the new beginnings. Let’s adopt a reconciliation program at alam ko po na babangon din ang Pilipinas, Mabuhay ang Cebu, the cradle of Christianity, mabuhay ang Pilipinas, the soon model, blessed nation of God that will be the source of inspiration to all. God bless you all.
Aquino: The only thought that I really want to impart on everybody still in this hall. Perhaps, the awakening that I had that there was a possibility of getting out of the darkness happened here in Cebu in 1983. Is it the end of the circle that I am back here in Cebu? Perhaps, the dawn, or the start of the dawn of a new beginning is about to happen in Cebu. May I just leave you with this thought: all of us I think, to varying degrees have said there are so many hills of this country, there are changes that have to be wrought on our country and our people. May I just ask, how many of us have divorced ourselves from supporting that system, that system of governance that has wrought all of these ravages in our country. Let us not forget, this current administration has had 10 years to do something right for our country. That is an occasion that will never be repeated in the future. May we ask, have they cut ties to all that has been wrong in this governance so that we do embark on change?
