2010 Elections: The Presidential Candidates – What Do They Stand For?

(Photo courtesy of www.dickgordon2010.com)

Richard ‘Dick’ Juico-Gordon

1. On truth, accountability and justice
— Says Arroyo should be held accountable for possible crimes committed;
— Voted for Human Security Act (Anti-terrorism Law).

2. On economic progress and the environment
— Appears to approach land reform more from the point of view of agricultural productivity rather than social justice;
— Aggressive in opening up the domestic economy to foreign investors, even in large-scale mining.

3. On people’s welfare
— Silent on wage hike;
— Appears open to at least a moratorium on debt servicing;
— Voted for RVAT, authored the sin taxes law and now pushing for tax on texting.

4. On sovereignty, peace and equality
— Vocal in supporting US military presence in the country;
— Has no clear stand on resuming peace talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF or MILF.

5. On love of country
— No clear stand.

(Photo courtesy of www.jambymadrigal.com)

Maria Ana Consuelo ‘Jamby’ Madrigal-Valade

1. On truth, accountability and justice
— Says Gloria Arroyo should be held accountable for crimes she and her family have committed;
— Opposes extra-judicial killings, saying “people who love the Philippines” ought not to be killed;
— Voted against the Human Security Act (Anti-Terrorism Law).

2. On economic progress and the environment
— Spells out and filed some related laws for a nationalist economic program of genuine agrarian reform, industrialization and protection of the national patrimony;
— Voted against the free trade deal with Japan, but voted for CARPER (or extension of the failed agrarian reform called CARP).

3. On people’s welfare
— Takes on all of workers’ major demands including P125 legislated nationwide wage hike, a ban on contractualization, and defense of migrants’ rights;
— Has the most defined advocacy for canceling onerous debts, imposing a cap (on debt servicing), and even demanding reparations for payments already made on onerous debts;
— Voted against the RVAT and other regressive tax measures.

4. On sovereignty, peace and equality
— Clearly opposes foreign military presence in the country and stands for the repeal of military treaties with the US;
— Supports resumption of peace talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF and the MILF and addressing the socio-economic and political roots of the conflicts;
— Most specific in identifying and opposing various forms of gender inequality such as unequal pay, discriminatory access to work, sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, and sexist culture and biases.

5. On love of country
— Only Madrigal and Villanueva actively promote nationalism and patriotism, including but not restricted to prioritizing the national language as medium of instruction.

(Photo courtesy of www.nickperlas.com)

Nicanor Jesus ‘Nicky’ Pineda-Perlas

1. On truth, accountability and justice
— Says Arroyo should be held accountable for possible crimes committed;
— Has no strong stand vs extra-judicial killings.

2. On economic progress and the environment
— Appears to approach land reform more from the point of view of agricultural productivity rather than social justice;
— Expresses being critical of so-called globalization and calls for a review of policies for such, also acknowledges importance of developing local manufacturing.

3. On people’s welfare
— Silent on increasing wages;
— Amenable to changing the law on automatic appropriation for debt servicing;
— Vows to lessen the tax burden on the poor.

4. On sovereignty, peace and equality
— Seeks a review of the US-RP Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and other unequal military treaties;
— Supports peace talks and addressing the socioeconomic and political roots of the conflicts;
— No clear stand on gender biases.

5. On love of country
— No clear stand.