VP candidates highlight experience, expertise on preferred Cabinet position

Vice presidential candidates highlighted Saturday their expertise and experience as they expressed their preferred Cabinet position if elected in the May 9 polls.

Vice presidential aspirant Professor Walden Bello said he would prefer being appointed as Finance secretary.

During the vice presidential debate hosted by CNN Philippines, Bello said being in the Department of Finance (DOF) is "such a central” Cabinet position.

“Ka Leody and I will tax the top 750 people, billionaires in the country and this will be for social programs that will go and benefit the vast majority of our people,” he said.

He vowed that he, along with his presidential candidate Leody de Guzman, will push for the legislation of job security and higher wages starting at P750 per day.

“We want to put purchasing power in the hands of people to really make a very creative economy,” he said.

“We are going to repeal all those laws that have opened up our economy indiscriminately thereby destroying our manufacturing and agriculture and forcing our people to go abroad in search of jobs,” he added.

Vice presidential candidate Rizalito David said he would ask the winning presidential candidate to create a commission for “moral renewal and cultural restoration” which he will lead to help bring back the morality of the people for the betterment of their future.

David identified the two problems of the country which are “amorality and lack of trust among institutions."

“Dalawang bagay po ang nakikita kong problema ng bansa, una, amorality kawalan ng moralidad ng lipunan, at kawalan ng tiwala sa marami nating institusyon. Kung ako po ay mahahalal bilang ikalawang pangulo at pipili ng posisyon sa gobyerno nais ko ang pangulo magcreate ng isang commission for moral renewal and cultural restoration na 'yan po ay aking pamumunuan,” he said.

(I see two main problems of the country, first, amorality which is lack of social morality, and lack of trust in many of our institutions. If I get elected as the vice president and choose a position in the government, I would ask the President to create a commission for moral renewal and cultural restoration that I will lead.)

“’Yan po ay magkakaroon ng programa sa lahat ng institution ng ating bayan lalo na sa pamahalaan sa ating eskwelahan, pribado man o hindi, at maging mga local governments. Kailangan natin ibalik ang moralidad ng bayan upang tayo ay umunlad,” he added.

(There will be a program in all the institutions of our community especially in the government, in our school, whether private or public, and even local governments. We need to restore the morality of the people so that we can prosper.)

If elected vice president, candidate Manny Lopez said he would choose leading the Department of Trade and Industry.

"We will be facing severe challenges in the coming years, and economic recovery is a must to uplift the lives of our people," he said.

Lopez said he would achieve this through a new Omnibus Investments Code, a legal framework to enable micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to recover, and the provision of low interest loans.

Vice presidential candidate Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said he is open to hold a Cabinet position where he would be able to address the ills of the agriculture sector.

Pangilinan emphasized he has been advocating for the welfare of farmers and fisherfolks to address issues in the country's food security.

The running mate of Vice President Leni Robredo recalled that when he was the food security chief, he campaigned against rice cartel and smuggling.

"Sa loob ng 20 taon na halalan sa ating bansa, ako lang ang kandidato na isinusulong at gagawa ng solusyon at sinesentro ang problema ng gutom at mataas na presyo ng pagkain at agrikultura," Pangilinan said.

(In the past 20 years, I am the only candidate who would push and create solution to address the problem of hunger and high prices of food and agriculture.)

"Tututukan natin ang alalay at ayuda at tulong sa magsasaka at mangingisda," he added.

(We will focus on assisting our farmers and fishermen.)

Aksyon Demokratiko vice-presidential bet Willie Ong, meanwhile, said he preferred to be involved in the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Depende po sa presidente. Kung gusto nila ako ilagay sa Department of Health, ilagay niya ako as overview sa health, okay po dito. Kung gusto niya ako tumulong sa ayuda, okay din po sa akin,” said Ong, an internist and cardiologist.

(That depends on the president. If they want me to lead the Department of Health, I am okay with that. It he wants me to help providing assistance to the people I am also okay with that.)

According to Ong, his running mate, presidential candidate and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno, had said that if it were not for the pandemic, he may not be the right vice president.

“Kaya po tayo tumakbo, simple lang eh, pandemic po talaga. Dahil sa pandemic, talagang nasira ‘yung ekonomiya, trabaho, pati tourism natin,” he said.

(I decided to run because of the pandemic which destroyed our economy, livelihood, and tourism.)

“Ang partner ko si Mayor Isko Moreno, sabi niya Doc Willie, kung hindi pandemic time baka hindi ikaw ang tamang vice president. Pero ngayon dahil pandemic kailangan natin maayos,” he added.

(My running mate Mayor Isko Moreno said Doc Willie, if we are not in a pandemic maybe you are not the right vice president. But because of the pandemic, we need you to put everything in order.)

If elected vice president, Carlos Serapio, for his part, said he would take the portfolio of the Department of Foreign Affairs, given his background in channeling work, to maintain good relations with other countries.

Vice presidential candidate and Senate President Vicente Sotto III reiterated his willingness to lead the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The aspirant mentioned Republic Act 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 which he sponsored in the Senate.

Sotto pointed out that addressing drug problem in the country should not only focus on the supply side but also in the demand reduction.

“The present situation calls for the attention of the government to the problem of drug abuse, not just illegal drugs. Those are two different animals,” he said.

“Kapag ang inasikaso mo lang ay 'yung supply reduction strategy na enforcement lamang at may kakulangan sa  (If we will only focus on the supply-reduction strategy and law enforcement alone, and there will be shortcomings on the side of) prosecution, you will never solve the problem of drugs. But if you concentrate on prevention and rehabilitation which is partly the demand-reduction strategy, that is necessary to combat it, I feel we will be able to complete and implement well the laws that we have passed before,” he added.—Giselle Ombay, Richa Noriega, Jamil Santos, Joahna Lei Casilao, Anna Felicia Bajo, Hana Bordey/AOL, GMA News