VP bets offer expertise to help next president

From foreign affairs to food safety to agriculture, six vice presidential candidates on Sunday laid down their areas of expertise which they believe could help their respective running-mates should they win in the May 9 elections.

Noting his 10-year experience in fruit and vegetable farming in Cavite, Senator Francis Pangilinan said if elected, he would focus on providing assistance to farmers and fishermen.

"Dahil kapag ang tulong ay buo, dadami ang kanilang ani, dadami ang huli. Dadami na rin ang supply ng pagkain sa ating mga merkado. Bababa na ang presyo ng pagkain at mawawala na ang matinding gutom," said Pangilinan, running-mate of Vice President Leni Robredo, during the vice presidential debate organized by the Commission on Elections.

(If the assistance is complete, there will be more output from farmers and fishermen. There will be more food supply in the market. Food prices will go down and the problem on hunger will be addressed.)

Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Senator Panfilo Lacson's running-mate, said he could help with the campaign against illegal drugs.

"Yung advocacy ko [My advocacy] since 1988 pa, na-develop namin [We had developed] into Dangerous Drugs Act of 1992, Republic Act 9165," he pointed out.

Sotto said he could also help in foreign affairs and especially in the newly created Department of Migrant Workers.

"Palagay ko makatutulong ako ng malaki doon sa mga trabaho na iyon at issues na iyon [I think I can be of big help in those]," he said.

Expertise in foreign affairs is also what Carlos Serapio is willing to offer if he snags the second highest position in the land, citing his academic experience, teaching political science and international diplomacy, and engagement with international leaders during his service as interfaith committee head of the Office of the President.

“Sa tingin ko po ang mga karanasan ko pong ito ay nagbibigay sa aking ng sapat na kaalaman para po ako ay maging isang epektibong Foreign Affairs secretary,” he said.

(I think these experiences give me knowledge to become an effective Foreign Affairs secretary.)

Serapio, however, said he is open to whatever task that his running mate presidential bet Faisal Mangondato would give him if he wins the elections.

Meanwhile, aside from his expertise on health, Dr. Willie Ong said he could also help in food safety policies.

“Napakahalaga ng food security, alam natin ‘yan, pero para sa akin gusto ko dagdagan ng food safety. Gusto ko ligtas ‘yung pagkain natin,” Manila Mayor Isko Moreno's vice presidential bet said.

(Food security is important, we all know that, but I will add food safety. I want our food to be safe.)

For this, Ong said the Food and Drug Administration must be strengthened.

Ong, an internist and cardiologist by profession, also pushed for a health approach to the war on drugs as well as focus on mental health.

Former party-list lawmaker Walden Bello, running-mate of labor leader Leody de Guzman, was present in the debate but did not answer the question on the area of expertise the candidates believe would be helpful to their respective running-mates.

Businessman Manny Lopez, meanwhile, proposed a three-pronged comprehensive economic program, which includes a new Omnibus Investment Code; a streamlined and simplified bankruptcy law; and provision for low-interest loans with easy access to struggling micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), the farming sector and other professionals.

If elected as vice president, Lopez, who does not have a running-mate, vowed better handling of international relations, including military and defense issues.

"I happen to be a serious student of geo-politics. So international relations, including military and defense issues, we could handle," he said.

For his part, Rizalito David, running-mate of Dr. Jose Montemayor Jr., said he would push for the creation of a commission on “moral renewal and cultural restoration” in order to solve moral and ethical issues in the country.

"We continuously deny that the problem of our society is moral, ethical, and spiritual," said David, whose field is environmental science sa pamamagitan ng moral renewal at cultural restoration,” he said.

David explained that the commission will run programs in institutions, government, and community to restore the “faith, hope, and love” of Filipinos to each other.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and Buhay party-list Representative Lito Atienza, running-mate of Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Senator Manny Pacquiao, respectively, were not present during the debate. —Llanesca Panti, Joahna Lei Casilao, Richa Noriega, Jamil Santos, Joviland Rita, and Hana Bordey/KBK, GMA News