JCM: 2016 Senatorial Candidates Debate

Sunday, April 10, 2016

2016 Senatorial Candidates Debate

Last Friday’s event is part of a series of debates organized by Rappler in partnership with groups such as DZRH and PTV4.

For 3 Fridays in April, Rappler hosts a series of senatorial debates which started last week April 8, to help voters evaluate senatorial aspirants and create informed choices based on their individual platforms and promises.

The first series was held at AMA University and Colleges in Quezon City on April 8 which lasted for approximately 2 hours.

The next two debates will be held on April 15 at the University of the Philippines in Diliman and on April 22 at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

Here’s the first part of 3 series, for your evaluation and prospecting of candidates that can be potential for the country’s continued re-development:

SENATORIAL CANDIDATES’ DEBATE AMA University and Colleges Quezon City
Carlos Jericho Petilla Former Secretary of the Departmen of Energy	Greco Belgica Former Manila City Councilor	Lorna Kapunan Lawyer	Levi Baligod Lawyer

When grilled about the Philippines' high electricity rates, he says Congress needs to amend the country's laws to address this problem. His priorities include health, education, and energy.	Pushes for a 10% flat taxation rate, which means scrapping value added tax (VAT) on consumer goods. He says this will allow Filipinos to spend on their own needs instead of depending on free services from the government.	Wants laws to create more family courts as well as specialized courts that will tackle domestic violence. As women's rights advocate, she is pushing for free college education and cheaper electricity, among other things.	Criticizes the Aquino administration's so-called selective prosecution of lawmakers involving the PDAF scam. He also promises to modernize agricultural production and reform the Philippines' education system.
"We want renewable energy, but at the same time, we don't want expensive electricity. The trick is not to be biased with one resource. The trick is a proper energy mix. That the Philippines cannot be wholly dependent on one energy resource if it wants to continue economic development, he says. But this should be determined not just by one person, but by the Senate and House of Representatives. Coal currently comprises 35% of the country's energy mix, but this could go as high as 70% from 2030 to 2050, according to the Department of Energy. Renewable energy comprises 30% of the country's energy mix. The Philippines also imports 90% of its fuel needs. (READ: 'PH can rely on renewable energy as stable power source') Petilla said he supports increasing the share of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, in the energy mix.	Investing on an anti-corruption platform, saying that for change to happen, those involved in corrupt activities should be investigated and prosecuted. For him, this would not happen if those involved in illegal activities are asked to carry out the investigation, asserting that there could be no investigation if the very people who should be investigated handle the pork barrel. It's better to elect those who have not handled the pork barrel," he says. If elected, he promises to investigate those involved in corrupt practices and the misuse of public funds.	Not in favor of bringing back the death penalty, especially with the kind of justice in the country. She says that justice can be bought, bribed and give money in order to win cases then justice system is not fair. There’s no assurance if those deserving jail time actually get jailed, she says. "To have [the death] penalty, [we have to be] morally certain we have a justice system that works." Part of her legislative agenda is to push for an honest government where the justice system is "inclusive regardless of one's status in life." This justice system not only includes the country's penitentiaries, but also the rehabilitation of offenders, she points out. She zeroed in on minors in rehabilitation centers. She expresses the need to review it. Minors are not offenders, criminals. They are victims, asserting on the reassessment of the system of rehabiliation of victims.	Fighting against corruption is among his top main concern. "Corruption is the worst thief. It steals the hope of our country, it steals a better future for our country, and more importantly, it steals the morality of the individual. That is why he is running to do something more concrete if he is in the government. For his first venture into the Senate, he wants to continue the anti-corruption drive he started with his pork barrel scam cases, and continue the fight against thieves in government. That is why he is running now because he believes that his job is not yet done. Aside from the pork barrel scam, he has since discovered other similar scams in the agriculture sector. He says that he’s doing this to break the sense of impunity of thieving officials. If elected, he wants to abolish the pork barrel system because it gives corrupt politicians an opportunity to steal public funds. He asserts that the problem of corruption has to be solved so for the country to progress. He is also pushing for a review of other discretionary funds.
His platform focuses on energy. He’s concerned because everyone's fighting for education, against corruption, and for health. But there's one important issue no one is fighting for because it's complicated: energy and electricity, he says. Aside from energy, his top 3 priorities as senatorial candidate also include health and education. This country cannot move forward as long as electricity rates are very high. A way to reduce it is through legislation, and he vows to work on amending the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, he says.		Desires to push for an honest government, opportunity for all, peace, and poverty reduction. Her platform also includes education and environment. She says she will bring to the table 38 years of experience as a lawyer.	He is also pushing to review legislators’ PDAF and Disbursement Acceleration Program fund. The DAP allowed Malacañang to bypass Congress in realigning the budgets of executive agencies, pulling out the allotment for uncompleted projects from one agency and moving it to other agencies – an agreement that critics said effectively provides the President's office a huge pork barrel. The Supreme Court declared some schemes under the DAP unconstitutional. He also advocates the modernization of agricultural production and reforms in the education system