Complete list of the candidates who will determined to be placed in the ballots will be released by COMELEC on

December 23, 2015. It was originally scheduled on December 15 but it was moved due to the En Banc will plan to
look into the disqualification petitions of Grace Poe and Rodrigo Duterte. [42]
For president[edit]
Jejomar Binay[edit]
Main article: Jejomar Binay presidential campaign, 2016
Jejomar Binay
When questioned by the media at the Coconut Palace in September 2011, Vice President Jejomar Binay (PDPLaban) confirmed his plans of running as president.[43]
By May 2014, Binay began his search for a running mate. As his potential running mate Senator Jinggoy Estrada in
jail due to his implication in the PDAF scam,[44] Binay's offers were declined by JV Ejercito,[45] Manny Villar (via
wife Cynthia Villar),[46] Vilma Santos (via husband Ralph Recto),[47] Mar Roxas,[48]Grace Poe,[49] Rodrigo
Duterte[50] and Joseph Estrada.[51] Binay's daughter Abigail, also the Representative from Makati, said that Binay would
accept anyone as his running mate except for Antonio Trillanes, and that she prefers Grace Poe, however
Sen. Bongbong Marcos was the most preferred by UNA officials to be his running mate. [52] On June 12, Independence
Day, speech in Iloilo, President Aquino said that he could only offer Binay the conduct of a clean and honest election,
but not an outright endorsement.[53]
On June 22, Binay resigned from the Aquino cabinet, both as presidential adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers'
concerns and as chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, but did not say why. [54] Two
days later, Binay addressed the public from his Coconut Palace offices, branding the current administration as
"manhid at palpak" (insensitive and bumbling), but did not mention Aquino by name. [55]
Miriam Defensor Santiago[edit]
Main article: Miriam Defensor Santiago presidential campaign, 2016
Miriam Defensor-Santiago
In a press conference on July 2, 2014, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago (People's Reform Party) revealed she was
suffering from Stage 4 lung cancer and she might run as president for the third time if it goes into remission. [56]
By November 2014, Santiago, in a tweet, announced that "In the 2016 presidential elections, when I am rid of my lung
cancer, I intend to claim the presidency I won in 1992." In a letter to the Senate, Santiago said that more than 90% of
the cancer cells have regressed.[57]
Santiago announced her candidacy for president in the launch of her book Stupid is Forever on October 13, 2015.
She will run under the People's Reform Party, the same party in which she ran under during her 1992 and 1998
presidential campaigns.[39] Days later, Santiago announced that Senator Bongbong Marcos would be her vice
presidential running mate. Presidential aspirant Rodrigo Duterte told media in November that 'if you want an
extraordinarily brilliant leader, vote for Miriam.'[40]
Rodrigo Duterte[edit]
Main article: Rodrigo Duterte presidential campaign, 2016

Rodrigo Duterte
Early in 2015, Duterte made hints to the media of his intent to run for the presidency come 2016, with the promise of
abolishing the Philippine Congress altogether in favor of a Parliament should he win. [58][59][60] Earlier, in February 2014,
Duterte was reportedly enjoying the support of several netizens who were lauding his performance as mayor of
Davao, especially in maintaining peace and order in the city, but he was quick to shrug off calls for him to run for
President, saying he was not qualified for a higher public office. [61] A year later, Duterte said in a Baguio federalism
forum that he'll only run for president "if (it is) to save the republic." Duterte cited the need of about 10 to 15 billion
pesos for a campaign war chest as what was keeping him from running. [62] Days later, however, Duterte "reentered" PDP-Laban; he maintained he never left the party, and only had to stand under a local party banner
(Hugpong) in the 2013 local election in order to ensure his victory.[63] PDP-Laban president Aquilino Pimentel III later
said that Duterte was among his party's options for a presidential candidate for 2016, noting that the party's position
on federalism coincides with Duterte's advocacy.[64] A few days after reports came out saying incumbent VicePresident Jejomar Binay (a presidential aspirant) was eyeing Duterte as his possible running mate, Duterte issued a
statement saying he was not interested in running for a national post. [65]
In September 2014, Duterte already declined presidential aspirant and incumbent senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago's
offer to be her running mate, saying that instead of picking him as the senator's running mate, she could ask former
defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. instead.[66] In March 2015, LakasCMD national president Ferdinand Martin
Romualdez announced that his party was preparing for the 2016 elections; incumbent congressman Danilo Suarez
remarked that they were convincing Teodoro to come out of retirement and run anew for a high office. [67] However, in
October 2015, Santiago chose Bongbong Marcos as her running mate.[68]
Later, during the June 21, 2015 airing of his weekly program in a local channel (Gikan Sa Masa, Para Sa Masa),
Duterte stated that he was considering suggestions from his friends and supporters to run for President. He also
added that he will stop expressing non-interest in starting a presidential campaign. [69]
However, at the ASIA CEO Forum in Makati held on June 25, Duterte again stated that he would not run for the
national office and said that he never desired to do so. A month later, however, Duterte, responding to Justice
Secretary Leila de Lima's statement that she would not run with Duterte as a matter of principle, said that he would
campaign against the Liberal Party if de Lima is drafted, calling her "hypocritical" and her principles as "rotten." [70]
On August, while at a meeting with military officers, Duterte spoke with Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)
founder Jose Maria Sison. Duterte said that he told Sison that he would run for President if the CPP's armed wing,
the New People's Army, abandons its over-40-year insurgency, saying "Armed struggle as a means to achieve
change is passe in the modern world we are living in today". Duterte disclosed that Sison was asking him about his
plans for 2016 and that he told Sison that he didn't have plans yet. [71]
On September 7, 2015, in a press conference held at Davao City, Duterte officially declared he will not be running for
President in 2016 and apologized to all of his supporters on the decision. He additionally stated that he might retire
from politics after his term as mayor of Davao City ends in 2016 and his daughter runs for the office. Other factors of
his possible retirement include age, health concerns and his family's objections. [72] Mixed reactions erupted in social
media hours after the declaration and several supporters still continued to petition online, urging the mayor to revert
his decision.[73]

On September 26, 2015, a large number of supporters gathered at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, Manila to
urge Duterte to officially run for the presidency in 2016. The gathering was dubbed 'The Million People March' by the
media,[74] but its followers preferred to call it 'The People's Call'. [75] Duterte was not present at the event and was
inZamboanga City to assist a kidnapping case involving three foreigners and a Filipina, taken by armed men in a
luxury resort in Samal Island Monday night that week.[76] It was then reported that the (hashtag)#Duterte2016 topped
on Twitter with a 1,966,830 reach and 2,641,635 impressions during the rally.[77] In a statement read by retired Armed
Forces chief Hermogenes Esperon to the crowd at Quirino Grandstand, Duterte asked for more time to do some final
soul-searching as per a text message sent by Duterte himself. [78] Since Duterte claimed that one of the primary
reasons he declined for a presidential bid was lack of finances needed to bankroll a campaign, supporter Atty.
Vitaliano Aguirre on the other hand reported that a group of businessmen had pledged P1 billion to fund Duterte's bid
if ever Duterte accepted the offer. One offer was made by Benigno Gopez, who spoke for a group of anonymous
businessmen, after the gathering of Duterte supporters at Quirino Grandstand on September 26. [79] Despite being an
undeclared candidate, Pulse Asia Research Director Ana Tabunda still considered Duterte "a serious contender" as he
was already ranked 4th in a presidential survey done by Pulse Asia from late August to early September as well as in
a latest Social Weather Stations survey. He was behind announced and declared candidates Grace Poe, Mar Roxas
and Jejomar Binay.[80] Duterte's long-time political rival and critic, former House Speaker Prospero Nograles, also
expressed his support for Duterte if ever the latter decided to run for the presidency. [81] On September 29, incumbent
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano declared his intention to run for the 2016 Vice-Presidential post in a press event held in
Davao City and considered Duterte his first choice as running mate for the presidential post; this eventually led to a
meeting between the two parties.[82] A day after meeting with Cayetano, Duterte met with another incumbent
senator, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr., who also went to Davao City to personally talk to Duterte. Marcos was
reportedly considering running for the Vice-Presidential post as well; Marcos had not yet made any formal
proclamation at that time. As in the Cayetano meeting, Duterte still declared that he was not running for president. [83]
On October 13, 2015, in a press conference held at a local hotel in Davao City, Duterte finalized his decision not to
run for the presidency, with daughter Sara's objection being pointed out as one of the main contributors. [84]
On October 15, 2015, Duterte's authorized representative, Christopher "Bong" Go, filed Duterte's certificate of
candidacy (COC) on his behalf at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Manila, for a re-election bid for the
Davao City mayoralty post.[85] A music video with a disclaimer being "non-paid" entitled "Takbo" (Run in English
translation) was then uploaded on the same day by rap artist Njel de Mesa, with a theme to urge Duterte to run for the
presidency. The song was composed by singer Jimmy Bondoc and featured various artists including Bondoc and de
Mesa, Luke Mejares, Paolo Santos, Pido Lalimarmo, Thor, Gail Blanco and other OPM artists.[86] Bondoc then stated
that he would offer to write another song if the mayor finally decided to join the presidential race in 2016. [87]
On the afternoon of October 16, the last day for filing of COC and a day after her father's submission for the same
position, Duterte's daughter, Sara, posted on her Instagramaccount a photo of her COC, while hinting that her father
would seek a higher post and withdraw his COC for Mayor re-election. [88] However, in a radio interview with Bong Go,
he stated that while Sara's COC was filled out, it was not received by the Comelec in Davao City. [89] Hundreds of
supporters were reportedly rallying outside the Comelec office expecting for Duterte to file his candidacy on the last
day of submission before the cut-off at 5:00pm. Dutertes possibility of substitution until December 10 was opened
after Martin Dio, father of celebrity Liza Dio and chairman of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC)
and former barangay captain of Brgy. San Antonio, Quezon City, filed his candidacy for president on the last minute.

Dio is a member of PDP-Laban, the same party advocating the federalism system where Duterte belongs. [90] Dio
clarified that there was a "clerical error" on his submitted COC (running for Pasay City mayor, instead of president).
On their general meeting held in Pasay City on October 26, members of PDP-Laban had expressed their support to
Dio in his presidential bid.[91] On October 21, Duterte told CNN Philippines' News.PH via phone patch interview that
there was still a chance he would change his mind. The decision, however, would have to be made by the PDPLaban.[92]
On October 26, 2015, Duterte said on an interview that the deadline for his last decision if he will seek the presidency
is on December 10. He also warned the people to abide the law if he wins. [93] On October 27, PDP-Laban has made it
official that Duterte will substitute as the party's presidential bet if aspirant Martin Dio withdraws or is disqualified by
the Commission of Elections (Comelec) from the 2016 race. [94] Two days later, PDP-Laban standard bearer Martin
Dio officially withdrawn his presidential bid and named Duterte as his substitute because theres a possibility that
Dio might be declared as nuisance candidate by the COMELEC. [95] On October 30, an alleged campaign video of
Duterte and Cayetano circulated on social media that put hopes on Duterte's candidacy as Cayetano's running mate.
However, Duterte's aide Bong Go said on an interview that Duterte's mind hasn't changed yet but will continue on
soul-searching with his family to know if he's going to run in the upcoming elections. [96] On November 1, Duterte said
that nothing still hasn't changed and he isn't fit for national office. He also said that he is still waiting for an official
communication from his party about his possible candidacy; Duterte will also wait if his daughter will agree to
substitute for him at the mayoral race of Davao and he will retire from public service if Sara agreed to do so. [97] On
November 2, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) executive Dr. Arwin Serrano said that Martin
Dio is deemed to face an election sabotage complaint because of proposing Duterte as his substitute for him,
however, Dio denied the allegations that his filing of candidacy is just a front to pave way for Duterte's possible
substitution.[98] In an interview with Comelec Chairman Andres D. Bautista on November 3, he stated that although
they have noted Dio's withdrawal, he additionally mentioned that they won't move with any further action with regard
to a possible substitution until they have Duterte's consent and unless it would be made official with a COC and a
certificate of nomination and acceptance from PDP-Laban. [99] Duterte himself then further clarified that his decision of
acceptance for the substitution offer would be on the deadline itself come December 10. [100]
On November 21 in a gathering held in his alma mater San Beda College, Duterte formally announced his presidential
bid and also finally accepted Alan Peter Cayetano's offer to be his running mate.[101] Duterte said he is disappointed
over the decision made by the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) regarding Grace Poe's citizenship as well as the
current administration's handling of the laglag-bala issue. [102] Duterte further stated that he will file his candidacy
immediately after he reached out to his party.[103] However, the legality of Duterte's substitution for Dio was
questioned by some electoral lawyers because of an error made in Dio's certificate of candidacy that made him
a Pasay mayoral bet despite being a resident of Quezon City. Because of the issue, rumors circulated that
presidential aspirant Miriam Defensor-Santiago is willing to give way for Duterte by letting him substitute for her.
However, Defensor-Santiago said that she will not back down from the race even she has a high regard for Duterte.
[104]

Roy Seeres also opened the possibility he will allow Rodrigo Duterte as his substitute candidate if he will abide in

three conditions, particularly being a pro-life advocate. [105] However, Seeres later refused to substitute for him and
slammed Duterte's decision to pursue the presidency and remarked Duterte should support and endorse him instead.
[106]

Duterte topped all other presidentiables including former front-runner Grace Poe on a survey published at November
25 and held by Pulse Asia.[107] Poe said that the survey is 'inconclusive' and 'not reflective' and claimed it was made by
Duterte's camp.[108]
On November 26, Duterte filed his certificate of candidacy at COMELEC office in Manila and withdrawn his bid as
the Mayor of Davao City and will be substituted by his daughterSara.[109]
On November 29, the supporters of Duterte and Cayetano held an event named "MAD for Change: Tunog ng
Pagbabago" at Taguig City.[110] It included free-head shaving, free T-shirt printing services, and the main concert.
Several musicians performed including Jimmy Bondoc, Thor, and Luke Mejares. Duterte arrived in the event together
with his running mate Cayetano.[110]
Grace Poe[edit]
Main article: Grace Poe presidential campaign, 2016
Grace Poe
Grace Poe's surprising first-place finish in the 2013 Senate election as an independent made her a likely contender
for the presidency but she dismissed any plans of running in April 2014, saying she was not considering "anything
higher at this point."[111]
On President Aquino's state visit to Canada in May 2015, the president disclosed that he had met with Poe prior to the
trip, although he didn't say on what the meeting was for.[112] A couple of days later, Poe confirmed that she did meet
with Aquino. Poe said that "We discussed his intention to choose a candidate who, first and foremost, has the trust of
the nation, and, secondly, has the potential to win in the election, in order to sustain the reforms especially against
corruption and the pro-poor programs of the government." Poe expects more meetings with Aquino in June. [113]
On June 2, UNA interim president Toby Tiangco, responding to calls for Jejomar Binay to "come clean" on his
corruption allegations, said in a press conference that Poe is not qualified to run either for president or vice president
after citing her certificate of candidacy in the 2013 Senate election which stated that she is a resident for six years and
six months; adding three years for the 2016 election, nine years and six months or six months short mandated by the
constitution.[114] Two days later, before a Senate session, Poe said that she wrote "six years and six months" because
it was on April 2006 that her home in the United States was sold. Poe, who had been a resident of the United States
for 13 years, returned to the Philippines after her father Fernando Poe, Jr., a presidential candidate in the 2004
elections, died in December 2004. She said that she a proof that she had been living in the Philippines since February
2005. She said, that despite being a congressman for Navotas, Tiangco lives elsewhere, and that her decision on
whether to run in 2016 is "50%" sure. Poe also observed that the attacks from UNA only began after she signed the
Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee report recommending plunder and graft cases against Binay.[115]
On September 16, at a gathering at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City, Poe announced her
intention to seek the presidency, saying that "No one person or group has a monopoly on a straight path advocacy" of
President Aquino, a shot against Aquino's party's nominee Roxas, who is advocating for continuation of the "Daang
Matuwid" (straight path) advocacy of Aquino; while also hitting the Administration programs. This resulted in the
Palace to question their Daang Matuwid advocacy are contrary to their speeches. [116]
On December 1, the COMELEC's second division had formally disqualified Poe from running as President in the 2016
elections and cancelled her filed Certificate of Candidacy for not failing to meet with citizenship and residency

requirements. The division, was voted 3-0, in favor of the petition filed by Atty. Estrella Elamparo to disqualify Poe.
The decision stated that Poe had failed to comply with the 10-year residency requirement, mandatory for a
presidential candidate.[117]
Mar Roxas[edit]
Main article: Mar Roxas presidential campaign, 2016
Mar Roxas
Senate President Franklin Drilon, when describing the Liberal Party's plans for Interior Secretary Mar Roxas' in 2016,
told the media on January 2013 that "so far as the LP is concerned, [and] in so far as I am concerned, we believe that
he is best qualified for 2016."[118] Two years later, Drilon told DZIQ AM radio that Roxas had expressed his interest
internally within the party.[119] Several Liberal Party stalwarts had by then expressed that Roxas should declare his
intentions at that time,[120] with some such as Budget Secretary Florencio Abad suggesting that Roxas may slide down
to run for the vice presidency again.[121]
Aquino had a series of meetings between Roxas, Grace Poe and Francis Escudero from prior to Aquino's state visit to
Canada in May, until days before his final State of the Nation Address in July, including a July dinner with all three of
them at the Bahay Pangarap, Aquino's official residence at the Malacaang Palace complex. While Roxas was seen
as Aquino's choice to succeed him, another question was who would be Roxas' running mate, as Poe had earlier said
that she'd rather run with Escudero as her running mate. [122]
On July 31, 2015, at an event dubbed as "A Gathering of Friends", Roxas formally accepted the Liberal Party's
nomination after he was officially endorsed by President Benigno Aquino III in the presence of their political allies at
the Club Filipino, San Juan, where Roxas had announced his decision to withdraw from the 2010 presidential election
and give way to Aquino's presidential bid. Aquino also announced his candidacy there on September 9, 2009. [31] On
the same day, Roxas formally launched his campaign website.
Camilo Sabio[edit]
Camilo Sabio is the former chairman of the Presidential Commission for Good Government (PCGG) who served
during the time of former Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, announced his bid to run for president in
February 2015. He said that fighting poverty is one of his main priorities if he wins. He filed his certificate of candidacy
on October 12, 2015.[123]
Roy Seeres[edit]
Main article: Roy Seeres presidential campaign, 2016
Seeres first bared his plan to run for the Presidency on October 20, 2014, during the launch of his Respect our
Security of Employment (ROSE) movement in Butuan.[124] He reiterated his plan to run for President in the 2016
presidential election a year later during a briefing at the House of Representatives. [125] He will run under the Partido ng
Manggagawa at Magsasaka and will field a vice-presidential candidate and a 12-man senatorial slate. [125] He formally
launched his presidential bid on October 11, 2015 at theLiwasang Bonifacio in Manila.[126]
Seeres' bid was a center of jokes in both the social media and his fellow congressmen who said that Seeres isn't
ready and he has no chance of winning the election. [127]

On November 22, 2015, he launched the National Headquarters of the Partido ng Manggagawa at Magsasaka for his
presidential campaign in Las Pias.[128]
Since Rodrigo Duterte of PDP-Laban who declared he will run faced legal problems for his bid, Seeres opened the
possibility he will allow Rodrigo Duterte as his substitute candidate if he will abide in three conditions, particularly
being a pro-life advocate.[105] However, Seeres later refused to substitute for him and slammed Duterte's decision to
pursue the presidency and remarked Duterte should support and endorse him instead. [106]
Apolonia Soguilon[edit]
Apolonia Soguilon is a lawyer and former Hearing Comissioner of Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, Quezon
City that hails from Socorro, Oriental Mindoro, announced her intention to run for president during the 2016 elections
in a gathering held in Quezon City in October 2015. She will run as an independent candidate. "Zero Corruption
Target", passage of FOI bill and free education from pre-school to college will be her priorities if she wins. [129] She filed
her certificate of candidacy for president on October 15, 2015. [130]
For vice president[edit]
Alan Peter Cayetano[edit]
Alan Peter Cayetano
In a March 2013 interview with the ABS-CBN News Channel, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano (Nacionalista Party), said
that "I want to be president of this country." [131] In September 2015, after several surveys saw him trailing in the
presidential race, said that he is withdrawing from the presidential election, and would instead focus for the vice
presidency, preferably as the running mate of either Mar Roxas or Rodrigo Duterte.
A few days later in a Davao City meeting, Cayetano announced that he will seek candidacy for running as Vice
President. Cayetano, who he is the member ofNacionalista Party, did not mention his presidential running-mate as the
Nacionalistas will meet in a few days, for their decision.[132] On October 1, Duterte said that if he would ever run for
president, he would prefer Cayetano to be his running mate. [133] Days later, Duterte declined the offer to be Cayetano
andBongbong Marcos' offers to be their presidential running mate.[134] However, during a phone interview with
the Philippine Daily Inquirer in November 2015, Cayetano confirmed Duterte as his running mate if ever the latter
confirms his candidacy for presidency.[135]
Francis Escudero[edit]
Francis Escudero
Senator Francis Escudero (independent) said in in a March 2012 Rappler interview that "Let me be honest, candid,
yet factual about it. I would be very interested in seeking a higher office in 2016 for the simple reason that Im halfway
through my last term."[136] By May 2015, Grace Poe told reporters that she would not run against Escudero. [137]
On September 17 at the Club Filipino in San Juan, Escudero announced his vice presidential bid, becoming Poe's
running mate.[34]
Gringo Honasan[edit]

Gringo Honasan

Senator Gringo Honasan (United Nationalist Alliance) denied that he was going to be Jejomar Binay's running mate in
September 2015.[138] By the next month, however, he said that his team-up with Binay was possible. [139] On October
12, 2015, Honasan announced that he will be running with Binay as the latter's vice president. [38]
Teodoro Malangen[edit]
Malangen will run under the Partido ng Manggagawa at Magsasaka as the running mate of Roy Seeres. Their bid
was launched on October 11, 2015.[126]
Bongbong Marcos[edit]
Bongbong Marcos
Asked on a November 2012 interview at DZBB on his plans to run in 2016, Senator Bongbong Marcos (Nacionalista
Party) said "Never say never."[140] By March 2015, in another interview, this time at DZMM, he said that he "will
thoroughly study everything."[141] In August 2015, after reports surfaced of him being Jejomar Binay's running mate,
Marcos clarified on an interview at the ABS-CBN News Channel that he is still undecided on what position to run for,
but he would certainly not be defending his Senate seat. [142]
On October 5, 2015, Senator Bongbong Marcos announced his candidacy for Vice President of the Philippines in
the 2016 election, and would support the candidacy of Rodrigo Duterte if he ever does run.[37] Days later, Duterte
declined Cayetano's and Marcos' offers to be their presidential running mate.
Diego Palomares[edit]
Palomares, a retired judge by profession, announced his candidacy for vice president as an independent candidate as
Soguilon's running mate in a gathering held in Quezon City in October 2015.[129] He filed his certificate of candidacy for
vice president on October 15, 2015.[130]
Zosimo Paredes[edit]
Former Ifugao's Lone District representative Zosimo Paredes launched his bid for vice president after he filed his
certificate of candidacy on October 14, 2015.[143]
Leni Robredo[edit]
Leni Robredo
In August 2015, Representative from Camarines Sur's third district Leni Robredo (Liberal Party) said that talk of plans
of her running in 2016 is "too soon", and that she'd only run if she's "indispensable". [144]
After the initial objections of her daughters, Robredo decided to run for Vice President, accepting the offers of
President Aquino and Mar Roxas.[145] She officially announced her candidacy for the office on October 5, 2015, at the
Club Filipino.[36]
Antonio Trillanes[edit]
Antonio Trillanes

In the news program Bandila's May 30, 2014 segment where a guest is asked to answer only "yes" or "no,"
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV (Nacionalista Party) was asked if he would run for vice president in 2016 and responded
by saying "Lets just say yes, I will run. As for what position, I will abide by the Nacionalista Party." [146]
By August 2015, Trillanes bared his plans of running as an independent vice presidential candidate, saying that the
Nacionalistas would not endorse a candidate if more than one of them ran for the vice presidency. Trillanes' own
group, Magdalo, his backing his vice presidential bid.[147]
Recently, in a general assembly of MAGDALO coalition members, Trillanes, announced he will run for vice president
as an Independent, but it will support the presidential bid of Senator Grace Poe.[148][149]
The Ilongga legislator is constitutionally barred from seeking another term in the Senate by 2016, which means her
viable political options are already limited.
If the Senator is indeed serious in running for president in 2016, she will have to defy a lot of historical odds. First is
her age. If she wins in May 2016, she will be 71 by the time she assumes office. Her birthday is June 15, which is just
fifteen days before the inauguration.
The oldest person to be elected president is the man Santiago says cheated her of victory in 1992 Fidel V. Ramos.
Ramos, former defense secretary during the term of Corazon Aquino, stepped down from the presidency in 1998. He
was 70. (Watch him do push ups and sit ups in this video taken from last year, at 85!)
Sergio Osmena Sr. is the oldest person to become president. He assumed office when Manuel Quezon died of
tuberculosis in August 1, 1944. He was just 39 days short of his 66th birthday. Osmena ran for his own term in 1946
but lost to Manuel Roxas. (The fact that Santiago supposedly has lung cancer is a topic worth discussing but not in
this post).
For Santiago to be regarded as a viable presidential candidate 22 years after she first sought the post speaks a lot
about her political longevity. I cant help but compare her to Hillary Clinton.
However, the fact is, Filipinos has never elected for president someone who has previously ran for that position and
lost. Keep in mind that the Philippines have had fifteen presidential elections since 1935. Thats the second hurdle that
Santiago needs to overcome.
We all know that Santiago lost the presidency to Ramos by just 880,000 votes in 1992 (she began her campaign
sorties a year before). What many people dont recall is that she ran again six years after. This time, she finished
seventh in a field of ten candidates with less than 800,000 votes.
By Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago
(read by Sen. JV Ejercito)
26 November 2015
The 2016 Budget Proposal
Next year, the Aquino administration proposes a P3.0 trillion budget, P447 billion higher than the 2015 budget, or an
increase of 17.4 percent.
That is quite ambitious for three reasons. First, is the epic underspending record that it has displayed in the last five
years. What has the Aquino government done lately to convince us that there has been a dramatic change its
competency?

Second, there is an election ban before and after the presidential elections. That would surely slow down spending for
public infrastructure.
Third, a new administration will come to power on 1 July 2016. Historically, public spending would tend to be lower
during the first four quarters of a new administration.
Notorious Underspending
The Aquino administration for the last five years has been known for missing its spending targets.
In 2011, it asked Congress for a budget of P1.711 trillion. It managed to spend only P1.557 billion, or an
underspending of P154 billion.
In 2012, it asked Congress for a budget of P1.854 trillion. It managed to spend only P1.778 trillion or an
underspending of P76 billion.
In 2013, it asked Congress for a budget of P2.021 trillion. It managed to spend only P1.880 trillion, or an
underspending of P141 billion.
In 2014, it asked Congress for a budget of P2.281 trillion. It managed to spend only P1.982 billion, or an
underspending of P299 billion.
That is a total underspending of P670 billion in just four years. This year is not any better. Planned spending from
January to July 2015 was P1.470 trillion. But actual spending was P1.28 trillion, for a colossal underspending of P190
billion in just seven months.
It is not as if the Aquino III administration is meeting its promised outputs and outcomes at less cost. It is simply failing
in meeting its promises to the Filipino people.
The Philippines suffers in comparison with its ASEAN-5 neighbors in terms of public infrastructure. It has the worst
roads, airports, sea ports, most expensive and unreliable power supply and the slowest and most expensive internet
connections among its neighbors.
It has the worst unemployment rates. And it is the poorest in terms of per capita GDP and proportion of poor people
below the poverty line.
So why does it continue to underspend? (A) sheer incompetence; (B) deliberatively bloating the budget request so it
can play around with the artificial savings; (C) poor budget planning by including in the budget projects that are not
implementation-ready; or (D) All of the above.
Budget-Related Challenges
Last year, at around this time, I delivered a privilege speech warning about excesses in pork barrel spending, and
abuses in the utilization of lump- sum appropriations and unprogrammed expenditures.
I rise again to repeat the same warning on the 2016 budget; only the portents are more grave and the threats to our
financial stability more serious.

Aside from underspending, what are the budget-related challenges which confront us in 2016? The most serious
challenge of all is the problem of poverty which continues to rise in spite of our vaunted economic growth.
NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan has reported that among ASEAN countries Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia,
Vietnam, and the Philippines, only our countrys poverty levels continue to rise, while those of other countries have
gone down.
Unemployment and underemployment remain inordinately high. Social Weather Stations reports that 27.6% of those
without jobs are women. Furthermore, 50.2% of the jobless are within the ages of 18-24 years. We are not taking care
of our young jobseekers.
We also face the threats and consequences of accelerated climate change. There will be more storms, typhoons,
earthquakes and floods. We cannot reverse the onslaught of natural disasters. We can only prepare for them.
Still another challenge is the 2016 election. There is no doubt at all that the 2015 and 2016 budgets are prone to
electoral politics. Decisions about fund transfers in the guise of savings are not necessarily for public purposes but
for election-related objectives.
However, the most dangerous threat is the continued presence of PDAF-like allocations and the provisions for lump
sum appropriations in the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2016. This is in open defiance of the Constitution and
the three recent decisions of the Supreme Court on PDAF and DAP.
The entire 2016 Presidents budget is littered with lump-sum appropriations, some nationwide, some region-wide.
Especially lethal are those that would be released upon submission by the agency concerned to the DBM of special
budget(s) detailing the actual project, activity, or program (PAP) and actual amount to be expended, the rationale and
purposes approved by the President.
Every time a lump-sum appropriation exists it potentially means that the original budget approved by Congress, the
general appropriations act, is illegally superseded and replaced by a mechanism created by one department or
agency. This budget within the budget is a pseudo appropriations made without Congressional imprimatur. It
extends to the heads of departments and agencies a power they do not have. By usurping the congressional power of
the purse, it violates the principle of separation of powers.
Call for Congress to Do its Job
During the last five budgets, Congress has dutifully approved the Presidents Budget. What the President wants, he
gets. We have forgotten that the Filipino people has vested unto us the power of the purse the power to determine
how their taxes should be allocated. It took the Supreme Court in its unanimous decision on the Disbursement
Acceleration Program (DAP) to remind us that we have a covenant with the Filipino people.
Mr. President, we must use the 2016 budget to deal with these threats and challenges. We do not have to be
subservient to the Executive Department. We have our own mandate and our own responsibility.
I propose the following:
1. Realign contestable budget items and lump sums totaling P166.3 billion to alternative
expenditures for social development.

A. A review of the budgets of government agencies identified P58.2 billion in budget items which are contestable.
B. Examination of lump sum appropriations yielded P108.1 billion in contestable allocations.
C. These contestable allocations which exhibit the characteristics of PDAF can be realigned to various social
development expenditures as proposed by civil society organizations and peoples organizations in the amount of
P155.4 billion.
Mr. President, by taking this bold step, we realign items of expenditures which are PDAF-like. Thus, we protect the
Constitution and respect the Supreme Court decisions. At the same time, we respond to actual needs articulated by
our own people which they have presented in their alternative proposals.
2. Disapprove some objectionable special provisions that authorize heads of agencies in the
Executive Branch the authority to modify and realign the programs, activities, and projects
as authorized by Congress, through the general appropriations act.
The General Appropriations Bill contains some special provisions that unconstitutionally and unlawfully authorize the
respective heads of agencies in the Executive Branch not even the President as Head of the Executive Branch to
modify and realign the program, projects or activities after the same has been authorized by Congress through its
enactment of the General Appropriations Act. But realignment, reprioritization, and reallocation are species of transfer
or augmentation prohibited under the Constitution, Article 6, Section 25 (5). Under Section 25 (5), only the specific
officers mentioned are authorized by law to augment any item in the budget for their respective offices from savings in
other items of their respective appropriations.
3. Totally reject the redefinition of savings which exacerbates the unconstitutional
provisions of the 2015 GAA and willfully ignores the three decisions of the Supreme Court
on PDAF and DAP.
Mr. President, we all know that in 2014, the Supreme Court declared PDAF and DAP as unconstitutional. However,
PDAF-like items are still embedded in the 2016 General Appropriations Bill. This is made justifiable by the redefinition
of savings in the provisions of the bill.
The definition of savings (Sections 65 and 66 of the General Provisions) skirts the Supreme Court ruling (Araullo v.
Aquino, G.R. No. 209287, 1 July 2014) against the DAP. The High Court ruled that savings can be declared only when
there are still funds available after the final discontinuance or abandonment of the project, activity, or program (PAP).
I therefore propose that the definition of savings as reflected in the 2014 GAA and as expounded by the Supreme
Court be incorporated in the 2016 GAA, in lieu of the present definition in the 2016 GAB.
Prior to 2014, past administrations have lived under such definition of savings. The 2015 and 2016 formulations of
savings were meant to circumvent the Supreme Court decision on the DAP. Congress should not be a party to this
attempt to defy the High Court.
Balances of appropriations arising from unused compensation and related costs cannot, and should not be considered
savings, because it might create perverse fiscal behavior. The agency head may choose not to hire personnel
(teachers, policemen, judges, etc.) when public interest require that they should, presumably so they can create
savings within his/her agency. It may also create incentives for the Budget secretary to overestimate the personnel
requirements so he can generate savings that later can be used to augment other items in the budget. It should be
noted that the proposed 2016 budget request a huge P92.258 billion for the lump-sum Miscellaneous Personnel

Benefits Fund. It would be good budget practice not to treat balances of appropriations from lump-sum funds
(Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund, the National Disaster and Risk Reduction and Management Fund (P38.896
billion), the Pension and Gratuity Fund (P113.977 billion) as savings.
Mr. President, we are facing difficult challenges. If we allow the trend of PDAF and DAP abuse to continue we will be
neglecting our duty to respond to the articulated needs of our people. We will be abandoning our oath to defend the
Constitution.
4. Delete Section 68 of the GAB or House Bill No. 6132. Augmentation from savings,
appropriately defined, is allowed in the Constitution under very restrictive
conditions. Realignment is not contemplated in the Constitution. It violates the Supreme Court decision on the
DAP.
Limit, rather than expand, the scope of the power to augment. If there are new projects that need to be funded, there
is always the budget for the next fiscal year. If it is extremely necessary (like in the Mt. Pinatubo eruption or other
serious calamities), the President has the option to submit a supplemental budget.
Let us all join hands in making the 2016 budget an inclusive instrument for serving our people and for upholding the
Constitution!
Voting 15-1-3, senators on Tuesday adopted Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiagos resolution expressing the strong sense
of the Senate that, absent their concurrence, the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) is a treaty
prohibited under the Constitution.
Besides Santiago, those who voted in favor of the resolution were Senators Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito,
Chiz Escudero, TG Guingona, Lito Lapid, Loren Legarda, Bongbong Marcos, Serge Osmea, Koko Pimentel, Grace
Poe, Ralph Recto, and Cynthia Villar.
The 15th vote came from Sen. Pia Cayetano, who was not at the session hall during the vote, but later manifested that
she is voting in the affirmative.
Plenary approval formalizes Senate Resolution No. 1414 as the Senates position on the question of the validity and
effectivity of the EDCA, on which the Supreme Court is allegedly set to decide before U.S. President Barack Obama
visits Manila.
Only Sen. Sonny Trillanes voted against the resolution, deferring to the Supreme Court. Under the same premise,
Senate President Frank Drilon and Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile abstained. Sen. Bam Aquino, who was not in session
during the vote, later manifested his abstention.
In her sponsorship speech, Santiago, chair of the Senate committee on foreign relations, argued that the EDCA
belongs to the category of prohibited treaty, namely, it is a treaty of foreign military bases, troops, or facilities without
the concurrence of the Senate.
The Resolution that we will approve is Constitutional Law. The strong sense of the Senate that it embodies is a
confirmation of its supremacy over any self-serving speculation that is forced subjectively on the Constitution, the
senator said.

Santiago, the foremost constitutional expert in the Senate, insisted that other than concurrence of the Senate, no
authority expressly transforms a treaty into law. She cited the Treaty Clause of the Constitution, Article 7, Section 21,
which states that:
No treaty or international agreement shall be valid and effective unless concurred in by at least two-thirds of all the
Members of the Senate.
The senator added that the need for Senate concurrence was made an integral part of the nature of a special kind of
treatythat which involves foreign military bases, troops, or facilitiesby the Constitution, Article 18, Section 25:
. foreign military bases, troops, or facilities shall not be allowed in the Philippines except under a treaty duly
concurred in by the Senate. and recognized as a treaty by the other contracting State. (Emphasis added)
Santiago said the EDCA falls under this prohibition, as it had substantive provisions on the establishment, location,
stationing of the U.S. military forces and storage of military facilities in Philippine territory.
That such a prohibited treaty has been concluded by the Executive Department as an executive agreement testifies
to its inherently prohibitory nature under the Constitution, the senator said.
She further claimed that the prohibitory character of Article 18, Section 25 trumps Article 8, Section 4(2), which
Macalaang uses to defend the EDCA as an executive agreement. The Constitution, Article 8, Section 4(2), states
that:
All cases involving the constitutionality of a treaty, international or executive agreement, or law, which shall be heard
by the Supreme Court en banc. shall be decided with the concurrence of a majority of the Members who actually
took part in the deliberations on the issues in the case and voted thereon.
On the remote assumption that this provision may be applicable to a case involving the constitutionality of a treaty or
executive agreement, it must exclude from its applicability the prohibited treaty as described in the Constitution, Article
18, Section 25, Santiago said.
The Senate statement on EDCA comes a week before U.S. President Barack Obamas expected arrival in the
Philippines for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meet on November 18 and 19, along with heads of
state of other APEC members.
We begin with the confidence that Senate Resolution No. 1414 is an expression of Constitution Law on the matter of
critical importance to the integrity of the Senate and the honor of this Republic, Santiago said.
The senator added that she hopes the Supreme Court, to which she sent a copy of the proposed resolution in June,
will consider the strong statement from the Senate with decisive concern.
MIRIAM WANTS LAGLAG-BALA SCAM PROBED
OCTOBER 30, 2015 LEAVE A COMMENT

Responding to an online petition signed by some 12,000 netizens, Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago on Friday urged
her colleagues to investigate the laglag-bala scandal at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, which victimizes
overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Santiago has filed Senate Resolution No. 1635 amid reports that airport security personnel are involved in an
extortion scam wherein bullets are planted in the luggage of passengers, who are later asked huge amounts of cash
under threat of lawsuit.
The reports highlight how corruption defeats the purpose of law enforcement. Second, they raise a legitimate
question on the implementation of the law on the illegal possession of ammunition. Finally, they underline inaction on
the part of government, the senator said.
The media has so far reported six cases using the modus operandi. The latest victims are Gloria Orrinez, an OFW
bound for Hong Kong, and Japanese national Kazunobu Sakamoto, who were both arrested on October 25. Only
Sakamoto was able to post bail for P80,000.
The perpetrators of the alleged scam are brazen, perhaps because they know they will not be punished. We must
prove them wrong, Santiago said in response to the signature campaign on online petition platform Change.org.
The petition was launched by Ednalyn Purugganan, an OFW in Hong Kong. Lahat kami ang pinakaasam-asam ang
makauwi sa Pilipinas kahit panandalian lang.Makakauwi pa ba kami nang walang takot na baka sa kulungan ang
bagsak namin? Purugganan said in her open letter.
Santiago condemned how the extortion scam targets OFWs who see airports as their connection to home. Wrongly
accusing OFWs of a crime and forcing them to pay huge amounts of cash is not the way to repay those whom we call
our modern-day heroes, the senator said.
She added that the scandal might impact Philippine tourism, a major job-generating industry, by sowing fear among
foreigners using Philippine airports and eroding public trust in law enforcers.
In her resolution, Santiago said the Senate should consider creating a task force that will investigate alleged illicit
activity of state agents, recommend sanctions against those involved, and put in place mechanisms that will deter
similar schemes.
We in Congress must also ensure that Republic Act No. 10591, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Firearms
and Ammunition Act, is, on the one hand, properly implemented and, on the other, not abused by enforcers of the
law, the senator added.
MIRIAM FACES BUSINESSMEN, BARES PLANS
OCTOBER 27, 2015 LEAVE A COMMENT
(Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiagos statements during the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and
Industries Presidential Forum 27 October 2015, Marriott Grand Ballroom, Pasay City)
My administration will bequeath to the next President a better and stronger nation than what I will inherit from this
administration. In 2022, I will turnover to my successor a nation that is more prosperous, a people more united and
prouder of their leaders, and political institutions that are more stable.
I commit to invest in people, in public infrastructure and in political institutions.

I commit that the Philippine economy will grow faster than ever before, that it will be truly inclusive by making sure that
real incomes of workers will increase over time.
We will achieve the goal of higher and sustained economic growth by investing heavily in public infrastructure. Our
roads, bridges, urban transit systems, airports and seaports are crumbling. We need to build them up at par with, if
not better than, our ASEAN neighbors.
We need to prepare our people for a more modern, more competitive global economy. We need to educate them, take
care of their health, and feed them so they will become productive members of a growing work force. Only by investing
in people can we truly make growth inclusive. Only if the young are educated and healthy can they benefit from
growing economic prosperity.
We will continue to support the Conditional Cash Transfer Program but we will plug the programs leakages. We will
also reduce the cost of running the program by involving local authorities in implementing it.
We need a vibrant and more productive agriculture hand in hand with a strong manufacturing. So we have to invest in
agriculture productivity enhancing projects irrigation, farm-to-market roads, water impounding facilities, post-harvest
facilities, new seed varieties and research and development.
We will invest in political institutions. Its been thirty years since we restored democracy in the Philippines. Yet, political
institutions remain shaky. There exist no stable political parties in the real sense of the word. The Filipino people
cannot hold accountable a political party for the mistakes of its candidates because it disappears as soon as the
offending elected official leave office. This has to be corrected by passing a law authorizing the use of public funds to
support dominant political parties.
I will support the recent Supreme Court decisions on PDAF and the DAP. They espouse the appropriate roles of the
President and Congress in the use of public funds. The decisions ought to be supported not resisted.
When elected, my first act is to have the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) enacted into law. This is an important tool
to promote public accountability.
I will restore meritocracy in government. Political parasites, incompetents, and unproductive workers will have no place
in my administration.
I will recruit the best, the most competent, the most experienced, the most honest men and women to assist me run
my administration.
The Filipino people will feel secure under my administration. They will feel secure at home, on the streets and their
place of work. My administration will aggressively fight the war against illegal drugs that proliferate in most cities and
towns in the country.
We will run the governments finances responsively. First, we will reform the 19-year old tax system, making it fairer,
more responsive to changes in the economy, simpler to administer, and in sync with our ASEAN-5 competitors.

Second, we will right-size government. We will start by conducting a swift review of ALL programs and projects of
government. A Task Force will be created for each major department as soon as we get elected. We will hit the ground
running on Day One (July 1st 2016). But there will be no slowdown in government operations.
Third, we will keep government deficits manageable by keeping it below three percent of gross domestic product
(GDP), even as we aggressively build public infrastructure.
On her health
I had just filed my certificate of candidacy at the Commission on Elections and someone wrote an open letter that
says, If youre really healthy, if youre really free from cancer, why dont you show all your medical records to the entire
public? I ask you: Have you seen a provision in the Constitution requiring a candidate to show medical records?
Theres no such thing.
But, assuming, for the sake of argument that these records exist and I am willing to turn them over, although with all
the concomitant burdensfirst, the financial burden; pangalawa, kakalat nang kakalat iyan hanggang sa hindi na
natin alam kung alin diyan ang totoo; at pangatlo, para maintindihan ninyo, hindi papayag ang ospital na maglabas ng
medical records kung hindi papayag ang pasyenteano naman ang karapatan ng isang tao na naglalakad diyan sa
kalye, at bigla na lang siyang tatanungin, May medical records ka ba? Kasi mukha kang taong may medical records
eh. Papayag ba kayo?
Isa pa, bakit ang aking medical records magiging paksa ng usapan natin tungkol sa pulitika? Ang pulitika ay tungkol
sa peace and order. Ngayon, pilit ako na dinadala sa pulitika. Kapag inilabas ko ang lahat ng medical records ko, hindi
na ang well-being ng ating bansa ang pag-uusapan kundi ang well-being ng aking mga kalaban sa pulitika. Kaya,
umpisa na lang, ayaw ko dahil, una wala ito sa batas, at, pangalawa, wala itong maidudulot na kagandahan sa ating
gobyerno.
Ako ang nagka-cancer, ako mismo ang nagsabing nagka-cancer ako, at ako mismo ang nagsabi na doon ako sa St.
Lukes Global City nagpagamot. Ako rin mismo ang nagsabi na ang doktor ko, ang dating Health Sec. Esperanza
Cabral, oncologist si Dr. Gary Lorenzo, pulmonologist si Dr. Ruth Divinagracia.
Sabi wag ako iboto dahil maari akong mamatay. Kung ganoon pala ang ikinakampanya nila, eh ngayon pa lang maari
akong mamatay! Puwede ako masagasaan ng bus o jeep diyan sa labas. Gusto lang nila ako siraan! Besides, cant
you see me? Cant you see that I can stand straight and I can look you in the eye? What else do you want? Why are
you so nasty? What government do you want to grow into if this is your attitude? Magtulungan tayo. Lets have a
sense of shared destiny, not shared destruction. Yan ang problema sa Pilipinas eh.
On running alongside Sen. Marcos
Its not my function to defend [Sen. Marcos]. He should defend himself. I think he is capable of defending himself. He
is perfectly capable of intellectualizing the situation he is in.
He was my student at the U.P. College of Law. I saw Mr. Marcos in class as more than an average student. As his
former professor, I just think he does not devote enough time to his homework. He dropped out of class.
I have not seen prima facie evidence that he killed someone, raped someone, or burned a house, that he violated the
Penal Code. Wala namang alegasyon na siya mismo gumawa. Noong Martial Law, maliit pa lang siyang bata.

There is no allegation that he himself sinned against his neighbor. We are going against what the Bible said: The sins
of the father should not be visited upon the son. I am a church-going Catholic. I weighed these matters very carefully,
I assure you. I wrote an entire book on theology and religion, and thats my humble conclusion.
Bigyan natin siya ng pagkakataon dahil nanalo naman na siyang senador. Nanalo siyaibig sabihin the greater
majority do not have opposition to his being a public servant.
On Sen. Marcos covering up for Marcos crimes
Thats possible. In fact, the voting might show that it is likely. But unless I see prima facie evidence, I cannot be guided
by thoughts that are negative against a fellow man. We cannot punish someone on the basis of suspicion. I cant
support that as a lawyer.
On customs administration
I understand the present system is chaotic. The many legislation and issuances affecting customs and tariffs have to
be codified in one document and it has to be updated in the light of recent trade agreements. Hence, we need this Act.
Let us not have the illusion that the approval of this Act is a magic bullet that will solve the corruption at the Bureau of
Customs. The solution there is to appoint a few good men to run BOC and for Malacanang to stop meddling with
BOC. Corruption at the BOC will cease only if not tolerated by Palace officials.
On tax reforms
The Philippine tax system is 20 years old. It needs to be overhauled. But major tax reforms are best done at the start
of each administration when the President has the clear mandate from the voters. I promise to reform it within six (6)
months of my administration.
The objectives of the reform are: (a) to make the tax system in sync with its ASEAN-5 competitors; (b) to make it
administratively simple (c) to make it fairer; and (d) make it responsive and higher yielding in order to finance the
increasing needs of a growing economy.
There will be a lot of benchmarking with other ASEAN-5 peers. For the first three years, my administration will aim to
shoot for the average number of steps. On years four to six we should try to be better than our ASEAN-5 neighbors.
Cutting red tape at the local government level will be my top priority. Well performing local government units (LGUs)
will be rewarded with additional intergovernmental grants.
Regulations at the Bureau of Customs and the regulatory bodies (ERC, SEC, BSP, DENR, and others) will be reduced
drastically.
On infrastructure investment
The Philippine government should set aside at least 5% of its resources for public infrastructure for it to catch up with
its ASEAN-5 neighbors and to sustain strong growth. Its poor public infrastructure is a major constraint to growth.
Among the major projects are the following:

A modern, international airport

An entirely new railway system from Manila to Sorsogon

A modern, integrated urban transit system in Metro Manila with lines reaching urban communities in
Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite and Laguna

One mixed-use government center (with adjacent residential, commercial, and entertainment
facilities) in the National Capital Region

One mixed-use government center (with adjacent residential, commercial and entertainment
facilities) in each of the 17 regions.

One major project per region for the 17 regions

One major project per province (81 provinces)
For maximum impact and in response to the greater sense of urgency, these projects will be done simultaneously.
Some will be done on pure PPP, some hybrid type (government will finance the construction and then will bid out the
management and maintenance of the project after construction), and some by government through the usual public
procurement procedure. In order to make the facilities affordable to citizens, the government will not require a
premium from winning contractors.
In fact, in some cases, because of external benefits such as reduced traffic, lower pollution, etc., government subsidy
maybe allowed in some of these public infrastructure projects.
On the financing side, we estimate that we have to allocate an enormous amount ranging from P819 billion in 2017 to
P1.3 trillion in 2022. But we cannot build modern infrastructure on the basis of promises alone. It will have to be
financed through better tax administration, tax policy reform, and government borrowings.
On economic liberalization
The first best solution is to amend the restrictive provisions in the Philippine Constitution which have discouraged the
entry of foreign investors into the country. Compared to its ASEAN-6 counterparts, the Philippines has attracted the
least Foreign Direct Investments. That is proof enough that we are lagging behind.
[Speaker Feliciano Belmontes] proposal is to amend [the provision on foreign ownership] not by amending the
Constitution, but by adding certain provisions there: the phrase as the law might provide. So he is calling for an
amendment to the Constitution, but in another way. I dont know if the young people in this country would agree to that
proposal, because it places the Constitution at the mercy of politicians. I dont know if the young people today wish for
our Constitution to be dictated to by foreigners. All of these have to be studied, possibly by means of a referendum.
First of all, we have to look at the figures for Foreign Direct Investments. If the figure is rising, then we are doing
something right. If not, then there is something we are not doing that some countries have already done. I would say
that these will become a subject matter between lawyers who specialize in comparative lawin that way, we will
realize, or I hope manage, to make a conclusion on how they were able to increase Foreign Direct Investments in the
country.
Final statement
The Freedom of Information bill deserves to be passed first if only to enhance transparency and public accountability.
The posting of information on the official websites is not a substitute for the FOI bill. What is posted on the website is
discretionary. The administrator chooses what information to disclose and what to suppress. With the FOI, concerned
parties can ask specific information from department secretaries or agency heads, and the latter are duty bound to
comply. That is what the public wants. That is what enhances transparency and accountabilitynot the selective
posting of public information.

Ladies and gentlemen, come, join hands together, and let us face the future without flinching and with full faith and
confidence that God will be our guide in our country.
(Transcript of Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiagos speech at her U.P. Bahay ng Alumni meet and greet, 26
October 2015)
Allow me to introduce myself. I am the person who is seeking to run for public office next year, but because of this, at
least one person on the Internet has voiced her urgent wish that I should die before six years. It is up to you whether
to accommodate the macabre wishes of that person.
But as for me, I tell you today: I have passed through the hardest of all physical trepidations and hardships known to
man. Cancer is not an easy disease to have. Still, thereafter, I decided, after consultation with my panel of doctors
from St. Lukes [Medical Center], that it should be up to me to decide whether or not I should campaign for president
again.
My answer is this: Do you want a clean government? Do you want a courageous government? Do you want a
government of, by, and for academic excellence? If that is the case, do you want me?
Alam mo, napansin ko sa Senado, hindi naman pala mahirap na ipunin ang pera ng gobyerno. Ang problema sa
bansa nating ito, ang magsasalita, iyun din ang magnanakaw. Pangalawa, pag nagsasalita sila na kunwari laban sila
sa graft and corruption, mali-mali pa ang English nila. At pangatlo, ninanakaw nila ang pera ng gobyerno para pag
nakuha nila lahat ng pera, ibibili ulit nila ng boto ng taong bayan, nang sa gayon, wala nang katapusan ang
pagnanakaw ng pera ng taumbayan. This must stop.
Kaya susubukan at susubukan ko pa rin ang lahat ng magagawa ko, [kahit na] tumatanda na ako.
(Crowd: Kasama mo kami!)
Kasama mo ako? Hindi mo lang alam ang ugali ko.
Basta ako, isisige ko at isisige itong ating laban sa ating bansa. Nag-eskwela ako sa America, nag-eskwela ako sa
England. Kung saan-saan ako nag-eskwela. Hindi ako tatanggap na matatalo ako ng anumang bansa. Tayo ang
magaling. Filipinos, believe in yourself. Have faith in the Filipino.
For, as poetry says, It matters not how straight the gate, how charged with punishment the scroll. I am the master of
my fate, I am the captain of my soul. Come and join me, and thank you very much for becoming the captain of your
soul. Thank you.
11 SENATORS BACK MIRIAMS BBL REPORT
MAY 27, 2015 LEAVE A COMMENT
Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago on Wednesday announced that at least 11 other senators are supporting the view that
the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) should substantially be revised if it is to withstand legal scrutiny before the
Supreme Court.
An overwhelming majority of the 14-member Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes
signed the report Santiago, as chair, transmitted to the committee on local government, the primary committee
contemplating the BBL.

Aside from Santiago, senators who signed the report were committee vice chair Koko Pimentel, acting minority leader
Tito Sotto, and committee members Sonny Angara, Jinggoy Estrada, TG Guingona, Gringo Honasan, Lito Lapid,
Bongbong Marcos, and Cynthia Villar.
Senate president pro tempore Ralph Recto and Senate majority leader Alan Peter Cayetano, ex-officio members, also
expressed their support for the report. This brings the total number of senators who signed the committee report to 12.
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, another vice chair of the committee, is out of the country and had no chance to review the
report. Senate minority leader Juan Ponce Enrile, an ex-officio member, did not sign because he has not studied the
matter fully, his staff said.
By affixing their signatures in the committee report, senators are agreeing with the conclusion that the present BBL
draft is essentially unconstitutional. I expect that more of my colleagues will adopt the same view on the Senate floor,
Santiago said.
The senator in her committee report claimed that if approved in its present form, the draft BBL will be challenged in
the Supreme Court for doubts on its constitutionality, particularly on issues of sovereignty, autonomy, the creation of a
sub-state, and territorial integrity.
The Bangsamoro Basic Law has much merit, but its promulgation requires constitutional amendment or revision;
mere legislation will not suffice, and will spark Supreme Court litigation, said the report, which was released to the
media last week.
To produce the report, Santiagos committee conducted two public hearings on the BBL. Resource persons included
presidential adviser on the peace process Teresita Quintos Deles, government chief negotiator Miriam Coronel Ferrer,
and Moro Islamic Liberation Front leaders.
Santiago, considered the foremost constitutional expert in the Senate, also sought the opinion of former Supreme
Court Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban; former Justices Florentino Feliciano and Vicente Mendoza; former UP Law
Dean Merlin Magallona; and other experts.
The Santiago committee findings will either be consolidated with the reports of the committee on local government
and the committee on peace, unification, and reconciliation, or adopted as an individual report. Either way, it is
expected to form the basis of plenary debates.
The Palace hopes to pass the controversial measure before Congress adjourns sine die on June 10. At the House of
Representatives, a BBL draft perceived to be the Malacaang version has hurdled the ad hoc committee and
committee on ways and means.
The Senate is not as keen to rush approval, with the Marcos-led committee on local government slating a final hearing
on June 3. After committee deliberations, the bill will enter a potentially grueling period of amendments, before being
subjected to a plenary vote.

Newspapers have predicted that the report of my committee will slow down Senate proceedings on the BBL draft. If
so, then the report would have served its purpose. We need to consider the BBL with caution, not with haste,
Santiago said.
DUTERTE
Duterte has siblings named Benjamin "Bong" Duterte, a one-term city councilor of Davao between 1992-1995,
younger sister Jocelyn Duterte who lost in several attempts to grab a Third District city council seat as well as for the
mayor post in 2001, and Blue Boy Duterte who ran and lost in the First District congressional race in 1998. Duterte is
also known for his straightforward and vocal attitude in public especially on interviews, showing no hesitation
using profanity profusely live on-screen in numerous occasions despite of formal requests by media groups and
schools beforehand.[72][73]
Duterte was once married to Elizabeth Abellana Zimmerman, a flight stewardess who hails from Davao City
of German American descent, with whom he has 3 children namely: Paolo ("Pulong"), Sara ("Inday Sara") and
Sebastian ("Baste"). Out of his 3 children from Zimmerman, 2 (Paolo and Sara) ventured into politics while Baste, with
no interest into politics, ventured into business.[72] In 2012, Duterte made a notorious remark in a media interview
regarding an incident where Paolo's name was allegedly linked to a carnapping syndicate led by Ryan Yu. Duterte
infamously quoted "Kill my son Paolo if he is involved in crime". Paolo was never pressed with charges for lack of
evidences and eventually won the Davao City vice mayoralty post in 2013. [74]
Rodrigo Duterte has been publicly very open about his infidelity and philandering during the course of his marriage
with Zimmerman citing it as the reason being for his failed first marriage and had never denied the issue when asked
in interviews. In 1998, Zimmerman filed a petition with the Regional Trial Court in Pasig to nullify her marriage. Duterte
on the other hand never appeared in court and did not protest Zimmermans petition. Two years later, the court
decided in her favor, ending the 27-year marriage of Duterte and Zimmerman. Duterte and Zimmerman has been in
good terms in recent years with Zimmerman stating, Yes, he [Rodrigo] is really a very good leader. That is all he is.
But when it comes to family, he is not capable of taking care of it. In 2001, Zimmerman eventually ran for a seat in the
city council but lost. Duterte and Zimmerman are said to have patched things up and appears to be civil to each other,
15 years after their marriage has been declared null and void. Zimmerman also emphasized in an interview that
despite Duterte's womanizing, he listens to activist women and set up a program that mainstreams gender and
development issues resulting to Davao City winning the Galing Pook award for gender-responsive governance in
2004.[75] On November 30, 2015, he openly admitted to be a "womanizer".[76]
Despite of his status being listed as single in the Davao City government website, Duterte is currently living with his
partner Honeylet, a nurse, with whom he has 1 daughter named Veronica ("Kitty"). [5][77]
Duterte is known for being an avid fan of big bikes but detests luxury cars. He once owned a second-hand Harley
Davidson and currently a Yamaha Virago. He was once a habitual smoker but he eventually quit after a doctor's
suggestion due to health concerns. Duterte is also openly supportive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
(LGBT) rights and is an avid reader of Robert Ludlum and Sydney Sheldon novels.[5]
Duterte also has his own local show in Davao City called Gikan Sa Masa, Para Sa Masa ("From the Masses, For the
Masses") aired as a blocktimer on ABS-CBN Davao. He is also a member of Lex Talionis Fraternitas during his time in
San Beda College of Law.[78]

Despite being raised Catholic, he was thought to have cursed Pope Francis for the pontiff's visit to the Philippines in
January 2015 because it caused a traffic jam. He immediately then apologized through the media saying he wasn't
'cursing' the Pope but the government's way of preparing the Pope's visit. [79] Duterte later revealed that he was one of
the many students who was sexually abused by a priest from his previous school, Ateneo de Davao University
(AdDU) during circa late 1950s.[80] After he was challenged by theCatholic Bishops' Conference of the
Philippines (CBCP) and AdDU officials to name the priest and file a case against him, Duterte then revealed the
priest's name as Fr. Mark Falvey, SJ (d. 1975).[81] The Jesuits of the Society of Jesus in the Philippines confirmed that
according to press reports in the United States, in May 2007, the Society of Jesus agreed to a tentative payout of $16
million to settle claims that Falvey sexually abused at least nine children in Los Angeles from 1959 to 1975.
Accusations against Falvey began in 2002 and he was never charged with a crime. Additionally in May 2008,
the Diocese of Sacramento paid $100,000 settlement to a person allegedly raped and molested by Marks brother, Fr.
Arthur Falvey. However, it was not clearly indicated in the report if Mark Falvey was assigned at the Jesuit-run Ateneo
de Davao.[82] When asked why he didn't complain when the abuse supposedly happened, Duterte claimed that he was
too young to complain about the priests abuse and was intimated by authorities at that time. He also stated that he
never disclose that information ever since, including his family, after he was expelled and moved to a different high
school.[83] On December 4, 2015, Duterte along with his executive assistant Bong Go, visited and talked with Davao
Archbishop Romulo Valles and Bishop George Rimando, together with Monsignor Paul Cuison to get lectured on
Christian Values. Duterte committed to lessen profanity in public gatherings and even assured that he will donate
P1,000 to Caritas Davao everytime he would swear in public. He also stated that he will be planning to visit
the Vatican at a later time.[84]
Duterte personally disclosed that he suffers from Buergers Disease, an inflammation of blood vessels mostly in the
limbs that has been traced to previous habitual smoking, contrary to earlier rumors of throat cancer.[85]
Advocacy[edit]
Main article: Federalism in the Philippines
In 2014, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte initiated the holding of the summit: "I am calling on all responsible leaders
in the island, from government and civil society organizations, from the business and academe sectors, the leaders of
the Church, the military and the youth, let us all forge a well-informed, united front, so we could craft a collective plan
of action for Mindanaos true identity reflective of what its peoples and tribes truly wish and aspire for", Duterte said in
a statement.
Among those who are expected to attend are former President Fidel V. Ramos, Msgr. Fernando Capalla, Ateneo de
Davao University President Fr. Joel Tabora, former Mindanao Economic Development Council chair Paul G.
Dominguez, and retired General Hermogenes Esperon. Local government heads from Mindanao cities, towns and
provinces are also expected to attend, as well as Catholic bishops and Muslim religious leaders.
In September 2014, Duterte met with former mayors and governors in an initial effort to revive calls for a federal form
of government. The group, which called itself Mindanao Council of Leaders, made their position public after an
informal caucus. Present during the said meeting were Bukidnon Governor Jose Maria Zubiri, former Cagayan de
Oromayors Reuben Canoy and Vicente Emano, former Zamboanga del Norte congressman Romeo Jalosjos, and
former Davao del Norte representative Pantaleon Alvarez.

A month later, Duterte was in Cebu City and met with Cebu officials. The event was sponsored by the Federal
Movement for a Better Philippines and coincided with the induction of its new set of officers held at the Sacred Heart
Center in Cebu City.[
Laws[edit]

Through the support of Duterte, the City Council amended the ordinance no. 1627, Series of 1994,
which imposed a prohibition on selling, serving, drinking and consumption of liquors and alcoholic beverages from
1:00 am until 8:00 am.

Executive Order no. 39 was signed by Duterte, setting the speed limits for all kinds of motor
vehicles within the territorial jurisdiction of Davao City in the interest of public safety and order.

Duterte also signed Executive Order no. 04, Series of 2013 to impose an order creating the
implementing of rules and regulations for the new comprehensive anti-smoking ordinance no. 0367-12, Series of
2012.

Davao City's Firecracker Ban was also implemented with ordinance no. 060-02/1406-02, Series of
2002 by the City Council through the support of Duterte.

Other known accomplishment was that the City Government of Davao was able to acquire 10 more
ambulances for central 911 intended for medical emergencies and 42 new mobile patrol vehicles and motorcycles for
the Davao City Police Office (the first and only 9-1-1 emergency telephone number in Asia).

Duterte, through E.O no. 24, ordered all shopping malls and commercial centers to install, operate
and maintain high end and high definition closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in all entrance and exit points of
their premises.
MANILA, Philippines What will Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Dutertes prioritize in his platform if he chooses to run for
president in 2016?
Duterte gave a glimpse of his top priorities as he spoke to top financial minds of the Bankers Institute of the
Philippines on Tuesday, August 11.
The 70-year-old mayor confessed that the problems facing the country were the reason why he has not yet decided to
run for higher office.
When I finally say I will run, I should be ready to assume full responsibility and not blame others for the mess I knew
full well I would inherit, Duterte explained.
He had been consistently rejecting the idea of running for president, claiming his age, financial status and his family
hinder him from announcing his bid for the highest office of the land.
But the mayor, for the sake of argument, explained the changes he will make if this unworthy Bisayashould lead
beyond the confines of Davao.
Boosting the economy
With government funds directed to the right channels, Duterte said he will propose a partnership with the private
sector to help keep the prices of food stable.

It is likewise unthinkable that in a country surrounded by water, fish is unaffordable to the poorest of our poor. And
vegetables are priced so high that the diet of the poor is simply rice and more rice, Duterte explained why having food
security must be a major priority.
The mayor said the government should spend on agricultural research to help farmers produce more at a lesser cost.
Given the geographic advantages of Mindanao, its fertile plains and abundant water sources if adequately
developed can feed Luzon and Visayas, according to Duterte.
Duterte lamented the current status of farmers who benefited from agrarian reform.
Kasi ngayon, pagkatapos na binigyan mo ng 2 hectares ang landless, bahala na siya sa buhay niya, Duterte said.
(With the way things are now, the government does not care about the landless after giving them 2 hectares of land.)
He explained that there should be a more proactive approach to provide with incentives the private sectors corporate
social responsibility. This will help farmers manage their lands.
The next administration should also tap the idle manpower in the countryside to build roads and dig irrigation canals to
boost the income of the poorest.
On the business side
Davao City prides itself with the 72-hour-limit for acquiring business permits, such that failure on the part of the local
government to do so would merit having to directly explain to the mayor himself reasons for such.
Duterte said the government should let businesses flourish by making it easy to do business, with government
providing utmost transparency and accountability.
In terms of laws, he said he plans to prioritize the Freedom of Information bill if he runs and wins in 2016.
In addition, he would also prioritize effective public transportation such as trains, railways and the renovation of
airports.
Duterte recounted an agreement he made with businessmen when he first won as Davao Citys mayor in 1988: he will
take care of the peace and order, as well as provide for the basic services, while the business group will take care of
the business sector and invite more investors into the city.
He added that these improvements should have all been done decades ago but refrained from blaming others.
You are business executives. You cannot go to your board of directors each time and say you did not meet your
targets because of the mess you inherited when you assumed your positions. You should know what you are getting
into. If you cant hack it, be honest dont seek the office, he said.
Law and order

The tough-talking mayor who claimed to have transformed Davao into one of the safest cities in the world, said he will
make sure that criminals are afraid of the law.
Aside from increasing the salaries of the police, Duterte proposed to repeal laws that have become a refuge for
criminals.
He plans to revoke the juvenile delinquency law, which syndicates have used to train young kids to commit crime,
protected by the mantle of impunity due to young age.
He also pledged to re-impose the death penalty for heinous crimes, such as drug-trafficking and drug-dealing.
But over and above legislation, we will make sure that crime does not pay; that swift justice awaits those who would
commit heinous crimes, Duterte said.
Shifting to federalism
Consistent with past efforts, conducting listening tours around the country to give a face to the idea of federalism as
an alternative to the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), Duterte declared, I will within the first year in office, call for a
Constitutional Convention to effect change in our form and structure of government. We must change the present
highly-centralized, unitary system into a federal system.
The mayor had been pushing for a shift to a federal system to address inherent issues in corrupt practices in
governance. Duterte said he would abolish Congress and the pork barrel system.
He claimed that federalism would provide a lasting solution to the demands of our Muslim brothers and other cultural
minorities for a recognition of their historical and indigenous rights to a multi-cultural community united under one flag
and one nation.
Duterte had previously said he supported the BBL but expressed concerns over some of its provisions. He claims that
federalism is a better solution to the conflict in Mindanao.
On leadership
Duterte also said that a leader must be a strict taskmaster who should replace inefficient cabinet members or heads
of agencies who, if involved in corruption allegations, should face prosecution.
It should not take a leader months of agonizing to choose a PNP chief, or to replace a jail warden who allows drug
lords to continue with their deadly trade inside prison, abetted with luxurious lifestyles at that. It should take no more
than 24 hours, Duterte added, clearly alluding to President Benigno Aquino III. Rappler.com
Platforms of Governance
1. Zero tax for all employees paid P25,000 and below
2. No new major projects (except extremely needed infra), just maintain and renovate the existing ones, hence reducing the
deficits. Big projects are milking cows of PNoy's and the oppositions' henchmen.

3. Lowering down of agri imports. Duterte is pro-agri. PNoy henchmen love to imports because that's where the big kickbacks
come from.
4. Transition from presidential to parliamentary. The other system is known to better respond to emergencies and contingencies
and less incidence for personalized leadership.
5. MILF,MNLF and NPA will have their representatives in Malacanang. If Rudy has earned the respect and freed captured
soldiers and managed to negotiate Jalandoni to lessen the grapple of NPA in Davao in the 1980's, there's no reason for him not to
be heard this time and ask the revolutionaries to lay down arms this time for good. He is the only person who has a very strong
negotiating skills and earned respect from the rebels.
6. Muntinlupa's overcrowding will be solved in no time. He would kill 50/day to solve the 1,000+ overcrowding there. Amnesty
International sang praises to heaven when the death penalty was lifted up but they're too unwilling to foot the bill for overcrowded
prison and clogged courts.
Why Duterte?
1. Duterte is already a well-established brand.
Who among the current crop of presidential aspirants or potential candidates whose name when uttered will surely
bring shivers to the spine of criminals and law-breakers?
Poe? Escudero? Roxas? Santiago? Binay?
For sure, the name Binay sounds like soothing music to the ears of criminals and once he got the hot seat in
Malacaang, they would surely dance Macarena for days on end! Except maybe Miriam to some degree, the other
names are weak-sounding to the ears of criminals.
Imagine Rudy Duterte sitting in the palace reports flashbacks of the dreaded death squad, Sally Chuas abductors,
pusher pushed from a chopper, hold-upper found dead on a ditch, etc will surely hunt the imagination of criminals. And
those who flee from Davao to escape The Punisher will now have nowhere to run.
Will the dreaded Davao Death Squad stream-roll like rivers in every cities across the country?
Maybe. Maybe not. But one thing will happen for sure. Criminals will start to imagine thoughts not unlike in the final
scenes in Steven Seagals Hard to Kill where he wrote these on the wall:
The anticipation of death is worse than death itself!
2. The Duterte brand has evolved.
It is no longer just a poster image for crime fighting but has spread into curtailed corruption, social harmony,
disciplined citizens, enforced traffic and speed limit, honest taxi drivers, only 911 in the Philippines, pro-business, etc.
The result is expected from a pragmatic mayor. To those who are interested in reading Political Theory why Duterte
brand has evolved, you may read this link. (For sure, it is a complete bore to most readers.)
3. He will dissolve Congress.
If all forces of the universe conspire to put him as president of the country, Duterte said that in 6 months to dissolve
congress. Well, 6 months is far too long. Why not dissolve it outright?

The house has become a home of scoundrels, pigs and idiots combined. You may even wonder why local movie
makers still produce horror movies or subscribe to foreign horror films. The Congress is more horrific than both foreign
and local horror movies combined -theyre more real than imagined.
There is a need to overhaul the government and create a system that is hostile to corruption. The prevailing system is
so fertile a ground for all the crooks hiding under the roof of the current constitution. Something must be drastically
done and no person who has the fortitude to do it than Rudy Duterte.
4. Duterte knows well the governments perceived enemies.
He once gave some tips what he would do if he become the president of the republic putting Jalandoni in DAR and
Sison in DSWD.
People may shudder at the thought of seeing the two leftist leaders sharing the office with the sitting president. In fact,
it is not without precedent. The outspoken leftist Salvador Enriquez headed DBM during Ramos era and he did his job
quite well.
Duterte knows the core tenets why MILF, MNLF and NPA put-up an armed front. Will this create friction with the
military such as what happened to Salvador Allende in Chile? If Davao is to serve as blueprint for the upcoming
government regarding political harmony, this is less likely to happen.
5. A Duterte-run government will be business-friendly.
Unlike the communist who wants total control of all the nations wealth or the Magdalos who wanted the nations
wealth handled by chosen few, the Duterte-run government is business-friendly.
But how he will deal the oligarchy and their respective cartels?
We can hope that a revolutionary government run by a man who wants complete overhaul has no problem to
make drastic measures to accomplish his purpose of progressive Philippines. How strongly? Well, we can hope that it
will be strong enough to make it business-friendly without severe deprivation of poor players in the economy.
6. Filipinos will love him eventually
Says one Facebook fan, ang patayan sa simula lang yan. Duterte aptly said that when you have peace and order,
people will realise their full potential. Rightly so and the result people eventually love him for what he has done.
As residents of Davao explicitly expressed their love of the Mayor, Filipinos likewise will surely love him as soon as
they see the results happening all over the country.
MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) Malacaang Palace calls it a gathering of friends. A congressman allied with the
Liberal Party (LP) calls it a meeting of its members that just happens to be open to the media.
It's called a lot of things but one thing is for sure: for Manuel Roxas II, the 10:30 am event at the historic Club Filipino
on Friday, July 31, marks the beginning of hisbid for the presidency in 2016.

Crowd began to build up at 9 am. The entire Roxas family is at the Cory Aquino Kalayaan Hall in the Club led by the
Roxas matriarch Judy Araneta-Roxas, Roxas's wife Korina Sanchez, and his son Paolo Gerardo.
Some of the key Cabinet secretaries spotted are Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, Justice Secretary Leila
de Lima, and Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla.
Roxas will be announcing his plans for the coming presidential elections after he is endorsed by President Benigno
Aquino III, who arrived at Club Filipino at 10:54 am.
WATCH: Live: President Aquino's 2016 endorsement
Aquinos endorsement of Roxas comes after months of hours-long meetings with him and key personalities for 2016.
Among them, the person who came close to snatching the prized endorsement from Roxas: Senator Grace Poe.
(READ: Mar Roxas: The long road to endorsement)
A Roxas campaign in 2016, LP sources tell Rappler, will not be about the man himself. It will be centered on an idea
for the reforms made through the Aquino administrations Daang Matuwid to continue beyond 2016.
The campaign colors are a dead giveaway as well. Roxas trademark blue is now a thing of the past. Instead, the
Liberal Partys bright yellow takes center stage.
Grassroots, unconventional
If the guest list for the Friday event is any indication, it also means that the campaign and the journey back to Malacaang will
rely heavily on the grassroots: local government, civil society, the beneficiaries of Daang Matuwid.
Aside from LP allies who hold key positions in government those who will be part of the program are: civil society organizations,
a beneficiary of the governments Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, a overseas Filipino worker turned businessman, the
mayor of Lanao del Norte, and a business process outsourcing (BPO) worker.
The following will speak during the launch: Ramon Maranon, organic farmer from Guimaras; Marvin Jason Rodriguez, BPO
manager; Rommel Arnado, mayor, Kauswagan, Lanao Del Norte; and Anna Liza Natalio, Pantawid Parent Leader.
Roxas' bid will not be a traditional campaign, according to LP stalwart and Budget Secretary Florencio Abad in a previous
interview with Rappler.
"It's not going to be run the conventional way. The design of the campaign will be different," Abad said.
The party machinery can only reach so far in the 2016 elections, the party believes. For them, it will ultimately be up to the voters
to appreciate the merits of electing a good leader.
Winnability is important but popularity and winnability arent the only ingredients so we need to take into consideration
integrity, competence and experience, Congressman Bolet Banal, an LP member, earlier told reporters in an interview. Roxas has
been struggling in the surveys.
The same Daang Matuwid

Although it seemed as if Aquino was torn between endorsing Roxas, an LP stalwart and Poe, whose survey numbers are nothing
short of impressive, the Presidents choice became clearer in the days leading up to the endorsement.
During his last State of the Nation Address (SONA), Aquino heaped praises on his interior secretary. Mar, you are proving: You
cant put a good man down. Just as my mother and father had faith, so too should you have faith that our countrymen know who
truly puts country before self, said Aquino of Roxas.
For Aquino, the LP, and those that remain faithful to the coalition, the idea is to push for continuity.
Moments after the SONA, official government social media accounts and personal accounts owned by those connected to the LP
began posting snippets of the SONA, the governments achievements with the hashtag #SimulaPaLang.
The key message for the campaign is clear: with Mar Roxas at the helm, Daang Matuwid continues and the Aquinos
administrations good governance and anti-corruption platform flourishes.
The immediate obstacle to this, of course, would be a Poe candidacy. The survey front runner, after all, still part of the ruling
coalition. Vice President Jejomar Binay, who defeated Roxas in the 2010 presidential race, already launched his bid last July 1.
Rappler.com
While DTI Secretary in the year 2000, Mar brought the IT-BPO industry to the Philippines. In 2016, it is expected to
generate 1.3-Million jobs locally and account for 9 percent of the countrys gross domestic product.
In 2006, the Philippines was second only to Japan in having the highest medicine prices in Asia. Senator Mar
fought the big companies by lobbying for the enactment of the Cheaper Medicines law.
DILG Secretary Mar spearheaded programs that have resulted in a drastic reduction in crime rate (Oplan Lambat
Sibat), increased crime fighting capacities (patrol jeeps and CCTVs), and efficient police work procedures (eblotters and data science).
ejomar Binay presidential campaign, 2016
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jejomar Binay presidential campaign, 2016

Campaign
Philippine presidential election, 2016
Candidate
Jejomar Binay
Vice President of the Philippines
(June 30, 2010 - present)
Makati City Mayor
(February 27, 1986 December 1987, February 2, 1988
June 30, 1998, June 30, 2001 June 30, 2010)
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman
(19982001)
Gregorio Honasan (Vice-President)

Senator of the Philippines

(June 30, 2007 - present, 1995-2004)
Affiliation

Bagumbayan-VNP
Lakas-CMD
PCM
UNA

Announced: September 14, 2011

Launched: July 1, 2015
Headquarters
Makati City, Philippines
people
Toby Tiangco (UNA President)
Manny Pacquiao
Junjun Binay
Nancy Binay
Mon Ilagan
Kay Binay, Gaganda Ang Buhay
(lit. With Binay, Life will be Better)
The 2016 presidential campaign of Jejomar Binay, former Mayor of Makati and incumbent Vice President of the
Philippines was announced on July 1, 2015. During the launch of the United Nationalist Alliance as a political party at
the Makati Coliseum.
Jejomar Binay decided to run for President of the Philippines on September 2011.[1]
Jejomar Binay & Gregorio Honasan
On May 2014, Binay began his search for a running mate. As his potential running mate Senator Jinggoy Estrada in
jail due to his implication in the PDAF scam,[2] Binay's offers were declined by JV Ejercito,[3] Manny Villar (via
wife Cynthia Villar),[4] Vilma Santos(via husband Ralph Recto),[5] Mar Roxas,[6] Grace Poe,[7] Rodrigo
Duterte[8] and Joseph Estrada.[9] Binay's daughter Abigail, also the Representative from Makati, said that Binay would
accept anyone as his running mate except for Antonio Trillanes, and that she prefers Grace Poe.[10] On June 12,
Independence Day, speech in Iloilo, President Aquino said that he could only offer Binay the conduct of a clean and
honest election, but not an outright endorsement. [11]
On June 22, Binay resigned from the Aquino cabinet, both as presidential adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers'
concerns and as chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, but did not say why. [12] Two
days later, Binay addressed the public from his Coconut Palace offices, branding the current administration as
"manhid at palpak" (insensitive and bumbling), but did not mention Aquino by name. He also accused the
administration of committing sins against him and the people. [13]

In June 2015 he polled first among expected presidential candidates for the Philippine general election, 2016.[14][15]
[16]

However, in the September 2015 Pulse Asia he placed third after Senator Grace Poe and Mar Roxas, the ruling

Liberal Party presidential candidate. His trust rating had also dropped 18%.
According to Inquirer.Net, his numbers have steadily eroded after corruption allegations came out against him in
the Philippine Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings.
Platform[edit]
During the 41st Philippine Business Conference on October 27, 2015. Here is his platforms for the economy sector. [17]

1.) establish more effective monitoring and supervision of priority programs and projects

2.) amendments in the 1987 constitution regardless of the economic provisions

3.) passage of the Fiscal Incentives Rationalization Act and Right-Of-Way Act

4.) amendments in the Build-Operate-Transfer Law

5.) creation of the Department of Information Technology

6.) reducing personal and income taxes

7.) streghtened mining, agriculture and manufacturing industries

8.) accelerate infrastructure development

9.) respect the sanctity of contracts

10.) lowering of income and corporate taxes

11.) revisit the taxation system

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: JEJOMAR BINAY
1. To eliminate corruption in the government, to improve and increase the level of performance of the government,
and an open government for the public.
During the 41st Philippine Business Conference, Binay stated that he plans to have a more effective
monitoring and supervision of priority programs and projects. He also aims for the establishment of the
sanctity of contracts and the acceleration of infrastructure development.
2. To stimulate the growth of individual private enterprises, however these growths should benefit the economy and
the society as a whole.
In an article of Philippine Daily Inquirer, he said that he aims for the improvement in the mining, agriculture
and manufacturing services which are the main driver of the economy. He wishes to start this by proposing
amendments to the 1987 constitution with regards to the openness of the economy that will be evident in
more airports, infrastructures and telecommunications.
3. Open the Philippines to foreign investors who could directly invest to the Philippines in other to boost the Philippine
economy.
With his aim to pass the Fiscal Incentives Rationalization and Right-of-Way acts, alongside the revisiting of
the taxation system in the Philippines, foreign investors could be attracted to invest in the country.
4. To dedicate more funds to subsidize small business and also to teach and help them grow.

He also intends to create a larger platform for growth for the small and medium scale enterprises through
improvements in the taxation and openness to investments that can boost up growth in the long term.
5. To improve the standards of the education of the Philippines in order for the Filipinos to be on the international
level.
He plans to invest heavily on education especially in imparting technical skills to blue-collar workers in order
to gain more investments in the manufacturing sector. Binay lets everyone remember that his experience as a
mayor is what honed his economic making policy skills and that Makati has claimed its throne as our nations
main business district.
6. To offer systematic, honest, courteous, and proficient service to the citizens of the country.
With the tightening of the monitoring in the systems, he aims to have an improvement in the efficiency of
public services.
7. To transform our government into a transparent organization and open information to the public in order to
relinquish corruption and gain the trust of the citizens. Probably, the most likely to happen here is the passing of
the Freedom of Information Bill which seeks to promote transparency in the public governance. This would
help the citizens decide whether the public funds are being used in the right way and in the most efficient
manner.
8. To balance the distribution of power to the three sectors of our government. With the proper balance in the
power, difficult overlaps in the power of each branch would be avoided. A contemporary issue showing this
relates to the PDAF and DAP scams where the legislative and the executive have had a dispute in the
constitutional definition of national savings.
9. To make sure that the public receives the human rights they deserve and their own freedom of choice, such as
freedom of speech and religion. This would be a very timely reform since there has been a long discussion
between the Bangsamoro people and national government. Aside from that, there has also been issues in the
media men killings and religion disputes in the country and with this plan, inclusive growth would be much
more attainable in the national level.
10. To make allies and friends with neighboring countries and foreign lands, and to promote good relationships with
other governments.
Despite the continuous territorial dispute over South China Sea and military conflicts surrounding the
dispute, Binay suggest that China would still be a vital trading partner of the Philippines.
11. Binay also wants to include the Philippines in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which is a bank backed by
China, to ensure growth in investment and decrease unemployment.
Together with the construction of good relationships with other countries, further growth in the investment
level is being targeted by Binay to promote inclusive growth for everyone.
VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: GREGORIO HONASAN
Unlike his Bin-Go tandem mate, former Vice-President Jejomar Binay, Honasan
was not really hoping for a higher position initially and he was not even UNAs first

choice for the vice-presidential seat. However, when he was asked to go for the task at
hand, he just took the job and stood firm to what his party believes in. "What is
important, he added, is that he underwent a selection process and he is part of a party
whose platform he believes in, he said in an interview. Their tandem is even very
unlikely because of some historical events linking the differences in their beliefs in
the past. Rappler said, The senator, then a colonel, led at least eight coup attempts
against the Aquino administration, one of which was at Camp Aguinaldo where 2,000
military personnel participated and 50 people were killed. On the other hand, Binay
was a huge supporter of that administration, thus making the tandem seem to be more
unlikely to happen. But on the brighter side, Binay said that those differences, he
being titled as corrupt but a Cory Administration supporter then while Honasan being a
soldier, coup plotter, and fugitive turned legislator, would not be a problem to both
of them anymore and ensured the public that his administration would be a healing and
unifying administration.
Unlike Binay who already released his set of platforms as a presidential
candidate, Honasan just stated in an interview that he will push for UNA's platform of
security, pro-poor programs, economic prosperity, and 'healing and political unity.
He said that he would go by ensuring poverty-reduction and job security for more
people. Consequently, if done properly, backed with good governance and policy-making
and proper information promulgation, economic growth would be triggered and create,
certainly, a healing and unifying administration.
Endorsements[edit]
[show]Jejomar Binay

Senate Slate[edit]

Richard Gordon, Panfilo Lacson, & Manny Pacquiao

United Nationalist Alliance

Princess Jacel Kiram[20] (UNA) - Daughter of Jamalul Kiram III (Sultan of the Sultanate of Sulu)

Rey Langit[20] (UNA) - Radio and TV Broadcaster

Allan Montano[20] (UNA) - Pro-bono labor rights Lawyer (NAGKAISA)

Alma Moreno[20] (UNA) - Incumbent Paraaque City Council member (1st District),incumbent
National Chairman Philippine Councilors League, Actress

Getulio Napeas[20] (UNA) - former Special Action Force (SAF) Director

Manny Pacquiao[20] (PCM) - Incumbent Sarangani Representative, Boxer, Actor, Singer, Head
Coach-Mahindra (PBA)

Guests

Richard Gordon[20] (Bagumbayan-VNP), Philippine Red Cross chairman and former senator

Panfilo Lacson,[20] former Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery and former senator

Susan Ople[20] (Nacionalista)

Martin Romualdez[20] (Lakas-CMD), Leyte representative, Bongbong Marcos's cousin

Tito Sotto[20] (NPC) Acting Senate Minority Floor Leader and Eat Bulaga host

Migz Zubiri,[20] former senator and former Bukidnon representative

In October 2006, the Department of the Interior and Local Government issued a suspension order against then Makati
Mayor Jejomar Binay, Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado, and all members of the City Council following an accusation of
'ghost employees' on the city payroll by former Vice Mayor Roberto Brillante, a political rival. [10] Refusing to cooperate
with the suspension order, he barricaded himself inside the Makati City Hall. Among those who expressed support
were former President Corazon Aquino, actressSusan Roces - the widow of the late movie star and 2004 opposition
presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. - and several Catholic bishops.[11][12] After a three-day stand-off, the Court of
Appeals issued a temporary restraining order. Before it lapsed, the court issued an injunction order, thereby
preventing the Office of the President from enforcing its suspension order until the case was resolved. [13]
Binay - together with his wife, Elenita, and nine others - was upheld by the courts in a graft case filed by the Office of
the Ombudsman over allegations of overpricing in the purchase of office furniture. Allegedly, he had irregular
purchases worth PhP 232 million from the years 1991-2006. The case was also filed by Brillante, who at that time was
leading in Makati a Palace-supported signature campaign to amend the Constitution. The Sandiganbayan Third
Division dismissed the graft case filed against him and his six co-accused for lack of factual basis even prior to Binay's
arraignment.[14] Critics claim the suspension order was intended to distract attention from the government's own
scandals.[15]
On May 2, 2007 the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) froze all the bank accounts of the city government of Makati
and the personal accounts of then Mayor Binay and then Vice Mayor Mercado.
The BIR issued the order after it said the city still owed the BIR PhP 1.1 billion in withholding taxes of city employees
from 1999 to 2002. BIR revenue officer Roberto Baquiran signed and issued the warrant of garnishment against the
bank accounts that belonged to Binay, Mercado, the city government and the citys treasurer and accountant.
The city government protested the garnishment order, saying the city had already paid PhP 200 million to the BIR as
part of a settlement agreement agreed to by Finance Secretary Margarito Teves and former BIR chief Jose Buag.
The city also said the order was flawed, since Baquiran had no authority to issue writs of garnishment and freezing
the personal accounts of Binay and Mercado were also unlawful. [16][17]
Ordered by the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA), Binay was made to pay the deficiency in taxes amounting to more than
PhP 1.1 billion to the BIR, in December 2009.
The garnishment orders were eventually lifted by Malacaang Palace, but not after Binay slammed the move as
politically motivated and patently illegal. [18][19]
Binay's camp claimed and accused former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of political harassment. Because of
this, as per theDepartment of Interior and Local Government (DILG), a suspension order was served against Binay

over alleged corruption. The latter said that the tax obligations were already settled between the BIR and the Makati
City government.
And again, barely a week before the local elections, the Ombudsman suspended him based on allegations made by a
local candidate allied with Malacaan. It would be revealed that the charges were supported by falsified statements. In
a repeat of the October 2006 incident, heavily armed policemen barged into the City Hall after office hours, forcibly
opening the offices and occupying the building. he confronted police officials and representatives of the Department of
Interior and Local Government, while hundreds of supporters once again swarmed the city hall quadrangle to show
their support.[20]
The suspension order generated national media attention, and prompted even administration senatorial candidates to
protest publicly, saying the action further undermined their chances in the elections. [21] Despite the controversy of this
tax liability issue, Binay still won the position of vice president in 2010 by a landslide victory [22]
A photo of then Vice Presidential candidate and former Makati City Mayor Binay, with his rumored mistress, was
leaked online.
Though he admitted to having an extramarital affair, he said that the leaked photo was part of "black propaganda"
against him, because of his high ratings in the Vice Presidential survey conducted prior to the leaking of the photo.
The alleged "black propaganda" device had little to no effect on the campaign of Binay, who closed the gap of votes
between him and leading vice presidential candidate SenatorManuel "Mar" Roxas II in a formerly conducted survey.
Despite the issue, Binay's landslide victory landed him the position of vice president. [23]
Vice Presidency[edit]
Main article: AquinoBinay Campaign, 2010
Binay initially announced his bid for the presidency for the 2010 elections during his 66th birthday celebration at the
Makati City Hall on November 11, 2008 but abandoned his bid in order to give way to the reelection bid of former
President Estrada. He eventually became Estradas running mate and ran under the banner of Partido ng
Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-LABAN).
He initially showed a relatively poor performance in the public opinion polls, trailing behind Senators Loren
Legarda and Mar Roxas, who was heavily favored to win the race, but his standings improved as the elections
approached, overtaking Legarda and tying with Roxas in the final survey conducted. [24][25] He went on to narrowly
defeat Roxas in the election by 700,000 votes.
Roxas filed an election protest before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal of the Supreme Court, which is still currently
pending.
Binay took his oath as vice president on June 30, 2010, becoming the first local government official to do so.
He was appointed as chairman of the Housing Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) by
President Noynoy Aquino, the same position held by his predecessor, Vice-President Noli de Castro and Presidential
Adviser for OFW Concerns. He also heads the Task Force OFW which helps Overseas Filipino Workers who were
maltreated by their employers to return to the Philippines with the assistance of the government.
Scandals[edit]

Binay refutes allegations of corruption against him at the Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee hearings held in the
Makati City Hall Building 2.
Investigations regarding all these allegations of corruption are being done by the Department of Justice (DOJ), the
Philippine Senate, and the Office of the Ombudsman.
Binay is currently facing accusations by former vice president of the BSP, Ernesto Mercado, of accepting and
misappropriating money received from a deal between the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and Alphaland Corporation
back in 2008.[34][35] Initially accused of receiving P200 million in kickback from the deal and using it to fund his 2010
campaign for vice president,[36] Mercado has amended his statement to reflect the possibility that if Binay has sold the
shares he received, he could have made anywhere between P233 million and P651 million. [34]
Mercado has also stated that although the Boy Scouts of the Philippines were supposed to have received P600
million for their end of the deal, the organization has yet to be compensated. This is seconded by the current vice
president of the BSP, Atty. Wendell Avisado who further added that he believes that they will only be paid when
construction of the podium in Alphaland Makati Tower is completed. [35]Avisado adds, however, that Alphaland has
been consistently paying the BSP P530,000 monthly for the use of a BSP podium that is currently being used by
Alphaland as a showroom.[36]
Sen. Trillanes believes that if Binay becomes president, he will release former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and
the 3 Senators allegedly involved in the Pork barrel scam,Bong Revilla, Jinggoy Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile from
detention.
Currently, Binay's camp is denying these allegations.[37]
Presidential bid[edit]

Binay with Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla during the signing of a coalition agreement between theUnited Nationalist
Alliance and Partido Magdalo.
Main article: Jejomar Binay presidential campaign, 2016
Initially he polled highly among expected presidential candidates for the Philippine general election, 2016.[38][39]
[40]

However, in the September 2015 Pulse Asia he placed third after Senator Grace Poe and Mar Roxas, the ruling

Liberal Party presidential candidate. His trust rating had also dropped 18%.
Speculation as to who his running mate will be come 2016 have seen fingers pointed in many directions, including the
likes of PLDTChairman Manuel V. Pangilinan,[41] Senator Jinggoy Estrada,[42] Rep. Manny Pacquiao,[43] Nacionalista
Party President Manny Villar,[44]and Batangas Governor Vilma Santos.[45] But later revealed to be Gringo Honasan.
Platform[edit]

Vice President Binay disclosed his platform for his 2016 Presidential bid during his speech in the Integrated Bar of the
Philippines in Cebu City on March 20, 2015.[46]
He aims to improve the situation in the state colleges and universities, public health hospitals and clinics, police
stations, and mass housing. An increase in both salaries and benefits of public school teachers and health workers,
members of the police force, and other public servants was also promised. In his plans include a redesigning and reengineering of the transportation system of the country, as well as prioritizing the building of more infrastructures and
the creation of more jobs. He proposes to change the constitution to boost the economy, and speed up the country's
development.[46]
In early July of the same year, Binay expressed UNA's (his party list) platform for 2016 in a speech:
Ang sigaw ng UNA at ng taumbayan sawa na tayo sa kahirapan, sawa na tayo sa kawalan ng hanapbuhay, sawa na
tayo sa kriminalidad at ilegal na droga. Sawa na tayo sa kakulangan ng basic services... hirap na tayo sa manhid at
palpak na pamahalaan,
What UNA and the citizens are expressing is that we're tired of poverty, we're tired of unemployment, we're tired of
criminals and illegal drugs. We're tired of the lack of basic services...we're struggling under a numb and failed
government,
Personal life[edit]
He is married to Dr. Elenita Sombilo Binay, who also served as mayor of Makati from 1998 to 2001. They have 5
children:

Maria Lourdes "Nancy" Binay

Mar-Len Abigail Binay

Jejomar Erwin "Junjun" Binay

Marita Angeline "Stike" Binay

Joanna Marie Blanca "Liongo" Binay

Randall Eduard "Rainbow" Binay

Awards[edit]
1992

Outstanding Award, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA)

Award on the Luzon Campaign Medal

2002

Special Presidential Award for Service

Leadership Award, Presidential Citation

2003

Most Outstanding City Mayor of Makati and Consumers Advocate Award

2004

University of the Philippines Oblation Run Award Best in Sports Wear

2005

Centennial Medal of Honor

Outstanding Public Official and Great Achiever

2006

World Mayor Award granted by London-based City Mayors[47]

Notes[edit]
The former chairman of the Presidential Commission for Good Government (PCGG) who served during the time of
former Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, announced his bid to run for president in February 2015. He
said that fighting poverty is one of his main priorities if he wins. He filed his certificate of candidacy on October 12,
2015.[84]
Roy Seeres[edit]
Main article: Roy Seeres presidential campaign, 2016
OFW Family Club representative Roy Seeres first bared his plan to run for the Presidency on October 20, 2014,
during the launch of his Respect our Security of Employment (ROSE) movement in Butuan.[85] Almost a year later, on
October 8, 2015, Seeres reiterated his plan to run for President in the 2016 presidential election during a briefing at
the House of Representatives.[86] He will run under the Partido ng Manggagawa at Magsasaka and will field a vicepresidential candidate and a 12-man senatorial slate. [86] He is also expected to formally launch his presidential bid on
October 11, 2015 at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila.[87]
Apolonia Soguilon[edit]
Main article: Apolonia Soguilon presidential campaign, 2016
Apolonia Soguilon, a lawyer that hails from Socorro, Oriental Mindoro, announced her intention to run for president
during the 2016 elections in a gathering held in Quezon City in October 2015. She will run as an independent
candidate. "Zero Corruption Target" and free education from pre-school to college will be her priorities if she wins.
[88]

She filed her certificate of candidacy for president on October 15, 2015. [89]