Maria Felicia D.

Tuazon
4BIO4 Philippine Government and
Constitution

In this paper is my review of the candidates I am rooting for

despite their chances of winning. In the end I am only a small
part of the voting body yet I hope to make a contribution to
our country by analyzing carefully these candidates and
making a decision I am fully committed to. May God bless our
country especially our elected leaders.

FOR PRESIDENT

MIRIAM DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO
Miriam Palma Defensor
Iloilo City, Philippines

June 15, 1945 (age 70)

Notable Achievements
o

Legal Officer of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees

at Geneva, Switzerland (Conferences and Treaties Section)
[1,2]

Select Laws Authored:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Reproductive Health Act of 2012

Sin Tax Law
Climate Change Act of 2009
Renewable Energy Act of 2008
Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian
Law
Magna Carta of Women
Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary
Education (Unifast) Act
Cybercrime Act of 2012
Archipelagic Baselines Act of 2009

Awards Received:
1.

Magsaysay Award for Government Service, 1988, Asian

equivalent of the Nobel Prize, Magsaysay Awards Foundation
2. TOYM Award for Law, 1985 (The Outstanding Young Men)
Opened to Women 1984, Philippine Jaycees
3. TOWNS Award for Law, 1986 (The Outstanding Women in the
Nations Service), Philippine Lions
4. Philippine Judges' Hall of Fame, 2015, Philippine Judges
Association
5. Most Outstanding Alumna in Law, University of the
Philippines, 1988
6. Gold Vision Triangle Award for government service, 1988,
YMCA Philippines
7. Republic Anniversary Award for law enforcement, 1988, Civic
Assembly of Women of the Philippines
8. Golden Jubilee Achievement Award for public service, 1990,
Girl Scouts of the Philippines
9. Celebrity Mother Award, 1991, Gintong Ina Awards Foundation
10. Spain - Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit (November 30,
2007

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Credentials
- Doctor of Juridical Science, University of
Michigan
- Master of Laws (DeWitt Fellow), University
of Michigan
- Master of Arts in Religious Studies, Maryhill
School of Theology
- Cum Laude, Bachelor of Laws, University of
the Philippines
- Magna Cum Laude, BS Political Science,
University of the Philippines
- First Filipino and Southeast Asian to be
elected as Judge of the International
Criminal Court (9 year term)

Platforms:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.

To aggressively fight the war against the illegal drugs that

proliferates in most cities and towns in the city.
To bequeath to the next President a better and stronger
nation than what she will inherit from this administration.
In 2022, to turn over to her successor a nation that is more
prosperous, a people more united and prouder of their leaders,
and political institutions that is more stable.
To reform the 19-year-old tax system to make it fairer, more
responsive to changes in the economy, simpler to administer, and
in sync with Asean-5 competitors.
To take a swift review of all the programs and projects of
government.
To keep government deficits manageable by keeping it below
three percent of gross domestic product
To invest in public infrastructure, agriculture sector and
government institutions.
To continue to fine-tune conditional cash transfer program, but
pass a law to allow use of public funds to support dominant
political parties
To restore meritocracy in government
Political parasites, incompetents and unproductive workers will
have no place in her administration.
To support passage of Freedom of Information act
To invest in people, educate them, take care of their health, and
feed them
To support the Supreme Courts rulings on PDAF and the DAP
To pass the Customs Administration Act
To solve corruption at the Bureau of Customs
To cut red tape
To reward well-performing LGUs
To build a modern international airport
To build an entirely new railway system from Manila to Sorsogon
To build a modern, integrated urban transit system in Metro
Manila to Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite and Laguna
To establish a one mixed-use government center in 17 regions
To have one major project for all 17 regions
To reduce traffic
To lower pollution
To amend restrictive provisions in the 1987 Constitution

"Aangat Tayo sa Galing

ng Pilipino!"
Why MDS?
Aside
from
her
outstanding
educational
background, I think MDS is the most qualified for
the highest position of the Republic of the
Philippines. Being dubbed as the Iron Lady of Asia
she not only has the backbone to rule this country
she has the wits to stick to her decision. She has
worked both locally and internationally giving her
the most experience in terms of public office. Also,
she has been proven to be the least corrupt and
most productive public official in her years of
public service. For me all her decisions would be of
rational decision and would be for the better of the
most if not all Filipinos. Having been part of the 3
branches of the Philippine government she has seen
the law in all three perspectives. And honestly I
cannot think of anyone as qualified as her to
become President of the Philippines.
This country needs a wise president to decide where
this country will be heading. We need a leader who
has a strong conviction and philosophy. We need a
leader who has law and governance expertise. We
need a leader who can be a model to all members of
the society especially the youth. We need a leader
who has the capability to handle international
concerns. We need a leader who is respected by
majority not because of his dictatorial skills, but
because of his wisdom to steward this republic.
We need a leader who has academic, professional
and moral excellence.
We need a leader like Miriam.

WHY1. NOT MIRIAM?

There has been no proof of her actual recovery from lung cancer.

2. Her choice of VP (Sen. Bongbong Marcos).

3. Her absence due to health reasons has been alarming.
4.

Her unclear state of mental stability.

References:
[1]
"Senator Miriam Santiago may go for 2016 presidential bid if...". GMA News. 2014-07-02. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
[2]
Miriam seriously eyeing presidency". ABS-CBNnews.com. 2014-11-15. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
[3]
Bartolome, Jessica (October 13, 2015). "Miriam announces presidential run in 2016". GMA News. Retrieved 23 APRIL 2016.

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FOR VICE PRESIDENT

Alan Cayetano
Alan Peter "Companyero" Schramm Cayetano

October 28, 1970 (Age 45)

PLATFORMS:
1. On crime, corruption, and drugs

Praesent vitae nisl.

POLITICAL CAREER:
14th Congress
o
The Blue Ribbon Committee or the Committee
on Accountability of Public Officers
o
The Committee on Education, Culture and Arts
o
The Committee on Mass Media and Information
15th Congress
o
Senate Minority Floor Leader
o
Chairman of the Committee on Ethics and
Privileges
o
Vice Chairman of the Joint Congressional
Oversight Committee on the Automated
Election System (JCOC-AES)
o

Co-Chairman of the Joint Congressional

Oversight Committee for the E-Commerce Law

Laws Passed
o
R.A. No. 9521 - National Book Development
Trust Fund Act (co-author)
o
R.A. No. 10122 - Act Strengthening the
Literacy Coordinating Council
o
R.A. No. 10152 - Act Requiring Mandatory
Basic Immunization Services Against
Hepatitis-B for Infants
o
R.A. No. 9500 - University of the Philippines
Charter Act of 2008
o
R.A. No. 9994 - Expanded Senior Citizens Act
of 2009 (co-author)

o Campaign promise: Suppress crime, spread of drugs,

corruption within 3 to 6 months after election into
office.
o Increase police salaries to P75,000 to P100,000 within 3
years
o Raise crime and drugs to the level of a national
security threat
o Modernize crime-fighting strategies, like putting
CCTVs in major thoroughfares*
o Bring back the death penalty for drug trafficking,
kidnapping, rape, robbery, homicide
o Pass the Freedom of Information Act
o Lift Bank Secrecy Law for public officials and pass
Anti-Dummy Law*
o Monitor front-line government offices using real-time
video and audio surveillance*
o Bring back special criminal courts to speed up
resolution of serious crime cases *
2. On economic development
o Campaign promise: Spread economic growth
throughout the country and decongest Metro Manila.
o Call a constitutional convention, within first year of
term, to study the shift to a federal form of
government
o Limit requirements for business permits to 5
signatures and impose a 30 to 60-day processing time
o Maintain Conditional Cash Transfer program
(Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps) but
with a livelihood component that will give loans to the
poor for small and medium enterprises
o Establish tourism, agricultural, and industrial hubs in
the countryside to create jobs
o Introduce P1 billion small capital fund for every
region outside Metro Manila where farmers and other
poor workers can borrow from to put up businesses

References:
[1]"Alan Peter Cayetano Biography". Senate of the Philippines. March 14,
2014.
[2] http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/39588/news/nation/comelecsays-alan-peter-a-pinoy-junks-dq-bid
[3] "The Manila Times Internet Edition - WEEKEND >The independent".
Archived from the original on 2009-07-30.
[4] Viray, Patricia Lourdes (2015-09-19). "Cayetano to run for VP". Philstar.
Retrieved 23 APRIL 2016.
[5] "Alan Cayetano announces 2016 VP run in Davao City". GMA News
Online. 2015-09-19. Retrieved 23 APRIL 2016.

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WHY NOT ALAN?

1.

Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano is one of the senators being questioned by the
Commission on Audit (COA) for spending beyond the limit on consultancy services for 2014.

2.

Sen. Alan Cayetano, he who claims to be against corruption and walks the straight path, is himself
being charged before the Ombudsman with graft while his wife, Taguig Mayor Laarni Lani Cayetano,
is being charged with plunder on the hiring of 3,188 ghost employees at a cost of P313,249,192.14 million.

PLATFORMS:
3. On agriculture and fisheries
o Provide free irrigation and subsidized
fertilizer and seeds for farmers
o Reduce the cost of food by getting rid of
unscrupulous middlemen and loan
sharks
o Build food terminals in the countryside
with cold storage facilities
o Build Mindanao Railway system
4. On OFWs and other workers
o Campaign promise: Improve labor
conditions for Filipino workers.
o No income tax for workers earning
P20,000 and below
o Phase out contractualization
5. On Metro Manila transportation
o Campaign promise: Improve mobility of
people and goods.
o Add more carriages to train lines
o Build fast train linking airports and seaports to Metro Manila
o Develop Clark Airport and Batangas seaport to ease traffic congestion
6. On education
o Double salaries of teachers by the end of their term
o Build adequate classrooms, double classroom shifts
7. On health
o Require all hospitals to have a facility for very poor patients with government paying for the health services
using PhilHealth reserve funds, sin tax revenues, and Department of Health budget
o Create specialized hospitals (heart, lung, kidney) in Visayas and Mindanao*
8. On disasters and climate change
o

Create a single, permanent Emergency Response Department in charge of disaster preparedness, relief, and
rehabilitation*

I considered Alan Cayetano to be my VP first because of his courage, sincerity and drive to help the
Filipinos. He may not be as popular and as supported as BBM but I think that through his platforms
and plans for the Philippines he is the best chance weve got to fight crime and corruption as well as
move towards the development of the country. Also, whoever would win and become president of the
Philippines would not have trouble working with him. I believe that he would not be stepped on
whoever wins to become president. Instead, I can envision him meeting the president eye-to-eye and
discuss his plans for the Philippines. Given the cons mentioned above, I believe that he and his wife
were just wrongly accused and the things he can do as a VP definitely outweigh his weaknesses and
controversies.
The only fear I have is that he might be too focused in fighting corruption that he might not be able to
focus on other problems concerning the
country. However, given his credentials
and platforms I believe ALAN CAYETANO is
the best chance the Philippines has to

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1. Colm enares,
Neri

2. De Lima, Leila

3. Gordon,
Richard

4. Guin gona,
Teofisto

PROS

Same Sex
Marriage

RH

FOI

DIVORCE

BBL

Senator

Anti-Political
Dynasty

FOR SENATORS

Princ ip al au tho r o f the 2K

SS S Pension Hi ke,
untai nt ed by corrupti on
and scandal
Integ rit y and p ast work as
head of Justic e;
im pri soned Enri le, Estrad a
and Revilla for Po rk
Barrel Co ntro versy
Dedi cati on on veteransFilip ino Wo rld W ar II
V eterans Pensi ons and
Benefi ts Ac t o f 2008

Unt ai nted b y corrup tio n

and scandal

If elected, she wi ll work

o n anti-dynasty, fair
co m petiti o n and ant im ono po ly laws.

5. Kapunan,
Lorn a

6. Romulo,
Roman

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She sai d college ed ucati on

should b e free, and its
cu rricu lum sho uld be
geared to wards sc ience,
to uch es o n c limat e
ch ang e, and is di rec ted at
emp lo yment and th e
envi ro nment.

advo cate o f refo rms in

educ atio n and reduc tio n
o f inc om e tax rates

FOR SENATORS

Credentials
o Prosecutor - 2011 Im peachm ent Team o f the Ho use o f R ep resentati ves in the
Impeachment of Renato Corona
o Prosecutor 2011 Im peachm ent Team o f the Ho use o f R ep resentati ves in the
Senate Trial of Ombudsman Merci Gutierrez
o Head 2009 Im peachm ent Legal T eam versus Pres. Gloria Arroyo (Minority Bloc
Philippine House of Representatives)
o Authored the bills and resolutions on making annulment of marriage accessible to the
poor, increasing SSS pension to 7,000, investigating high
prices of gasoline in the provinces, and blind friendly peso
o

House of Representatives E lec toral Trib unal (1993)- Clerk and Secretary
o Phi li ppi ne Co mm issio n o n Hu man R ig hts (2001-2010)- Chairperson
o Departm ent o f Just ice (2010-2016) - Secretary

o
o
o
o
o

19 71 C onsti tuti onal Co nventio n (1971-1972) Delegate

O long apo Cit y (1980-1986, 1988-1993)- Mayor
Sub ic Bay Metropolitan Au thority (1992-1998) Chairman and
Administrator
Departm ent o f To uri sm (2004-2010)- Secretary
Phi li ppi ne Red Cro ss (2004-present) - Chairman

Phi li ppi ne Hou se of Representatives: B ukid non Seco nd

Di vi sio n (2004-2010)- Member
o Senate of the Philip pines (2010-2016)- Senator, Senate Committee
on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations (Blue Ribbon),
Senate Committee on Peace, Unification, and Reconciliation,
Congressional Oversight Committee on the Anti-Money Laundering
Act
o

Atty. Kapunan is an advocate for Womens and Childrens Rights and

the Environment. She has the distinction of being the first to have
obtained a Writ of Kalikasan from the Supreme Court for her West
Tower/Barangay Bangkal oil spill case. She is Legal Counsel of
Kilusang Makabansang Ekonomiya (KME) which advocates economic
nationalism and champions the fight against poverty and corruption in
all branches of the Government.

o Pro ject s mad e as a C ong ressm an:

65 Authored / co-authored house bills, 10 Road rehabilitation, 70 Class roooms, 7 Multipurposehalls, 558 Scholars and educational assistance, 15,000 Families benefited from
NFA rice supplly, 2,387 Passports assisted, 2,500 People benefited with medical missions,
50 Wheelchairs donated, 32 Multi-cab given to barangays
o Co mm itt ees:
NATIONAL DEFENSE AND SECURITY, OVERSEAS WORKERS AFFAIRS, BANKS
AND FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES, BASIC EDUCATION AND CULTURE,
ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, FOREIGN AFFAIRS, HEALTH, HOUSING AND URBAN
DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN RIGHTS, METRO MANILA DEVELOPMENT, RULES,
SUFFRAGE AND ELECTORAL REFORMS, VETERANS AFFAIRS AND WELFARE

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PARTYLIST

1-AHAPO
O N E A D V O C A C Y F O R H E A LT H PRO G RE S S A N D O PPO RT U N IT Y
providing protection against the financial risk of high out-of-pocket
health spending is one of the main goals of the Philippines' health
strategy.
the main driver of health spending is medicines, accounting for almost
two-thirds of total health spending, and as much as three-quarters
among the poor.
to enhance financial risk protection - such as the expansion of
government-subsidized health insurance for the poor, a deepening of
the benefit package, and provider payment reform aimed at costcontainment
an in-depth analysis of the pharmaceutical sector would help to shed
light on why medicines continue to place such a large financial burden
on households.
Bredenkamp, C., & Buisman, L. R. (2015). Universal health coverage in the Philippines: progress on financial
protection goals. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper, (7258).

I firmly believe that in order

to have a productive society
and a progressive
economy, a country
should have healthy
and satisfied citizens.
By providing good
quality healthcare at
a cheaper if not free
expense. By having
a representative in
the
House
of
Representatives,
I
believe that the 1AHAPO party-list will
push on bills and laws on
the improvement of quality healthcare and opportunity.

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