Campaign posters for the May 9 local and national elections adorn a fenced area in Quezon City on April 4, 2022. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — In preparation for the May 12 midterm elections, ANC invited senatorial candidates to Harapan 2025, where they sat one-on-one with the channel and talked about pressing national and social issues.
Among the 36 bets who attended Harapan, 21 made it to the upper half of the Social Weather Station’s (SWS) survey in April.
9 admin Senatorial bets in projected 'winner's circle': SWS
ABS-CBN News has compiled these candidates’ opinions on various national and social issues that the next lawmakers—the 20th Congress—are most likely to deliberate.
2025 NATIONAL BUDGET
The controversial 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) has received criticisms over doubts over its constitutionality.
Critics said this year’s budget is unconstitutional for “failing to comply” with the mandate of giving the education sector the highest budget.
Constitutionality of 2025 nat'l budget challenged before SC
This year’s GAA also hit the headlines over alleged blank entries in the bicameral conference committee report. What have the senatorial aspirants said about this?
Sen. Imee Marcos, former Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III and former Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teddy Casiño condemned the blank entries in the budget report.
Casiño blamed the president’s certification of the budget as ‘urgent’, giving lawmakers too little time to study the proposed national budget.
Enrolled 2025 General Appropriations Bill contained no blank items: document
The activist said discussions on the national budget should be publicly accessible so the people can watch over the process.
“Ang mamamayan mismo ang magigiit na dapat full transparency, walang shortcut, walang certification as urgent, bigyan ng kapangyarihan ang mamamayan na mas mabantayan ang budget,” he said.
(The people themselves want full transparency and no shortcuts — no certificayion as urgent — give citizens a chance to scrutinize the budget)
Independent candidate Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, meanwhile, called the budget “subpar,” citing the disconnect between the president’s budget message—which lists the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and the state universities and colleges under the education sector—and the GAA that included Philippine Military Academy and the Philippine National Police Academy in the computation of the sector’s total budget.
'Panlilinlang': Lawmaker frowns at PMA, PNPA funds in education budget
Lacson, however, said that he is leaving the decision on the budget’s constitutionality to the Supreme Court.
Former Commission on Audit Commissioner Heidi Mendoza, meanwhile, said: “Naniniwala ako na ito na ang pinakasinalaula na budget sa buong karanasan ko.”
She noted that “corruption” in this year’s budget was executed in planning and allocation stages, which differed from previous years wherein “corruption takes place in the execution.”
The Palace has said there were no irregularities in the budget bill and blank entries had been filled out in the enrolled version of the General Appropriations bill.
DIVORCE
The Philippines is the only country in the world, along with the Vatican, that does not have divorce.
The House of Representatives passed House Bill (HB) 9349 or the ‘Absolute Divorce Act’ May last year. A counterpart bill, Senate Bill 2443, remains pending.
House-approved Absolute Divorce Bill transmitted to Senate
Among the 11 candidates asked, only labor leader Leody De Guzman was in favor of legalizing divorce.
“Kinakailangan nating tigilan yung tuloy-tuloy na away. Kung hindi na magkasundo talaga, wala nang love, payagan anting magkahiwalay,” he said.
(We have to put an end to the endless fights. If they really cannot get along and there is no love between them, we should allow them to divorce)
Former Sen. Bam Aquino, singer-turned-lawyer Jimmy Bondoc, former presidential executive secretary Vic Rodriguez, retired Marine officer Ariel Querubin and Sen. Marcos said they oppose divorce legislation.
They said annulment and legal separation are enough to provide couples the chance to separate without destroying the “sanctity of marriage.”
Instead, the candidates proposed making annulment more accessible, especially in the financial aspect and inclusivity of its grounds.
Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, pediatrician Richard Mata and Mendoza said they do not want divorce in the country as they are Catholics.
Former Sen. Gringo Honasan said divorce is not necessary since many Filipino couples are not married anyway.
Lastly, former commissioner of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission Jayvee Hinlo said he is open to studying the issue, but leaned against it and wanted annulment to be less restrictive.
ANTI-POLITICAL DYNASTY BILL
Over the years, multiple versions of the anti-political dynasty bill have been filed in Congress, none have prospered.
SC urged to mandate Congress to pass law against political dynasties
Casiño, Aquino and De Guzman, and former Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos said they want an anti-political dynasty law enacted.
De Guzman said he is confident that the masses would develop a collective sentiment against political dynasties and soon reject the products of it.
A new anti-political dynasty bill is the first thing that labor leader Luke Espiritu plans to propose if he earns a seat in the Senate, same as Casiño, who said such legislation would result in resolving other pressing issues such as inflation, low wage, budget, among others.
"It's a revolutionary reform, pero kailangan iyan. Kapag nakuha natin iyan, I think mas gaganda ang laban sa usapin ng sahod, budget, reforms na hinihingi ng ating mamamayan,” Casiño said.
(If we get that, I think we will have better discussions on wages, budget, and reforms that the people want)
Meanwhile, Mata opposed the anti-political dynasty bill as “there are good and bad dynasties.”
The Dutertes, for him, are an example of a good dynasty.
SARA DUTERTE'S IMPEACHMENT
The House of Representatives impeached Vice President Sara Duterte in February this year, with the Senate expected to begin the trial in July.
House impeaches VP Sara Duterte
When the candidates—who might fill the Senate after June 30 —were asked about this, majority expressed neutrality.
Tolentino, an incumbent senator, withheld any comment on the issue as the Senate’s investigation has yet to roll.
Sotto and Aquino, alongside Rodriguez and Hinlo, vowed impartiality when they scrutinize the evidence.
Hinlo, as a candidate under the former president Duterte-backed PDP-Laban, added: “Yung mga supporters ni VP Sara, magiging komportable ba sila kung yung mga kandidato ni PBBM yung naghuhusga kay VP Sara?”
(Will the supporters of VP Sara be comfortable with Marcos candidates sitting as judges?)
In contrast, 1-Rider party-list Rep. Bonifacio Bosita confidently said he did not sign the House’s impeachment of the vice president.
For him, Sara’s impeachment will bring no good to the public, when the problem found was the use of confidential and intelligence funds.
'Pattern' in OVP confidential funds receipt to boost impeachment vs VP Sara: solon
ACT-Teachers Party-list Rep.France Castro, meanwhile, was confident that the Senate can try and convict the vice president before the 19th Congress ends, “if they take it seriously.”
De Guzman, however, was dismayed by the case’s “wrong timing” in Congress.
Senators start fitting robes for VP Sara impeachment trial: Cayetano
P200 MINIMUM WAGE HIKE
Labor groups call for a P200 hike on the minimum wage currently at P645 for the non-agriculture sector in the National Capital Region (NCR).
Workers call for wage hike, union rights protection on Labor Day rally
Business owners, however, oppose this as it would “negatively impact” businesses, especially micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Pangilinan, Castro, De Guzman, Espiritu, Tolentino and Casiño agreed that a P200 wage hike is needed, saying that the minimum wage should be the living wage, which labor groups affirm is at P1,200.
Senate bet pushes for P1,200 daily min wage; calls out businessmen’s 'bluff'
Espiritu even wanted a P750 increase, which would put the minimum wage at P1,395 for non-agriculture sectors in NCR.
He said that MSMEs’ taxes should be lowered, if not removed. "Kung pwede, ‘wag mo na i-tax. Palakihin sila tapos i-subsidize mo—wage subsidy—hanggang doon ako hanggang sa lumaki na sila. ‘Pag lumaki na sila, alisin mo sila sa wage subsidy, magsusweldo na sila sa sarili nilang workers."
Pangilinan, suggested that assistance should also be provided for the business sector, such as the long-called reduction of bureaucratic processes in acquiring documents, and creating an ideal environment to entice investors.
Business owners, especially MSMEs, should receive financial assistance, said Castro and Espiritu, sharing sentiment with Mata who appeared neutral on the issue, saying that he preferred to meet with business owners before forming an opinion.
Querubin, meanwhile, agreed to increase salaries under the condition that the government would also support employers.
In contrast, Marcos refused a wage hike as it would be “hard for MSMEs,” and instead suggested lowering the prices of goods by removing the value-added tax (VAT). Marcos also said workers would benefit more if the country would have equal wage rates across all provinces.
Senate OKs P100 wage hike bill
ICC'S ARREST OF RODRIGO DUTERTE
Former President Rodrigo Duterte is in the custody of the International Criminal Court for a case of the alleged crime against humanity of murder.
Ex-President Duterte arrested on ICC warrant for alleged crimes against humanity
Candidates Aquino, Pangilinan, Casiño, De Guzman, Espiritu, and Castro said the arrest was necessary attain justice for the victims of alleged extrajudicial killings during the bloody drug war.
"We have to have that historical record because we need to affirm our values as a people na hindi tayo nagkakanlong dito ng mass murderer," Espiritu said.
Pangilinan further said he is in favor of the country rejoining the ICC.
Incumbent Senator Tolentino, alongside Marcos, Querubin and Mata, all disagreed with the arrest, saying the Philippines’ judicial system is working and ICC involvement is not necessary.
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