The Vote 2010: Gilberto Eduardo Cojuangco Teodoro Jr.

(Fourth of a series)

MANILA, Philippines -To help voters make an informed choice in May, The Philippine STAR has started a series of interviews, in no particular order, with candidates for president.

 Meetings are hosted by The STAR in the newspaper’s office, with the editorial staff asking the candidates questions on a wide range of issues.

The answers, recorded on tape and in video, portions of which can be viewed online in philstar.com, can later be used as references for campaign promises met or unfulfilled, goals achieved or changed.

The resulting write-ups will include personal information about the candidates, including declared assets and liabilities, as well as family, friendship and business ties that could affect policy making in the next administration.

A condensed version of all the write-ups will be put together and published on the eve of Election Day, for the guidance of voters.

Gilberto Eduardo Cojuangco Teodoro Jr.

Lakas-Kampi-CMD

Campaign slogan: Galing at Talino

Born June 14, 1964 in Manila; only child

Married to former model and Tarlac Rep. Monica Prieto Teodoro; son Jaime Gilberto, 11 years old

Elementary: Xavier School

High school: Xavier School

College: De La Salle University, BS Commerce (major in Financial Institutions), 1984; University of the Philippines College of Law, bar topnotcher in 1989; Harvard Law School, Master of Laws, 1997

Father: Gilberto Teodoro Sr. (deceased), former Social Security System administrator                                    

Mother: Mercedes Cojuangco Teodoro, ex-Tarlac representative

Blood pressure:

130 / 100 (start of session)

125/95 (end of session, with medication)

Medications/vitamins.

Norvasc (hypertension medicine) and blood sugar medicine, plus one multivitamin a day.

Surgeries.

Minor, for removal of cysts.

Ever consulted a psychiatrist?

No.

Do you smoke?

Stopped August 2008. Used to consume two packs a day.

Children with other women?

None.

Advisers:

Economy: Joey Salceda, Gabby Singson, Peter Favila

Foreign affairs: I have some experience and constitutional knowledge on that.

Security/peace and order: I have a clear idea where we are headed.

Politics: Partymates.

Media: Mike Toledo and some others.

Health: Esperanza Cabral, Francisco Duque.

Education: Jesli Lapus is one of them.

Environment: Tony Oposa.

Fashion: Several, Nikki is one of them, also George Salud and Inaki Garcia.

Who’s running your campaign?

Basically it’s a whole team.

Undergone botox?

No botox. I just outgrew pimples.

How will you repay campaign donors/recoup personal funds.

My personal investment is small. I don’t want to accept personal donations. Must pass through party finance committee.

Role of first lady.

Up to her, something to do with child welfare.

Role of vice president.

He’s really strong on grassroots issues. I will also use him to monitor infrastructure projects.

Will any of your relatives serve as your confidential staff?

No, I didn’t (even) do that in the DND.

Do you watch pirated DVDs?

No.

Economy/trade/finance

How will you increase FDI and local investments.

Have long-term plans. Have peace and order. Clear, stable, easy to follow policies. Reward investor-friendly local governments.

What country is your model for economic development?

None. The Philippines is unique.

Lower power costs, improve energy security.

Firms be allowed to import generation units tax-free. Wave penalties on firms with own generation units. Discover alternative resources. Look into nuclear energy, but not BNPP.

Alternative energy policy.

In the long run, it can be pursued.

Infrastructure priorities and how to fund them.

Communications, all-weather roads in growth regions. More air and sea ports. All through BOT.

New taxes? Other priority tax policies.

Possibly excise, specific and consumption taxes, but not income and corporate taxes.

Economic sectors for priority development.

Agriculture. Post-harvest facilities as a complement to agrarian reform.

Are we ready for free trade?

We have no choice.

Sectors to be protected/subsidized?

Agriculture. Marine resources. Mineral resources.

Sectors to be liberalized.

Tourism. Education. Services like lawyering.

Should foreigners be allowed to own land?

Certain residential, some tourism, industrial, commercial land, but leave areas for low-cost housing. Definitely not agricultural, mineral and marine resources.

OFW deployment – problem or benefit?

It’s a reality. We should protect workers through country-specific pre-departure screening. Design attractive savings vehicles for OFWs.

Lack of skilled workers here due to brain drain.

Due to lack of long-term investment plans.

How will you expand the middle class?

Quality jobs and more services.

How do you make the benefits of growth trickle down to the grassroots?

Sustainability of growth.

Mining and exploitation of natural resources.

No open pit mining. Clear benefits to the community. The local community must agree.

Manufacturing and exports.

Make us an investment destination. Reduce cost of doing business. Improve communications and transportation facilities. High-quality workforce. Ease tax rates. Review tax incentives.

Agricultural production, agribusiness, tourism.

Subsidize farmers, establish post-harvest facilities, easier access to markets, irrigation. Do something about airports. Second runway at NAIA. Ports of entry should cater to cruise ships. Sell ourselves abroad. Peace and order.

Agrarian reform policy

Make beneficiaries agro-entrepreneurs. Go slow on acquisition. Mechanize. Dialog with stakeholders.

How will you improve corporate regulation?

Give as much leeway to corporations as possible as long as they disclose material information.

How will you stop smuggling?

Incentivize customs service.

Support for R&D in key industries.

Allow government employee-inventors to keep ownership of invention and to charge royalties.

Bank secrecy laws and money laundering.

Institutionalize role of AMLC (Anti-Money Laundering Council) and enforce the law.

National security

Peace in Mindanao.

Must be solved under local circumstances, like the local peace and order councils, because each area has distinct customs and traditions.

Policy on communist rebels.

Communism is now legal. They can advocate in many ways, but not with a gun.

AFP capability upgrade/modernization.

When we buy arms and equipment, we must also have additional funding to maintain them.

The revised National Defense Act, and president’s role in approval of promotions in AFP.

Not in favor. There must be minimum basis for promotions.

Fixed term for AFP chief.

No. Give the president the discretion.

Can private armies be dismantled?

Yes.

Will you retain the CVOs?

In certain areas but under the strict supervision of specially trained military unit...not the infantry.

Adopted member of a PMA class? Which one?

 Yes. Class of 1976.

Importance of US military aid.

Very important. They grant $40 million annually in aid and we use it for training of troops and maintenance of military equipment.

With which other countries should RP have closer military alliances?

With as many countries as possible.

When the political leadership betrays the public trust, should the military intervene?

It should be discouraged. The military should not intervene in political issues and interpret the situation in their own terms.

Corruption in the PNP/AFP?

Have private watchdogs over the AFP. Notify AFP leadership of any incidence of corruption.

Foreign Affairs

RP’s most important ally.

Three countries are vital to the Philippines – China, Japan and the United States. But also vitally important are the Middle East, the European Union and Australia.

Is China a threat, a challenge, a friend?

View them on a macro level. Economically, they are a big trading partner, a big source of potential tourism and foreign investments. But in security, they have spent a massive amount on unlimited military build up, and they have not made their intentions clear on their foreign security policy.

Foreign trip in the first 100 days.

No travel for the first six months.

Should RP strengthen ties with any particular region?

The European Union. South America. Revitalize the BIMP-EAGA.

RP-US relations under your administration.

Continue to be principled, robust, strong and at arms length. Concept of “shared burdens.”

Philippine claim over Sabah.

Let the Filipino people decide through a plebescite, but with full information.

Stand on the Spratlys issue.

We have a claim to the Spratlys that is now institutionalized in the regime of islands in our baselines law and we will pursue that claim.

Education, culture, arts

Priorities in improving education.

Introduce literacy in preschool in the public sector, including literacy in the mother tongue. We need around P1.5 billion a year for teacher training. Set up special student loan fund under SSS.

Additional years in grade school and high school.

Difficult but there’s no choice. There’s a lot more to learn now, students cannot absorb all that knowledge in 10 years.

Free universal kindergarten.

If you can provide for that, okay.

Importance of English proficiency in national competitiveness.

It’s really important, but literacy also in the mother tongue. English remains the language of science, technology and diplomacy.

How to improve national competitiveness.

Do away with degree consciousness for promotions. One need not have a master’s degree for leadership skills and institutional knowledge.

Role of arts and culture.

We tried to ‘Filipinize’ everything, but we must be proud of our diversity. There’s still a lot of bigotry and prejudice in the country. Culture should be a tool for state building.

Healthcare

Priorities in improving public healthcare.

Universal participative healthcare. Everybody must be protected by some form of healthcare.

Family planning/reproductive health.

Respect moral choice, but government must help support that choice, even providing what is needed for that choice. Family planning preference must be private.

Keeping doctors, nurses and other health professionals home.

Mandatory coverage, so there could be more resources to provide better conditions of employment. Promote medical tourism.

Costs of medicine.

 Dialogue with producers and provide incentives for local medical manufacturers.

Judiciary

Should SC powers be limited?

Put back the definition of judicial powers under the previous Constitution. Restore the old powers of the judiciary.

Should GMA appoint the next chief justice.

No. It will also be unfair to the appointee to have that cloud over him.

Will you respect the appointment if she does?

It will entirely depend on the circumstances.

Independence of the judiciary.

Providing the judiciary with more resources by appointing qualified appointees.

Will you invoke executive privilege, and under what circumstances?

Yes, but to the least possible extent.

Corruption

Transparency in government.

Full disclosure of any transaction, except on national security issues.

How will you deal with corruption.

Creating a culture and attitude against corruption in the bureaucracy.

Prosecution of GMA for corruption.

I am not the most credible person to answer that.

Marcos wealth recovery.

That should have been settled a long time ago.

Human rights

Murder of journalists and militants.

Focus on crime prevention and solution.

AFP/PNP respect for human rights.

Remove internal security from the AFP. Sustained deterrence against insurgents.

Is democracy working for RP?

Too early to tell, we’re a young democracy.

Is the Philippine press irresponsible?

Very responsible, but there are problems.

Have you been treated fairly by media?

You win some, you lose some. Would you have it any other way?

Economic rights over civil liberties.

No, pareho (they’re equal).

Environment

How to deal with extreme flooding.

First, relocate informal settlers in vulnerable areas. Second, provide employment opportunities in the sites. Most immediate is construct a Parañaque spillway to drain Laguna de Bay. More elevated mass transport systems like the LRT or MRT in case of evacuation.

Climate change policies.

Implement Clean Air Act. Institute lifestyle changes. Have solid waste management. No open dumpsites.

Logging/agroforestry.

Map the remaining natural forests in the country. Logging ban for natural forests, regeneration of trees in wooded areas.

Water management.

Implement an old law that each barangay should have rain water catchments.

Sports

Priority of sports development.

Of course, because it’s an occasion for national unity and pride.

First-ever Olympic gold under your watch? How?

That’s a quick win solution. Identify one sport, like boxing, and work on it.

Stand on the following:

Charter change.

Yes, if it is transparent.

Cha-cha mode.

Constitutional convention.

VFA/US troops in Mindanao.

We should continue it.

Freedom of Information Act.

Yes.

Right of Reply bill.

There should be some sort of a reply.

Divorce.

That’s already allowed under Muslim laws.

Marriage expiration.

That’s crazy.

Gay rights.

Should be talked about objectively. Sign of maturity of the country.

Death penalty.

I’m not for death penalty.

What can we expect in your first 100 days?

I will try to reach out to my political opponents.