VP candidates answer: If elected, which Cabinet post do you prefer?

MANILA, Philippines — Seven vice presidential candidates disclosed Saturday which Cabinet post they prefer to assume should they be elected.

During the CNN Philippines’ vice presidential debates, Walden Bello said he wants to head the Department of Finance which he sees is a “central Cabinet position.”

“Ka Leody and I will have a tax on the top 750 billionaires in the country and this will be for social programs that will go and benefit the vast majority of our people,” Bello, referring to his running mate Leody De Guzman, said.

Vice presidential candidate Rizalito David, meanwhile, said he wants the elected president to create a commission for moral renewal and cultural restoration. David said he will lead the said commission.

“Magkakaroon ng mga programa sa lahat ng institusyon ng ating bayan… Kailangan nating ibalik ang moralidad ng bayan para tayo ay umunlad,” David said.

Vice presidential candidate Manny Lopez wants to head the Department of Trade and Industry and help the economy recover from the pandemic.

“Ang priority natin ngayon after this unprecedented pandemic, we will be facing severe challenges in the coming years and economic recovery is a must to help uplift the lives of our people,” Lopez said.

Meanwhile, vice presidential candidate Dr. Willie Ong said it will be up to the elected president if he will be placed to head the Department of Health or help in social amelioration and assistance.

“Division of labor kami ni Mayor Isko. Sabi nya, ‘Ikaw bahala Doc Willie sa kalusugan, siya bahala sa pabahay, trabaho, education, foreign affairs,” Ong said, referring to his running mate Manila City mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso.

Vice presidential candidate Senator Francis Pangilinan said he wants to handle agencies that are concerned with agriculture and fishery. Pangilinan said he will focus on providing assistance for farmers and fishermen.

“Sa lahat ng kandidato ngayon sa pagka-bise presidente… ako lang ang kandidato na isinusulong at gagawa ng solusyon at sinesentro ang problema ng gutom, mataas na presyo ng pagkain at agrikultura,” Pangilinan said.

Meanwhile, vice presidential candidate Carlos Serapio said he personally wants to head the Department of Foreign Affairs, citing his experience in doing back channeling work.

“In that position, I think the experiences that I’ve had in doing back channeling work will provide the kind of background as well as expertise for me to be able to do justice to the position,” Serapio said.

Vice presidential candidate Senator Vicente Sotto III said he wants to head the Dangerous Drugs Board and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

“The Dangerous Drugs Board and the DILG. I will be able to implement the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 completely, Republic Act 9165 of which I was the principal author of and created the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency,” Sotto said.

“The present situation calls the attention of the government to the problem of drug abuse, not just illegal drugs. Those are different animals,” he added.

Vice presidential candidates Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio and Lito Atienza were not able to attend the debates. The debate’s hosts said that Duterte-Carpio declined the invitation while Atienza had to pull out due to medical reasons.

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