CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines — The five candidates vying for the presidency all have their own suggestions on how to address poverty, especially in agricultural communities. However, their rivals point out other problems such as lack of funding and corruption.
As Vice President Jejomar Binay and Senator Grace Poe enumerated their solutions to the agriculture problem of the country, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago questioned their proposals.
“Saan natin kukunin ang mga pondong ito?” she pointed out.
Santiago said that she was a former agrarian reform secretary and as far as she knows, there has never been a president who was able to abolish or reduce poverty.
“Promises are easy to make,” she said.
Meanwhile, former interior secretary Mar Roxas said he will ensure affordable loans for fishermen, better technology (like fish finder radars), and post catch facilities and infrastructure that will make it easier to bring products to the market.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said that while he will not challenge Roxas’ answer.
“I cannot rebut what he said because it is all true. Gusto ko ngang kopyahin kung payag sya,” he said, to the amusement of the audience. Roxas quickly replied that he doesn’t mind.
However, Duterte said there is still a problem in the implementation of programs.
“Because if you have incompetent and corrupt officials, it will be the same. (Ang) problema incompetence and corruption,” he said.
Roxas answered back and said he will not allow corruption under his government. He pointed out that the present administration’s reform agenda already has good governance as a focus.
Binay, on the other hand, said the problem with the current administration is that the leader is not decisive.
“I am a decisive leader. I hit the ground running. Haharapin ko ho ang problema,” he said.
When asked how he would address rice cartels, Duterte said he’ll “do it in three days.”
“Yung cartel madali yan. As president naku… Sabi ko nga three to six months, tapos lahat ito. Three to six months malinis ang bayan na ito,” he said. JE
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