FULL TEXT: INQ&A with vice presidential candidate Alan Cayetano

JN: Okay. Senator, I hope you don’t mind if we run overtime.

AC: Sure.

JN: We’re gonna have 10 more minutes.

AC: I’m okay if everyone’s okay.

JN: Right now we have 12,700 live viewers and then 3,000 online. So thank you to everyone. Keep your questions coming. Senator, I have a question here, from @TheQueen on twitter. “Senator Cayetano, what are your, I guess she is an education student, as an education student what are your plans for us, the future teachers?”

AC: I’ll try to go to this very quickly. It’s okay I’ll speak a little bit fast? The Constitution guarantees both access and quality. And the World Bank has a study that the single most important factor in education is the teacher. Okay? So every time we make educational reforms, nahuhuli yong teacher. Because at the time I was the chairman of the committee on education, there were 550,000 public school teachers. Now there’s 750,000 and there are more private schools now. When you say private schools, to many they will think of St. Augustine, La Salle, Ateneo, Xavier, ‘di ba? But there are many many more private schools na mas maliliit with good names pero mas maliliit. Their teachers now are paid less than public school teacher, so every time na itaas mo yong sweldo ng public school teacher, umaangal din sila ‘cause yong private school, because they cannot keep up by keep putting up tuition and lumilipat naman sa public school yung student nila. And the public school naman umaangal dumadami ang kanilang estudyante that’s why the voucher or GATSPE nationwide works but mababa na ngayon and we have a counterpart in Taguig.

We put students in private school, give the private school 10,000 then the student 5,000. So, first point, teachers have to be given a primary consideration. Training, their pay, they have to make a living that will pay for their family. If not they will go to different jobs. A lot of good english teachers have joined call centers. They might have gone abroad, di ba? For BPO’s, They might have gone abroad. You know teachers, it’s not really a profession. It’s really a calling. These people love to teach but they have to take care of their family. So in the city of Taguig, we have a 50 to 80,000 peso scholarship for teachers, for masteral, as long as they do their thesis on how to improve Taguig’s education.

Taguig City pays for their ano, ano. We’re working on couple more programs. One of the programs is scholarship sa anak nila although we give it to everyone naman. So we have, so this is how we fix the Taguig’s education. We used to be number 13 in Metro Manila in terms of the National Achievement Test. In the third year, we were in the middle, and in the last two years we were number one. First, we took care of people not leaving the school, not dropping out. How did we do that? Give free uniforms, dalawang pang ibaba or palda or pantalon, tatlong pantaas, bags, shoes, health kit, you name it, whatever they need, notebooks, kasama lahat yon. Why? Because education is free but andaming binabayaran. Test paper, notebook, etc. this builds up to many middle class. Upper class people, you won’t see that but graduation, toga, gastos lahat yan no, so lahat yan ngayon, sagot ng city of Taguig. Even the togas, even the JS Prom. Some would say, kailangan ba ng JS Prom? But, it’s their first time to wear barong, first time to have this ano, why should the private school people enjoy something like that and you could never. In business you have a lot of cocktails. Any way we provide, the city provides all of that. And we got a computer-assisted learning from Singapore. It’s a different school, so you get two diplomas in Taguig. You’ll be assessed in the first year high school of what kind of computer learning you have ‘til the fourth year. You’ll be guided. Parang K-12 na kami actually sa computers. And then when you graduate, you have a 10,000 peso voucher just to enrol whether TESDA, SUC’s or private school. If it is a priority school, you get a P50,000, like UP. So we still have 5 to 10 students in UP.

Now, we have 400 students in UP. Ano yon, P50,000. No question yon, actually, we have 401, but yong isa pamangkin ko, so she doesnt get the P50,000. We have a lot of teachers programs, from their health. Aside from the teachers pala, the students, they get free eye and ear check up. We found out John and Tine no, I didn’t know this before, but when i became the Chairman on Committee of Education, 8 to 12 percent pala ng bata may diperensya. Whatever it is, from the very minuscule of near-sighted or the very curable or not repairable or mayroon kang intervention na pwedeng gawin to the more permanent na may problema then kelangan mo na ng special education. But ganun pala kabigat. For example, there were grade 5, grade 6 students na ang talagang tingin, the first year we did the eye program and the ear program, sabi ng teachers, ano, “Sir, napapahiya kami na akala namin mahina yong bata, yun pala ‘di niya kita yong blackboard.” Kase when you were a child, ‘di ba akala mo ganun yong eyesight. ‘di ba, ‘di naman gaya ngayon na parang lumalabong mata.

JN: ganun din naman yong rason ko nung nag-aaral ako.

AC: Well, ako, rason ko yon, but sa totoo lang, I should have been more diligent. So to answer directly, we should put the teacher front and center but we also need to understand na sabay sabay yong demands. But let me leave you with this though. Have you ever seen any Filipino parent telling you, “Anak, huwag ka munangn mag-aral, pag mayaman na tayo, saka ka mag-aral?” Di ba baliktad? Kasi usually, “Kuya, ate, ikaw muna mag-aral para yong mga kapatid mo, pagka graduate mo.” Why is it in Filipino education, baliktad? We don’t put the money until yumaman tayo. So baliktad.

More money on education then yayaman tayo. That’s why I have a problem with K-12 from the start. My personal thought is to improve the quality before adding 2 years no. But now, it’s there na and let me tell this to the public, it’s not being talked about because there are a lot of hardcore supporters of K-12 and a lot of hard core unsupporters or those who are critical. Why I used the word unsupporters or critical because they are not against the program itself. Dalawang grupo eh: against the program itself, yong isa, for the program but they don’t think we can do it right away. We’re in for a crisis because classrooms are not ready, and we’re gonna have a massive amount of drop outs because people are really poor in some areas. But politicians are not talking about this because, again, for leadership.

JN: Senator, one more, one last question from social.

KS: We have record views from Facebook right now and a lot of them watching are Filipinos from other countries as well. So maybe you could answer briefly. This is from Ben Baredo from Facebook, “What is your plan for the OFW’s?”

AC: OFW welfare and taking care of you while you are there is always important. But what’s more important is creating jobs here, so that you can come home, and the Duterte-Cayetano tandem is the only one with program of Federalism. If you would have me back, or if you’d allow me, I’ll send you a flash drive (on Federalism). Federalism you know in the US, Brazil, Malaysia, will come in 2 to 3 years kasi constitutional change pa yan, but the economic federalism, building heart centers, lung centers, kidney transplant institutions, in Visayas, Mindanao, in Southern and Northern Luzon, building the Mindanao railway, building the nautical highway in the Visayas, moving out departments. We wanna put the Department of Tourism in Cebu, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture in Mindanao, the DOTC in Clark. By the way this will also help the connectivity. Kasi pag nandyan, lahat ng secretary nagmumura sa telco na hindi kami ma-connect dito. Sometimes you need to force the issue, ‘di ba? Like a child na hindi marunong mag commute. So ako, iniwan ako ng dad ko sa UPLB, para matuto ako talaga na walang kotse, walang ano. I really learned a lot when I was there.

JN: And you drunk Andy Player?

AC: That was before. Lambanog na pagdating dun. Pero ano, medyo marunong na akong sumunod sa tatay ko noon. But going back, so OFW’s, your welfare, making life easy for you. Number two, providing the jobs here. And I think were the only group that’s working on a plan a 10 to 15 year plan of all of you who want to come home. May uuwian kayo.

Why are we the only group talking about that? Because the reality is, you are the heroes, through your money, your remittances, our economy is doing well. There are about 3, 4 reasons lang, why our economy is doing well and always the OFW money. So many politicians and economists are afraid that if you all come home, our economy might sink. But baliktad. If we build it then you can come back. Of course if you wanna be an expat, at dream niyo yan, pero kailangan mong iwanan ang pamilya mo because you cannot get a job with a commensurate pay and benefits here. But what I meant by welfare, just to add, alam mo right now, pagka undesirable, drug lord, scammers, magnanakaw, may come in and out of the immigration eh. Pero pagka OFW, lahat na ng pahirap nandyan eh. I mean, why do you always have to get a permit every time you’re leaving if you’re an OFW? Can’t we have some kind of secure ID or pwede sa cellphone na? That every time you pass the immigration, iganon mo lang tapos, pasok ka na? You know, there’s so many hassles that were doing to OFW. But what’s very touching John and Tine is several OFW’s came to Davao, Christmas time. And i spent a lot of time there during November, December, January. Ang sabi nila, “Mayor (Duterte), kami na bahala sa sarili namin at sa trabaho. Just make sure, our children are safe in the Philippines.” So I think I’ll also go back to providing peace and order for you here. That’s why its urgent for us. That’s why yesterday I said, you know, I don’t know what will happen in six months, but we’ll die trying. We will really go against these druglords and syndicates.

JN: Senator, we only have a few minutes left, if you can favor us with a short answers, i have three quick questions from the debate yesterday. Number 1, when you were asked whether you have plans to run for president after you become vice president…

AC: “Or”

JN: You put an “or,” and I thought that, that reinforced your perception that sometimes you are a very good rationalizer.

AC: Yes.

JN: You can defend either side of an issue. But why is it like that when you, originally, were planning for president?

AC: That’s right. But you know, the Duterte campaign changed me a lot. I really see that change can happen right away. Siguro if I run for President now, and became, I think I’ll be a good president but I don’t think I’ll be able to give that kind of change, that kind of passion, that kind of, parang naka blinder si Mayor Duterte na parang “Eto ang pagbabagong gusto ko, eto ang gusto ko sa kriminal.”

Sa corruption, I use to think the way Chiz thinks eh. It’s a process, but now, stop, stop. So that’s why I put “or” because I don’t plan to run for president now. I’m not even thinking of 2022. But I’m am only 45 e. So what if I run when I’m 65? Baka ipakita ng CNN, “wala kang plano.”

JN: okay, second question, again with the Yes or No answers, you saw Bongbong mistakenly answer “yes” to the question, “Have you ever committed corrupt activity?” and then realizing his mistake, he changed. Did you see that happen?

AC: I saw it sa Facebook na. But for the critics of Bongbong, who said that there’s no single ounce of honesty or decency in his bones, you’re wrong. Because his right hand wanted to “amin” na yes they were into corruption. Nag yes eh, kaya lang the rest of his body and his mind, binaliktad kagad. I mean, to be fair to everyone, everyone knows that limpak limpak ng cases ng corruption. He knows that there’s a COA report against him for putting money in the Napoles. So why didn’t he just say yes then ask to explain.

JN: and then, last question from the debate, I wonder if you saw Vice President Binay ‘booing’ Sen. Trillanes.

AC:I didn’t but I saw it in the…I saw it in the Facebook again. But if you know, they let me speak on that, ano, I was gonna say nga, sa Telco, halimbawa, I was gonna say, this favorite candidate here by one telco, will he be able to  tell them to ‘pukpukin’ na ayusin to, but I didnt see it. But you know, I guess, we’re all human, so naapektuhan.

I saw a lot of people ‘booing’ and ‘yeying.’ In fact yung maraming naka dilaw…until they saw me and gave me a hug. You never know e. Remember. I reinforced my message yesterday that it’s all about Marcos, Cojuangco, Aquino. 50 years yan ha. 20 years of Marcos, then President Cory, and then after President Cory, it was all about the Marcos, Cojuangcos, and then PNoy came back, then now Marcos. You know if Marcos wins, what happens? Tingin mo yong mga Corista tsaka mga dilaw titigil? So its just the same cycle e. So when do we get out of this Marcos, there’s a lot of Aquinoses, a lot of Marcoses, kamag-anak that are friends ah, and are good people, just saying, as in national paradigm. Dalawang pamilya lang ba ang pagpipilian natin?

JN: Tine?

KS: The SWS survey that came out this morning shows that Duterte is leading but a lot can still happen in the next few weeks, what happens if you win vice president and someone else wins the presidency? How would you work with the likes of Roxas for example or Poe or…

AC: Binay… I’ll respect the mandate. If they do well, and given an assignment, I’ll do it. But if they’re corrupt, I’ll go against them.

JN: Thank you. Unfortunately, time is up. We’d like to ask Senator Cayetano, if he would like to give us a closing statement.

AC: Two quick points. Number 1. definition of Einstein of stupidity. The Bible tells us never to call anyone stupid but, and there’s no buts there. What’s the definition of Einstein of stupidity? Keep doing the same thing, expecting different result. So mga kababayan, gusto niyo ba nang pagbabago sa ating bansa? Do you wanna change the Philippines? If yes, then we have to change the system, and we have to have someone that’s willing to change. If not, it’s empty promises.

Number 2, no one has gone wrong praying. So if you’re not sure, or even if you’re sure with who you want, whats wrong with saying a prayer? And you know, just asking the Lord, to renew, to change our country, and to lead you, to pick the best candidates. So thank you very much Inquirer and all the affiliated groups and the social media platforms that you have used today.

JN: Sir, as a token of our appreciation, here is a ‘Guyito,’ our Inquirer group mascot. He comes with questions also. We would like to thank Senator Alan Cayetano for giving us time with him. We would like to thank our many, our multiple audiences on Facebook, on Twitter, on Viber, on various chat apps. This has been INQ & A. Thank you and good afternoon.