#INQuiz: How aligned are your views with the VP candidates?

As May 9, 2016, approaches, are you still unsure about the stands of Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Chiz Escudero, Gringo Honasan, Bongbong Marcos and Sonny Trillanes, as well as Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo?

INQUIRER.net had the six vice presidential candidates directly answer a 25-statement questionnaire, asking their stances on key issues that have not fully been explored in the lone vice presidential debate.

Their answers, all listed below, may surprise you.

Before reading the summary of the vice presidential candidates’ responses, we encourage you to take our #INQuiz first!

The Conditional Cash Transfer program of the Aquino administration should be continued–in its present form–by the next administration.

• Cayetano: Agree
• Escudero: Agree
• Honasan: Disagree
• Marcos: Agree
  • But with expansion to include cash-for-work, cash-for-building, etc.
• Robredo: Agree
• Trillanes: Agree

Opening land ownership to foreigners for commercial and industrial purposes will boost the country’s business climate, as it will attract more direct foreign investments and thus create more jobs.

• Cayetano: Agree
• Escudero: Disagree
• Honasan: Agree
• Marcos: Disagree
• Robredo: Disagree
• Trillanes: Agree

In December 2015, the Supreme Court ruled to stop the field testing of Bt eggplant and the testing, propagation, commercialization and importation of genetically engineered crops. The decision is a blow to scientific research and the country’s efforts to attain food security.

• Cayetano: Neutral
• Escudero: Agree
• Honasan: Disagree
• Marcos: Agree
• Robredo: Disagree
• Trillanes: Agree

The “no parking space, no car purchase” policy should be adopted in Metro Manila and other highly urbanized cities.

• Cayetano: Agree
• Escudero: Disagree
• Honasan: Agree
• Marcos: Neutral
• Robredo: Disagree
• Trillanes: Disagree

The next administration should continue with the PPP (public-private partnership) program as applied to public hospitals.

• Cayetano: Agree
• Escudero: Disagree
• Honasan: Agree
• Marcos: Neutral
  • PPP on public hospitals should be reviewed to protect indigent patients.
• Robredo: Agree
• Trillanes: Strongly Disagree

The death penalty should be reinstated for heinous crimes.

• Cayetano: Agree
• Escudero: Disagree
• Honasan: Agree
• Marcos: Agree
  • But only for drug lords.
• Robredo: Strongly Disagree
• Trillanes: Agree

For reference, the vice presidential candidates were also asked a similar question during their lone debate together on April 10 at the University of Santo Tomas. GRAPHIC BY INQUIRER NEWSLAB

While diplomacy and international arbitration remain the most desired approach to resolving territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea, the country’s mutual defense treaty with the United States should increasingly come into play in the face of China’s continuing military buildup.

• Cayetano: Agree
• Escudero: Agree
• Honasan: Agree
• Marcos: Agree
• Robredo: Neutral
• Trillanes: Agree

The bank secrecy law should be amended to remove the protection of public officials under investigation for corruption.

• Cayetano: Strongly Agree
• Escudero: Strongly Agree
• Honasan: Agree
• Marcos: Agree
• Robredo: Strongly Agree
• Trillanes: Strongly Agree

At the opening of a coal-fired power plant in Mindanao in January 2016, President Aquino was correct in saying that the country cannot wean itself completely from relying on coal because of uncertainties regarding wind strength, solar efficiency and biomass supply.

• Cayetano: Agree
• Escudero: Agree
• Honasan: Agree
• Marcos: Agree
• Robredo: Agree
• Trillanes: Agree

The next administration should ensure the entry of new competitors in the country’s telecommunications industry to bring down rates and improve Internet services.

• Cayetano: Agree
• Escudero: Strongly Agree
• Honasan: Agree
• Marcos: Strongly Agree
• Robredo: Strongly Agree
• Trillanes: Strongly Agree

For reference, the vice presidential candidates were also asked a similar question during their lone debate together on April 10 at the University of Santo Tomas. GRAPHIC BY INQUIRER NEWSLAB

The government has sufficiently prepared for the K-to-12 program in terms of teachers’ training and salaries, and availability of teachers, teaching material as well as classrooms.

• Cayetano: Disagree
• Escudero: Disagree
• Honasan: Disagree
• Marcos: Strongly Disagree
• Robredo: Agree
• Trillanes: Strongly Disagree

Other countries subsidize creative industries like the performing and visual arts, film, etc. Philippine talent, arts and culture should be developed and promoted, funded, given incentives, and legislation should be enacted toward this end.

• Cayetano: Agree
• Escudero: Strongly Agree
• Honasan: Agree
• Marcos: Strongly Agree
• Robredo: Strongly Agree
• Trillanes: Agree

An efficient and well-funded system is necessary to search for promising youngsters in the grassroots for training in sports such as track and field, swimming, boxing, etc, and distinctively Filipino disciplines like arnis.

• Cayetano: Strongly Agree
• Escudero: Strongly Agree
• Honasan: Strongly Agree
• Marcos: Strongly Agree
• Robredo: Strongly Agree
• Trillanes: Strongly Agree

The continuing raids on prison cell blocks and “kubols” should be stopped.

• Cayetano: Strongly Disagree
• Escudero: Disagree
• Honasan: Disagree
• Marcos: Strongly Disagree
• Robredo: Disagree
• Trillanes: Disagree

The Philippines is a laughing stock of the world because of the proliferation of political dynasties nationwide, and it’s time for the constitutional ban to be followed through an enabling law.

• Cayetano: Agree
• Escudero: Agree
• Honasan: Disagree
• Marcos: Agree
• Robredo: Strongly Agree
• Trillanes: Agree

For reference, the vice presidential candidates were also asked a similar question during their lone debate together on April 10 at the University of Santo Tomas. GRAPHIC BY INQUIRER NEWSLAB

The remains of former president Ferdinand Marcos should be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

• Cayetano: Disagree
• Escudero: Disagree
• Honasan: Agree
• Marcos: Neutral
• Robredo: Strongly Disagree
• Trillanes: Disagree

Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo should be transferred from hospital arrest to house arrest.

• Cayetano: Disagree
• Escudero: Neutral
• Honasan: Agree
• Marcos: Agree
• Robredo: Neutral
• Trillanes: Disagree

The gains of labor export (remittances that help keep the economy afloat) pale beside the social problems that it has produced (broken families, a generation of children lacking parental love and guidance, abuse of OFWs in countries of employment).

• Cayetano: Agree
• Escudero: Agree
• Honasan: Agree
• Marcos: Agree
• Robredo: Neutral
• Trillanes: Agree

Donald Trump as the next president of the United States will be a boon for the world.

• Cayetano: Disagree
• Escudero: Strongly Disagree
• Honasan: Disagree
• Marcos: Neutral
• Robredo: Neutral
• Trillanes: Neutral

The coconut levy funds represent large-scale robbery of coconut farmers and should immediately be used for their and the industry’s benefit, and the perpetrators of the robbery identified and punished.

• Cayetano: Strongly Agree
• Escudero: Agree
• Honasan: Agree
• Marcos: Neutral
  • But strongly agree that fund should be immediately used for the benefit of the coconut farmers and the coconut industry
• Robredo: Strongly Agree
• Trillanes: Agree

The legalization of divorce is long overdue in the Philippines and will contribute to the betterment of society.

• Cayetano: Disagree
• Escudero: Disagree
• Honasan: Disagree
• Marcos: Disagree
• Robredo: Disagree
• Trillanes: Disagree

The Philippines has the highest income tax in the region and should be lowered.

• Cayetano: Strongly Agree
• Escudero: Strongly Agree
• Honasan: Disagree
• Marcos: Strongly Agree
• Robredo: Strongly Agree
• Trillanes: Agree

For reference, the vice presidential candidates were also asked a similar question during their lone debate together on April 10 at the University of Santo Tomas. GRAPHIC BY INQUIRER NEWSLAB

The population is growing by leaps and bounds and should be curbed through proper implementation of the Reproductive Health Law.

• Cayetano: Agree
• Escudero: Agree
• Honasan: Strongly Disagree
• Marcos: Agree
• Robredo: Agree
• Trillanes: Disagree

Antidiscrimination laws are sorely needed to protect LGBTs.

• Cayetano: Strongly Agree
• Escudero: Strongly Agree
• Honasan: Agree
• Marcos: Strongly Agree
• Robredo: Strongly Agree
• Trillanes: Agree

The construction of coal-powered plants should be banned as an urgent step to stop global warming.

• Cayetano: Neutral
• Escudero: Neutral
• Honasan: Agree
• Marcos: Neutral
  • But there is need to develop other alternative sources of power
• Robredo: Agree
• Trillanes: Disagree

For reference, the vice presidential candidates were also asked a similar question during their lone debate together on April 10 at the University of Santo Tomas. GRAPHIC BY INQUIRER NEWSLAB