1. Assessing the Presidential Candidates "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." -John Quincy Adams, 6th President of the United States

2. M ANUEL B AMBA V ILLAR, J R. Birthday: December 13, 1949 Mother: Curita Bamba Father: Manuel Montalban Villar, Sr. Spouse: Cynthia Aguilar Villar Political Party: Nacionalista

3. B ENIGNO S IMEON C OJUANGCO A QUINO III Birthday: February 8, 1960 Mother: Corazon Aquino Father: Benigno Aquino Jr. Political Party: Liberal

4. R ICHARD J UICO G ORDON Birthday: August 5, 1945 Mother: Amelia Juico Gordon Father: James Leonard T. Gordon Spouse: Katherine Gordon Political Party: Bagumbayan-VNP

5. G ILBERT C OJUANGCO T EODORO, J R. Birthday: June 14, 1964 Mother: Mercedes Cojuangco Teodoro Father: Gilberto Teodoro, Sr. Spouse: Monica Prieto-Teodoro Political Party: LAKAS-KAMPI-CMD

6. J OSE M ARCELO E JERCITO Birthday: April 19, 1937 Mother: Maria Marcelo Father: Emilio Ejercito Spouse: Loi Ejercito Political Party: PMP

7. M ARIA A NA C ONSUELO M ADRIGAL V ALADE Birthday: April 26, 1956 Mother: Amanda Abad Santos Madrigal Father: Antonio Madrigal Spouse: Eric Jean Claude Dudoignon Valade Political Party: Independent

8. E DDIE C. V ILLANUEVA Birthday: October 6, 1946 Civil Status: married Spouse: Dr. Adoracion Villanueva Political Party: Bangon Pilipinas

9. N ICANOR J ESUS P INEDA P ERLAS III Birthday: January 10, 1950 Mother: Anuciacion M. Pineda Father: Jesus C. Perlas Political Party: Independent

10. J OHN C ARLOS G. DELOS R EYES Birthday: February 14, 1970 Spouse: Dunia Valenzuela Political Party: Ang Kapatiran

11. O N VFA Aquino: Yes, but subject to review, specifically the differences in rights of Filipinos vis-a-vis the Visiting Forces Agreement Delos Reyes opposed the way US soldiers evade the provision regarding their short term stay in the country

12. O N VFA Perlas: if the VFA violates the Constitution, it should be stopped. Teodoro is into entering into more alliances to build confidence and cooperation among troops. Villanueva is in favor of the VFA as long as its aim is to help the Filipino soldiers. Villar: the benefits, quantifiable or unquantifiable, that the Philippine military are getting as a result of the Visiting Forces Agreement are not enough to justify its continuation

13. O N VFA Estrada is one of the Senators who opposed the extension of the US Military Bases in Subic in 1991; he pushed for VFA during his presidency saying that it can bring good things to the country. Gordon believes that the VFA will maintain our good relationship with the US and thus we can seek their help in times of calamity Madrigal is against the VFA because foreign military exercises in the country meant psychological, physical and sexual abuse against women and children

14. O N THE P EACE P ROCESS Aquino would work for a comprehensive settlement with the MILF and the Communist Party of the Philippines– New Peoples Army–National Democratic Front during his six-year term

15. O N THE P EACE P ROCESS Madrigal (and Trillanes,) through PS Resolution No.91, called for the investigation of the status of the peace agreements between GRP and MILF and MNLF. Perlas crafted a manual that advances Sustainable Integrated Area Development and modern social technologies as means to improve livelihood and business opportunities for former combatants involved in the conflict in Mindanao. Teodoro: From simply trying to win the hearts and minds of communities sympathetic to insurgents, the government is now focusing on using force against armed groups

16. O N THE P EACE P ROCESS In the new Philippines that Bro. Eddie is aspiring, all Filipinos, Muslims or Christians, shall be treated equally. In December 2007, then Senate President Manny Villar led the Senate in opposing the reinstatement of the Anti-Subversion law. delos Reyes: decentralization could spread development to different regions especially in Mindanao. Estrada declared an all out war against the Moros in 2001 Gordon believes that Mindanao needs real fiscal autonomy.

17. O N H UMAN R IGHTS Aquinos family were involved in the Mendiola Massacre and the Hacienda Luisita Massacre. Delos Reyes prioritized the institutionalization of Barangay Human Rights Action Centers for the prevention of human rights violation within the barangays.

18. O N H UMAN R IGHTS Eddie Villanueva is in favor of restoring death penalty. Villar: The commitment of our government to assume an active participation in the ASEAN human rights body is laudable KARAPATAN documented cases of illegal arrests, torture, imprisonment, looting and arson during Estradas regime. Jamby Madrigal once called for the investigation of an alleged black list of human rights advocates and critics of the administration

19. O N R EPRODUCTIVE H EALTH Aquino: from strong statements for RH to responsible parenthood The Estrada presidency strongly supported family planning. Gordon: overpopulation is not the problem but rather the failure of the government to deliver services effectively

20. O N R EPRODUCTIVE H EALTH Perlas is open to the use of contraceptives but it should be backed with proper education. He is against abortion Teodoro: initially pro-RH Bill but then proposed giving incentives to couples who use natural method in family planning. JC delos Reyes opposes the RH bill because it is dangerous Madrigal: reproductive health should be information-driven rather than consumer-driven

21. O N R EPRODUCTIVE H EALTH Villanueva: There is reason to oppose those portions because five years old will be exposed to sex education. Age of maturity (must be considered)…. Personally, Im for responsible parenthood. It is important to address overpopulation but we must not sacrifice morality. Senator Manuel Villar has always been against the reproductive health bill

22. O N L AND R EFORM Aquino on Hacienda Luisita Estradas A.O. 1 and A.O. 9 Gordon was one of the 12 senators who voted for the extension of CARP. Perlas aims to integrate a support component to the implementation of CARP Teodoro: disputed lands in Fort Magsaysay Villar : land conversions

23. O N I NDUSTRIALIZATION Perlas is for sustainable development. Madrigal: I do not believe in nuclear power because it can shut off any efforts for alternative energy; no to JPEPA Gordon was ready to vote on JPEPA, with the agreement that Japan would not export toxic waste to the Philippines

24. Senator Aquino voted no on the controversial JPEPA delos Reyes spearheaded protests against the proposed coal power plant in Subic Villar voted yes to JPEPA O N I NDUSTRIALIZATION

25. O N F OREIGN D EBT the Estrada administration abused both domestic and foreign borrowing like no other president did (Jose Maria Sison, 1999) Teodoro: It is sometimes better to borrow than increase citizens taxes Villanueva: Foreign debt payments should be suspended by revoking the automatic debt servicing law or by negotiating with foreign creditors Villar : We must deviate from our culture of excessive borrowing.

26. O N C ORRUPTION Aquino: SCTex overpricing JC delos Reyes filed numerous cases before the Ombudsman against high ranking officials. Estrada was charged with 4 counts of corruption.

27. O N C ORRUPTION Madrigal: the people who insert for their own good should be charged with plunder Perlas aided in unveiling massive bribery and fraud regarding the purchase and construction of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant. Gordon to de Venecia: When you come in as the son of the Speaker and you make contract offers to the government, that does not look good, at the very least… that means you are trying to induce, to propose, and that is covered under the anti graft and corruption practices act

28. O N C ORRUPTION During the height of the C-5 controversy, Enrile exposed that Villar tried to bribe him in exchange of a favorable decision regarding the matter. Unsurprisingly, Villar denied the allegations Teodoro: The standards of living of government officials should be improved and they should be given incentives to be honest Villanueva: Corruption is stealing and it is against the law of God

29. O N P OVERTY Teodoro: The gap between the rich and poor can be decreased through a transfer of wealth or through private incentives. Villar has been critical regarding the Arroyo administrations discreet battle against the media saying that they should focus more on fighting poverty, illiteracy and joblessness. Perlas aided UNICEF in their Family Food Production Program and assisted Plan International in improving their child development program in the country

30. S UMMARY OF S TANDS VFARH Human Rights PovertyCorruption AquinoProchangedfailed VillarAnti passedfailed EstradaPro failed TeodoroProchangedfailedPassed** GordonProAntipassed MadrigalAntiPropassedPassed** VillanuevaPro For amendments Pro death penalty Passed** PerlasAntiPropassed Delos ReyesAnti passed **based on debates

31. O N P OVERTY JC delos Reyes was the Executive director of Breaking the Yoke of Poverty Foundation. Estrada failed to actualize his pro-poor platform during his presidency. Madrigal stated that we should advocate economic policies that benefit the majority instead of the oligarchs

32. S UMMARY OF S TANDS IndustrializationForeign DebtLand ReformPeace Process AquinoFailed Passed** VillarFailedpassedFailed EstradafailedFailed Teodoro Better to borrow than raise taxes Failed Gordonpassed MadrigalpassedPassed VillanuevaPassed** PerlaspassedPassed**passed Delos ReyesPassedPassed** **based on debates

33. N ET W ORTH CandidateNet Worth Villar $530 million (2009) Estrada P600 million ** TeodoroP232.43 million (2008) MadrigalP 145,617,669.00 (2008) GordonP 26.52 million (2007) AquinoP13.94 million (2007) ** 14 out of 66 companies of which Estrada and his family are shareholders are already worth P600 million Source: PCIJ, Forbes Magazine

34. C AMPAIGN S PENDING FROM F EB 9 TO M ARCH 8 CandidateAmount VillarP106 million AquinoP83 million EstradaP 72 million GordonP 48 million TeodoroP266,000 (first month only) Source: PCIJ

36. Source: Pulse Asia