WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is airing its presidential forum at 6 pm (Manila time) on Friday, March 25, featuring four presidential candidates who responded to their invitation.
The participants are Vice President Leni Robredo, Senator Manny Pacquiao, former defense secretary Norberto Gonzales, and labor leader Leody de Guzman.
Scroll down this page for live updates, context, analyses, and fact checks from Rappler as the forum unfolds. Further down the page, click “load more.”
LATEST UPDATES
WATCH: Will Pacquiao recalibrate his strategy before election day?
Will Senator Manny Pacquiao, who trails in surveys, recalibrate his campaign strategy with over a month left before election day? pic.twitter.com/orpg9AzsUZ
— Dwight De Leon (@newsdwight) March 25, 2022
WATCH: De Guzman laments absence of other candidates in forum
Labor leader Leody de Guzman laments that not all candidates were present in today’s CBCP presidential forum. pic.twitter.com/70QYtsDOkw
— Dwight De Leon (@newsdwight) March 25, 2022
WATCH: CBCP Commission on Social Communications Fr. Dimaano speaks to the media
Fr. Ilde Dimaano, CBCP Commission on Social Communications on his assessment of the forum, which had roundtable format:
— Dwight De Leon (@newsdwight) March 25, 2022
“It was a very friendly forum, which is the idea… It’s more of what they think on matters important to Catholics… but also sa mga Pilipino.” pic.twitter.com/ejbE5hUHYt
Fr. Ilde Dimaano of CBCP Commission on Social Communications says they understand why other candidates were unable to take part in the CBCP presidential forum due to conflict of schedule. pic.twitter.com/UUpUAATQhK
— Dwight De Leon (@newsdwight) March 25, 2022
[LIVESTREAM] Usapang Halalan 2022: The CBCP presidential forum
Watch the livestream of Usapang Halalan 2022 by clicking the YouTube link below.
![[HIGHLIGHTS] Usapang Halalan 2022: The CBCP presidential forum](https://img.youtube.com/vi/YPGfvvB2VnY/sddefault.jpg)
Survey laggard Norberto Gonzales appeals: ‘Huwag ‘nyo akong kantyawan’
Gonzales: Ako po, huwag niyo naman akong sisihin na tuloy tuloy pa ang aking pangangampanya. Hindi man ako palarin ngayon, ang partido ko, ipagpapatuloy ang aming laban. #UsapangHalalan2022 #PHVote #WeDecide
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 25, 2022
WATCH: https://t.co/R4TUiAo94b
Presidential candidate Leody de Guzman: Marami na tayong nasubukang kandidato mula sa tuktok ng ating lipunan… Pero ang kasaysayan ay nagpapatunay na ang pinagsilbihan nila ay kagaya nila, nasa tuktok din ng lipunan." @rapplerdotcom #PHVote #CBCPElectionForum
— Joel Pablo Salud (@joel_salud) March 25, 2022
The veteran labor leader's final statement: Ngayon, may kandidato, si Ka Leody, ng manggagawa. Dapat baguhin 'di lang ang mukha sa gobyerno, pero sistema ng pamahalaan. #UsapangHalalan2022 #PHVote #WeDecide | via @_sofiaguanzon
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 25, 2022
WATCH: https://t.co/R4TUiAo94b
Pacquiao: Bigyan nyo lang ako ng anim na taon, makikita niyo ang bangis ni Pacquiao sa labas ng ring para labanan ang korapsyon at paunlarin ang ekonomiya. #UsapangHalalan2022 #PHVote #WeDecide
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 25, 2022
WATCH: https://t.co/R4TUiAo94b
Robredo: Ngayon pong eleksyon, marami pong manlliligaw. Ang pinpreresneta ko, di lamang pangako, pero prinsipyong isinasabuhay ko. #PHVote
— Mara Cepeda (@maracepeda) March 25, 2022
Robredo: Ang panalo natin sa eleksyon, magmumula rin sa pag-asa mula sa bawat pamilyang Pilipino #PHVote
— Mara Cepeda (@maracepeda) March 25, 2022
Candidates discuss their stance on death penalty
Gonzales: Dapat napapakita sa lipunan ang kasalanang nagawa ay mali. Important ma-recognize ang kamalian. Pero ang cruelty of punishment, 'di napipigil ang kamalian. Dapat binibigyan ng pagkakataon mag-bagong buhay. #UsapangHalalan2022 #PHVote #WeDecide https://t.co/R4TUiAo94b
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 25, 2022
Candidates are discussing the reimposition of death penalty.
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 25, 2022
In 2020, Duterte called on Congress to reinstate the death penalty for violators of the country’s anti-drug law, saying Malaysia, China, and Indonesia enforce it. Is it effective?
READ: https://t.co/13EFPWy6fo
Pacquiao pushes for judicial reform. He says that the country, right now, is not yet ready for the death penalty. He adds that the death penalty is not against God's command. #UsapangHalalan2022 #PHVote #WeDecide | via @Renzo_Arceta
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 25, 2022
WATCH: https://t.co/R4TUiAo94b
Robredo: Hindi iyong gravity ng penalty iyong deterrent ng crime, kundi iyong certainty na mapaparusahan ka… Kailangan ayusin natin yung ating judicial system. Tama si Senator Manny. #UsapangHalalan2022 #PHVote #WeDecide | via @maracepeda
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 25, 2022
WATCH: https://t.co/R4TUiAo94b
Robredo: Ano ba ang reality natin ngayon? Marami yung corruption, flaws, pagkukulang. Pag may death penalty, ang chances na mas maraming mahihirap iyong mapaparusahan ng death penalty, napakalaki, kasi iyong access sa katarungan, napakakonti. | via @maracepeda
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 25, 2022
Robredo: ‘Faith is crucial in combating a problem like teenage pregnancy’
Presidential candidate and Vice President Leni Robredo recognized the crucial role the Church can play in helping address a problem like teenage pregnancy in the Philippines.
“Napakahalaga ng partnership with the community, and in this case, the partnership with the Church…. Mahalaga ang faith sa pagsugpo sa ganitong problema,” said Robredo during the CBCP presidential forum on Friday, March 25.
(Partnerships with the community are important, and in this case, the partnership with the Church… Faith is crucial in combating a problem like this.)
She said the Office of the Vice President currently has a program with the United Nations Population Fund focused on addressing teenage pregnancy, precisely because they recognize it is a crisis being faced by the country today.
Robredo also said it is important that the government’s support system for young pregnant women be readily accessible.
“Halimbawa ‘pag nabuntis ‘yung bata, dapat alam ‘nya na meron siyang sasalo. Dahil kung wala sa kanyang sasalo, baka pumapasok yung pagkitil ng buhay,” said Robredo.
(For example, when a minor becomes pregnant, she needs to know someone would support her. Because if no one will, then that’s when she would possibly consider ending a life.)
Robredo on failure to release SALNs: ‘Kalokohan ‘yan’
Robredo: While paniniwala ko rito hindi siya sapat na ebidensiya kasi marami pang puwedeng gawin gaya ng lifestyle check, but the mere fact na batas na mismo yung nagsasabi [na dapat mag-file kami ng SALNs], dapat isapubliko 'yun. | via @maracepeda
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 25, 2022
WATCH: https://t.co/R4TUiAo94b
Gonzales: Mas importante sa 'kin mapakita ang kamalian kesa punishment. No matter how iyong punishment gaano kalubha, walang nangyayari. Maganda maipakita ano ang tama, ano ang mali. #UsapangHalalan2022 #PHVote #WeDecide
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 25, 2022
WATCH: https://t.co/R4TUiAo94b
De Guzman says SALNs of public officials must be made transparent: Mandaraya at magnanakaw lang naman ang 'di pumapayag sa lifestyle checks. Kasi, ano ba ang dahilan bakit ayaw nilang pumayag? Eh, naglilingkod sila sa mga mamamayan. | via @_sofiaguanzon https://t.co/R4TUiAo94b
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 25, 2022
Pacquiao OK with disclosing his SALN, adds: Ang mga tao walang respeto sa batas natin. 'Yung may pera, pwede 'di sundin ang batas pero ang mahirap, kulong agad. Only in the Philippines nakita ko na convicted ka na hindi ka pa nakukulong, may conviction ka na hindi pa nase-serve.
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 25, 2022
Pacquiao: Kung boboto tayo ng magnanakaw, nagsasamantala satin, sino sisihin natin? Tayo rin sarili. Kasi tayo bumuboto eh. Mag-isip tayong mabuti specially itong halalan na 'to dahil nakataya ang kinabukasan ng ating mga anak. | via @reyaika
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 25, 2022
WATCH: https://t.co/R4TUiAo94b
Increase judiciary budget to attract the ‘best and brightest’ lawyers – Robredo
Presidential candidate and Vice President Leni Robredo spoke from experience when she recommended increasing the budget for the judiciary if the government wants to attract the “best and the brightest” lawyers.
During the CBCP forum on Friday, March 25, Robredo recalled how tough it was when she was practicing as a lawyer with the Public Attorney’s Office. The hours were grueling, and lawyers like her barely had the time to properly discuss cases with their clients, as cases tend to pile up. These working conditions discouraged top-notch lawyers from serving in government.
But Robredo believes if more funds are poured into the judiciary, the quality of lawyers serving the poor would increase, too. Justice would be served much faster.
“Dapat mas dagdag na abogado. Dapat ma-attract mo ‘yung the best and the brightest sa serbisyo… Ang daming vacancies, hindi ma-fill up. Kulang yung budget na binibigay sa kanila… Ang naaffect dito, yung speedy trial,” she said.
(We need more lawyers. You need to attract the best and the brightest… There are so many vacancies but we can’t fill them up. It’s because the budget isn’t enough… It affects the speedy trial of cases.)
De Guzman wants to repeal the Mining Act of 1995
De Guzman wants to repeal the Mining Act of 1995, says: Isusulong natin ang mineral management act, para iyong paraan ng pagmimina, magagamit lamang sa pagpapaunlad ng industriya, ekonomiya.
— Sofia Guanzon (@_sofiaguanzon) March 25, 2022