Press Release
October 7, 2012

TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW PART 1
PRESS CONFERENCE AFTER FILING OF CANDIDACY
OCTOBER 5, 2012

Cayetano running with the administration slate because of a shared vision of 'tuwid na daan'

Topic discussed:

  • Why file today

  • Vision for the country

  • Political dynasty

  • NP coalition with LP

  • Pilipinas 2020 teaser

Reporter: Why file today?

ASC: I filed on Teacher's Day because very symbolic this is very symbolic for our family. Two generations ago, wala sigurong magsasabi na may Cayetano na magiging Vice Mayor, Mayor, Congressman o Senador dahil public school teacher ang aking lola buong buhay niya. Even if she was a public school teacher, kailangan niya magpautang sa palengke para lang madagdagan ang kanyang sweldo. Mekaniko naman ang aking lolo.

Although issue ang dynasties ngayon, we should remember that one or two generations ago, people like us (Cayetanos) will have no chance against Industrialists, Hacienderos, against powerful politicians. So, on those issues on dynasties, a lot of things have changed. It is not true that there is no equal opportunity for those who want to be in public office.

Kung tatanungin, lamang ba talaga ang mayayaman o mga nakapwesto ngayon? But that's the case anywhere in the world. Even yung dating mahirap, o dating walang kapangyarihan na incumbent noon, it's always the goal to get people close to him elected if you do a good job.

Sa akin, 'Let us not look at the tree, look at the forest'. Hindi kasi dynasty talaga dapat yung issue, ang issue may vision ba ang public official o short-sighted at wala siyang vision, siya ba ay for good governance o siya ba ay corrupt at pangatlo, siya ba ay pumasok to be served o to serve.

Kahit wala kang kamag anak pag mag-isa ka lang, kung corrupt ka naman, huwag dapat iboto. Kung tatlo silang tumatakbo na magkakamag-anak, tatlo silang magaling, tatlo silang may vision, tatlo silang good governance, gusto niyo silang iboto, iboto ninyo. Gusto ninyong iboto dalawa lang, yung isa hindi, o gusto ninyong iboto yung isa -that's your right in any democracy.

But to say na huwag ninyong iboto dahil sa dynasty sila, it will show the present reality that many people like in our family, [even citing the current example of his wife in Taguig] ang nakalaban namin, dating Justice ng Supreme Court, nakatatlong term na Mayor, etc. at walang makakpagsabi that time that a 27 year old, who was brought up in Bicol and Bulacan would be able to beat them and be mayor of Taguig.

So, I think ang mas importante i-refocus natin: Ano ang kaibahan ng NP, LP, LUP ticket at ano ang kaibahan ng UNA ticket. I think one of the assignments or challenges sa amin as a coalition, hindi pwedeng individual lang na platform at prinsipyo namin. We should come up with a team statement of principles or blue print statement for the country. Para sa ganung paraan, ang binibenta natin or ang nililigaw natin sa isang tao ay plataporma at hindi kung sino ang pinakamagaling na personality.

And lastly, I admire the activists (yung mga naga-anti-dynasty, anti- epal). I am happy that they are active, I am happy that they are looking for national development - sila'y nakikilahok. But ang aking piece of advise lang, usually panay anti eh.

We can't just always be anti something because that will not elect anyone good, ang kailangan may pro. Sasabihin mo 'anti-epal' ka pero 'pro' what? Pag hindi lang siya epal pero corrupt siya, pwede? Pag hindi lang siya epal pero wala naman talaga siyang projects, okay na rin?

Ganun din sa political dynasty, pag wala siyang kamag anak iboboto na natin siya? So let me encourage these people who are channeling their energy to national development, also show who you are pro for.

Ang example ko nga kahapon, I was reading yung pag-file ni Mayor Hagedorn, and a lot of us admire him. So, kung tingin ninyo magaling siya, then don't be only anti-political family when you can be pro-Hagedorn.

Kung naniniwala ka sa UNA, be pro-UNA kasi andali sabihing the same names, the same ganyan, unfair sa marami yun e kasi hihimayin mo yung mga pangalan na yun, sino ang same name dahil... For example, my case: It's the same name. Why? Kasi nagsimula akong konsehal 20 years ago, but it's not the same Alan in everyday of the session, it's not the same na may Alan na administrasyon, may Alan na oposisyon, may Alan na fiscalizer.

I am not against dynasty. It's the individuals I want people to look at - okay ba sila o hindi. Ang tinatanong lang naman kasi yung pamilya ba nila at yung individuals na yun ay tunay na public servant o sila ba ay trapo at magnanakaw. Kung trapo at magnanakaw sila, isa man sila o sampu sa pamilya, itapon niyo na pero kung okay sila at nagugustuhan ninyo, iboto ninyo.

Reporter: Marami po daw pondo ang LP? May iba namang nagsasabi wala daw pondo?

ASC: Dun nga ako nagtataka nung sinabi ng UNA na yung LP kasi administrasyon, marming pondo. I know before yun ang parating sinasabi na kapag administrasyon ka, maraming pondo unless sa 12 ako lang ang may alam na walang pondo kasi wala pa kong nakikita, wala pa akong meeting na na-attend-an, yung Chief of Staff ko naga-attend ng meeting.

In fact, ang nabasa ko sa dyaryo, sinabi ng Secretary Butch Abad, if you'll join in us, don't expect for any extra fund and don't use government funds.

So, I think nagkakamali ang UNA by saying na kaya ka naga-admin dahil sa may pondo. Kaya ako naga-admin dahil sa tuwid na daan.

Ako personally, it's difficult for me and I actually considered going independent. Being the Minority Leader is being on the opposition but when I was assured by several secretaries that kay Presidente daw basta hindi personal attack, you can continue being a fiscalizer and he will appreciate yung criticisms. I am okay with that.

That assurance, at nakita ninyo naman sa mga imbestigasyon that either I spearheaded or joined at ilan sa mga kontra-SONA may mga points doon na masakit sa palasyo but they didn't consider it against the coalition rules or agreement.

So, as long as ganun yung usapan, na lahat tayo tuwid na daan pero you can criticize or you can propose, I am comfortable with that but once they say na 'yes man' ka lang, it's time to leave the coalition.

Reporter: How should politicians raise funds for elections?

ASC: That's what I've been saying since I first ran in 2007. Kung kailangan mo ng 100M o ng 50M, ang problema sa sistema natin ngayon, ang 50M ay binibigay ng malalaking kumpanya o ng mga illegal sources (drug lords, jueteng lords). So, you have siguro 5 people giving you 10M tapos parang merong may hawak sayo, so, what's the solution?

Hindi rin solution sayo to spend 1M lang dahil baka hindi ka manalo din. The solution is to get people to donate small amounts at ang utang na loob mo nasa tao.

For example, if 1M people give you 50Php, or if 10M people give you 5Php. That's also 50M ang utang na loob mo pa sa kanila. Ang problema paano mo gagawin iyon ng walang sistema? Sa US kasi may sistema.

So, that's one thing that I will suggest sa budget hearing ng COMELEC, kay Commissioner Lim. Why don't they allow cellphone companies to be able to use their facilities na pwede kang mag-pass-a-load sa pulitiko. So meaning, gusto mo si Alan Cayetano... gusto mo magdonate ng 10Php, i-pass mo through your load, mapupunta sa bank account, yun ang gagamitin ng pulitiko. That's where democracy comes in. It won't be like the current situation where elite democracy allows candidates to be forced to raise their own funds or go to sources that might compromise them.

Reporter: Hindi ba kayo natatakot na baka maapektuhan ang resulta kapag nagkalaglagan na from within the slate dahil iba iba ang partido?

ASC: Kapag dumadating ang last two weeks ng eleksyon, at makikita mo ang final 13, hindi mo maiiwasan na kahit magkakampi, maging bokal, congressman, o senador, kapag last two weeks na, iba na ang emosyon ng mga kandidato. Ang tema nila, kung dati ay 10% open sa intriga, nagiging 100%.

Kaya kung nasa bandang 9 to 11 na posisyon ka, 'yan 'yung mga nag-aaway-away na. Pero sa umpisa ng campaign pa lang, everyone is really optimistic. In fact, wala ngang naniniwala na matatalo siya. Kaya 'yung effect ng kung sino ang nasa survey o wala, hindi mo pa mapapansin ngayon 'yon.

Nandoon pa lang kasi kami ngayon sa bonding stage, tulungan stage, during the campaign. Sa last stage na kani-kanya na, and everyone's looking after his own slot, kasi the thing about the senate slot or provincial councilor, kakampi mo na, pero kakompetensya mo pa pagdating diyan. hindi katulad kapag block voting, magkakampi kayo all the way, hindi ba? Our constitution doesn't allow block voting. So expect that there will be intrigues as we go to the final stage. But it's the job of the campaign manager to try to keep the team together.

Reporter: What is with your Pilipinas 2020 Ad campaign on tv?

ASC: I am an endorser of Pilipinas 2020. Ako ang endorser ngayon rather than being endorsed. Malapit na.. malapit ko nang i-explain sa inyo pero wag muna today. Wala naman election sa 2020 , 2016 ang election eh.

2020 is a perfect vision. We'd like to get a group of Filipinos together who believes that from 2013 to 2020 you can put a vision and projects together and work towards it [together] regardless kung anong party.

Question, is it for Presidential? Anyone who wants to be a presidentiable can join, any party, any politician. I don't lead it. I was just chosen to be one of its endorser and I am endorsing it.

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