00:00Some will ask questions to our studio audience.
00:03This is how our Town Hall Round works.
00:08The Senatorial Aspirants will answer the questions of the people.
00:13Each group will ask a guest about the issues or problems that our people are facing.
00:19Each aspirant has 30 seconds to answer the question.
00:25After the first aspirant has answered the question,
00:27each aspirant will be given 15 seconds to ask a question or give a reaction.
00:33Round Robin style!
00:35Each aspirant has 30 seconds to answer the question.
00:38If no one wants to ask a question, the moderator may ask a follow-up question.
00:44In the last 5 seconds, you will hear this sound.
00:49When the time is up, a buzzer will sound.
00:54And the moderator will automatically turn off his microphone.
00:59The aspirants will now face the questions of the people.
01:05In this round, the candidates of their group will take turns to answer the questions.
01:12The first to answer the questions of the people will be
01:15Attorney Luke Espiritu and Attorney Vic Rodriguez.
01:21According to the study of the Ateneo School of Government,
01:24poverty and inequality are linked to areas that are controlled by political dynasties.
01:33And to clarify this issue, we will have with us the Dean of the Ateneo School of Government,
01:40Dean Philip Arnold Tuano.
01:44Good evening, Jessica. Thank you very much for this opportunity.
01:47According to our study, the political dynasties in our country
01:55have more control over politics in their provinces or municipalities.
02:00The government's funds are not distributed to the people in these provinces.
02:07And there is more poverty and underdevelopment in those areas.
02:11So I would like to ask our candidates,
02:14will you support a law that we can pass for an anti-dynasty law
02:21that has long been supported by our Constitutional Law?
02:23Not only will they support it, but it is the first piece of legislation that we should pass
02:27because it is a matter of national survival.
02:30Our 70 out of 80 governors are already part of the political clans.
02:35Not to mention our congressmen and our party leaders who are held by political dynasties.
02:39And in those dynasties, corruption, electoral fraud, and killings occur in the local areas.
02:45We must pass an anti-dynasty law.
02:46And I will use my position as a labor leader, a mass movement leader,
02:52in order to mobilize the masses to also support that legislation.
02:57Thank you very much. And good evening also to Dean Tuano.
03:00We need to have a basic agreement. What constitutes a political dynasty?
03:05We need to define what a political dynasty is
03:07because there are good and bad political dynasties.
03:10But I am all for defining and legislating a law prohibiting political dynasties.
03:17What is your position, Atty. Rodriguez, on the issue of political dynasties?
03:23You have 30 seconds now.
03:25In my opinion, in our law, we have to come to a basic agreement.
03:30What constitutes a political dynasty? We have to define first what is a political dynasty.
03:35And as a promising and true opposition, I urge that the Plunder Law be amended.
03:42We will lower its threshold from 50 to 1 million.
03:45And when I return that, as your senator, I will issue a death penalty
03:49so that the families will no longer give their positions to their children.
03:53I do not agree with the death penalty.
03:55Imagine lowering it to 5 million and then you will issue a death penalty.
03:58Who will issue that death penalty?
03:59Not the mayor, not the congressman, not the dynasties,
04:02but a simple bagman with a 5 million share.
04:05Only the poor will suffer from the death penalty.
04:10Thank you very much, Atty. Espiritu and Atty. Rodriguez.
04:14Next in line in our town hall round is Senator Bato de la Rosa,
04:20former Commissioner of COA, Commissioner Heidi Mendoza,
04:24and President Danilo Ramos.
04:27Inflation is the top national concern of the Filipinos
04:32based on the latest survey of OCTA Research.
04:36We will ask the official there,
04:38Assistant Professor of the University of the Philippines
04:41School of Economics Professor JC Punungbayan.
04:45Good evening to all of you.
04:47In January 2023, inflation reached 8.7%,
04:52the highest in 14 years.
04:55What is your understanding of the sudden rise in prices
05:00in the past years?
05:02And what do you think is the best solution to the effects of inflation?
05:07Is that the help that is now spreading to different parts of the country?
05:11Is this a sustainable or unsustainable solution to inflation?
05:16First, Senator de la Rosa will answer.
05:19You have 30 seconds.
05:22My solution to inflation is to strengthen our production
05:27in the sector of agriculture
05:29so that we can use food security
05:32where the price of the primary product is low.
05:36We will also tighten our crackdown
05:40against smugglers and hoarders
05:45who manipulate the market price.
05:50And giving support is helpful in...
05:55Commissioner Mendoza, you have 15 seconds to react to what Senator de la Rosa said.
06:01We can also look at the production and supply,
06:06and demand and consumption.
06:08But in reaction to Senator Bato,
06:10I don't believe that support is helpful
06:13because the way it is being implemented,
06:16we can say...
06:20What I mean to say is that support is helpful
06:23in the sense that money will flow inside the economy.
06:27So if there is money,
06:29the purchasing power of a Filipino
06:34will increase.
06:37So it will not be difficult.
06:40But if we say that it is a long-term solution,
06:43that is not the solution.
06:45It is just an immediate solution.
06:47Next, we will answer the question of Professor Punong Bayan on inflation,
06:51Commissioner Mendoza.
06:53Let's look at the production.
06:55Can we provide proper support to our farmers?
06:58Do they have access to low credit?
07:01What about the farm inputs?
07:03How is the farm infrastructure?
07:05Are our roads bumpy and difficult?
07:07Is transportation expensive?
07:09And let's look at the economic players,
07:13the traders, the producers,
07:15the hoarders,
07:17and the trust in the regulatory agencies.
07:21It is important to see why there is inflation.
07:24The truth is, for us,
07:27the government's policy and rules
07:30on why there is such a severe inflation.
07:33So for us, the policy and program
07:36is sad, but...
07:39We need the so-called economic policies
07:43on the so-called inclusivity,
07:46which will provide social protection.
07:48Now, let's talk about how to do this.
07:51Possibly, the so-called temporary assistance
07:54to the farmers,
07:56but it should be put in the right structure
07:59because this is what is needed,
08:01proper control, not discretionary,
08:03and especially not,
08:06in the party,
08:08and especially not during the election.
08:12And the last one to answer,
08:14Mr. Danilo Ramos.
08:16First, the government's policy and rules.
08:19The truth is,
08:21because of what it does,
08:23the government itself is the root of inflation.
08:25What is the solution?
08:27First, a real reform of the land,
08:29widening the food supply,
08:31especially rice,
08:33not in the division, not in the mall.
08:35Second, government subsidy
08:37for the farmers,
08:39and widening the role of the government,
08:42not importation,
08:45but local food production,
08:47to strengthen it.
08:50Senator Dela Rosa.
08:52To be honest,
08:54I agree with what he's saying.
08:57I agree, I'm not against what he's saying.
09:01Actually, the three of us,
09:03we all want the same thing.
09:05It's important that we think
09:07the cartel should be widened
09:09because they are the only ones
09:11who have knowledge
09:13on why the food supply is high.
09:15That's why we need a solution.
09:17And that's what we're asking for,
09:19subsidy for the farmers,
09:21strengthening local production,
09:23not importation,
09:25and to destroy the Rice Liberalization Law.
09:27Thank you very much,
09:29Senator Dela Rosa,
09:31Commissioner Mendoza, and General Ramos.
09:34And thank you very much
09:36to Professor JC Punungbayan
09:38of the School of Economics
09:40of the University of the Philippines.
09:45To quickly know
09:47the pulse of our guests,
09:49they will raise
09:51what emoji they feel
09:53in the pictures
09:55that we will show,
09:57whether they are happy,
09:59sad, or angry
10:01in the pictures they saw.
10:03There is no need for explanation.
10:06First picture.
10:09Raise your emoji cards.
10:28Next picture.
10:32Emoji pop.
10:34Next picture.
10:58Next picture.
11:00Raise your emoji placards.
11:04Next picture.
11:26Next picture.
11:28Show your emoji.
11:34Next picture.
11:36Show your emoji.
11:40There are still many hot questions
11:42regarding the return
11:44of the Town Hall Round.
11:46This is the question of the country,
11:48the GMA Senatorial Face-Off
11:502025.
11:57We are spending
11:59billions.
12:01What will we do
12:03to correct the use of
12:05these budgets so that
12:07Filipinos will not suffer?
12:09What will you do
12:11to make social media safer
12:13for everyone, especially
12:15young Filipinos?
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