Jejomar Binay presidential campaign, 2016

The 2016 presidential campaign of Jejomar Binay, former Mayor of Makati and incumbent Vice President of the Philippines was announced on July 1, 2015. During the launch of the United Nationalist Alliance as a political party at the Makati Coliseum.

Jejomar Binay decided to run for President of the Philippines on September 2011.^[1]

Campaign

UNA, and Partido Magdalo signing of a coalition agreement. Shown are Binay (left) and Jonvic Remulla (right) who is the incumbent governor of Cavite.

Jejomar Binay & Gregorio Honasan

On May 2014, Binay began his search for a running mate. As his potential running mate Senator Jinggoy Estrada in jail due to his implication in the PDAF scam,^[2] Binay's offers were declined by JV Ejercito,^[3] Manny Villar (via wife Cynthia Villar),^[4] Vilma Santos (via husband Ralph Recto),^[5] Mar Roxas,^[6] Grace Poe,^[7] Rodrigo Duterte^[8] and Joseph Estrada.^[9] Binay's daughter Abigail, also the Representative from Makati, said that Binay would accept anyone as his running mate except for Antonio Trillanes, and that she prefers Grace Poe.^[10] On June 12, Independence Day, speech in Iloilo, President Aquino said that he could only offer Binay the conduct of a clean and honest election, but not an outright endorsement.^[11]

On June 22, Binay resigned from the Aquino cabinet, both as presidential adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers' concerns and as chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, but did not say why.^[12] Two days later, Binay addressed the public from his Coconut Palace offices, branding the current administration as "manhid at palpak" (insensitive and bumbling), but did not mention Aquino by name. He also accused the administration of committing sins against him and the people.^[13]

In June 2015 he polled first among expected presidential candidates for the Philippine general election, 2016.^[14][15][16] However, in the September 2015 Pulse Asia he placed third after Senator Grace Poe and Mar Roxas, the ruling Liberal Party presidential candidate. His trust rating had also dropped 19%. pakyu

According to Inquirer.Net, his numbers have steadily eroded after corruption allegations came out against him in the Philippine Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings.

In September 2015, Binay tapped the services of former Secretary of Interior and Local Government Ronaldo Puno as the campaign strategist and adviser for its presidential bid.^[17][18]

Binay's presidential campaign started with a proclamation rally held in Welfareville Compound, Mandaluyong City on February 9, 2016.^[19]

Platform

During the 41st Philippine Business Conference on October 27, 2015. Here is his platforms for the economy sector.^[20]

• 1.) establish more effective monitoring and supervision of priority programs and projects
• 2.) amendments in the 1987 constitution regardless of the economic provisions
• 3.) passage of the Fiscal Incentives Rationalization Act and Right-Of-Way Act
• 4.) amendments in the Build-Operate-Transfer Law
• 5.) creation of the Department of Information Technology
• 6.) reducing personal and income taxes
• 7.) strenghtened mining, agriculture and manufacturing industries
• 8.) accelerate infrastructure development
• 9.) respect the sanctity of contracts
• 10.) lowering of income and corporate taxes
• 11.) revisit the taxation system.

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: JEJOMAR BINAY

1. To eliminate corruption in the government, to improve and increase the level of performance of the government, and an open government for the public.

During the 41st Philippine Business Conference, Binay stated that he plans to have a more effective monitoring and supervision of priority programs and projects. He also aims for the establishment of the sanctity of contracts and the acceleration of infrastructure development.

2. To stimulate the growth of individual private enterprises, however these growths should benefit the economy and the society as a whole.

In an article of Philippine Daily Inquirer, he said that he aims for the improvement in the mining, agriculture and manufacturing services which are the main driver of the economy. He wishes to start this by proposing amendments to the 1987 constitution with regards to the openness of the economy that will be evident in more airports, infrastructures and telecommunications.

3. Open the Philippines to foreign investors who could directly invest to the Philippines in other to boost the Philippine economy.

With his aim to pass the Fiscal Incentives Rationalization and Right-of-Way acts, alongside the revisiting of the taxation system in the Philippines, foreign investors could be attracted to invest in the country.

4. To dedicate more funds to subsidize small business and also to teach and help them grow.

He also intends to create a larger platform for growth for the small and medium scale enterprises through improvements in the taxation and openness to investments that can boost up growth in the long term.

5. To improve the standards of the education of the Philippines in order for the Filipinos to be on the international level.

He plans to invest heavily on education especially in imparting technical skills to blue-collar workers in order to gain more investments in the manufacturing sector. Binay lets everyone remember that his experience as a mayor is what honed his economic making policy skills and that Makati has claimed its throne as our nation’s main business district.

6. To offer systematic, honest, courteous, and proficient service to the citizens of the country.

With the tightening of the monitoring in the systems, he aims to have an improvement in the efficiency of public services.

7. To transform our government into a transparent organization and open information to the public in order to relinquish corruption and gain the trust of the citizens. Probably, the most likely to happen here is the passing of the Freedom of Information Bill which seeks to promote transparency in the public governance. This would help the citizens decide whether the public funds are being used in the right way and in the most efficient manner.

8. To balance the distribution of power to the three sectors of our government. With the proper balance in the power, difficult overlaps in the power of each branch would be avoided. A contemporary issue showing this relates to the PDAF and DAP scams where the legislative and the executive have had a dispute in the constitutional definition of national savings.

9. To make sure that the public receives the human rights they deserve and their own freedom of choice, such as freedom of speech and religion. This would be a very timely reform since there has been a long discussion between the Bangsamoro people and national government. Aside from that, there has also been issues in the media men killings and religion disputes in the country and with this plan, inclusive growth would be much more attainable in the national level.

10. To make allies and friends with neighboring countries and foreign lands, and to promote good relationships with other governments.

Despite the continuous territorial dispute over South China Sea and military conflicts surrounding the dispute, Binay suggest that China would still be a vital trading partner of the Philippines.

11. Binay also wants to include the Philippines in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which is a bank backed by China, to ensure growth in investment and decrease unemployment.

Together with the construction of good relationships with other countries, further growth in the investment level is being targeted by Binay to promote inclusive growth for everyone.

VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: GREGORIO HONASAN

           Unlike his Bin-Go tandem mate, former Vice-President Jejomar Binay, Honasan was not really hoping for a higher position initially and he was not even UNA’s first choice for the vice-presidential seat. However, when he was asked to go for the task at hand, he just took the job and stood firm to what his party believes in. "What is important, he added, is that he underwent a selection process and he is part of a party whose platform he believes in,” he said in an interview. Their tandem is even very unlikely because of some historical events linking the differences in their beliefs in the past. Rappler said, “The senator, then a colonel, led at least eight coup attempts against the Aquino administration, one of which was at Camp Aguinaldo where 2,000 military personnel participated and 50 people were killed.” On the other hand, Binay was a huge supporter of that administration, thus making the tandem seem to be more unlikely to happen. But on the brighter side, Binay said that those differences, he being titled as corrupt but a Cory Administration supporter then while Honasan being a “soldier, coup plotter, and fugitive” turned legislator, would not be a problem to both of them anymore and ensured the public that his administration would be a “healing and unifying administration.”

           Unlike Binay who already released his set of platforms as a presidential candidate, Honasan just stated in an interview that “he will push for UNA's platform of security, pro-poor programs, economic prosperity, and 'healing and political unity.’” He said that he would go by ensuring poverty-reduction and job security for more people. Consequently, if done properly, backed with good governance and policy-making and proper information promulgation, economic growth would be triggered and create, certainly, a healing and unifying administration.

Endorsements

Senate Slate

Richard Gordon, Panfilo Lacson, & Manny Pacquiao

United Nationalist Alliance

• Princess Jacel Kiram^[27] (UNA) - Daughter of Jamalul Kiram III (Sultan of the Sultanate of Sulu)
• Rey Langit^[27] (UNA) - Radio and TV Broadcaster
• Allan Montano^[27] (UNA) - Pro-bono labor rights Lawyer (NAGKAISA)
• Alma Moreno^[27] (UNA) - Incumbent Parañaque City Council member (1st District),incumbent National Chairman Philippine Councilors League, Actress
• Getulio Napeñas^[27] (UNA) - former Special Action Force (SAF) Director
• Manny Pacquiao^[27] (PCM) - Incumbent Sarangani Representative, Boxer, Actor, Singer, Head Coach-Mahindra (PBA)

Guests

• Richard Gordon^[27] (Bagumbayan-VNP), Philippine Red Cross chairman and former senator
• Panfilo Lacson,^[27] former Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery and former senator
• Susan Ople^[27] (Nacionalista)
• Martin Romualdez^[27] (Lakas-CMD), Leyte representative, Bongbong Marcos's cousin
• Tito Sotto^[27] (NPC) Acting Senate Minority Floor Leader and Eat Bulaga host
• Migz Zubiri,^[27] former senator and former Bukidnon representative

References