Pinoy Buzz: Miriam Defensor-Santiago

What Properties the Presidential Candidates’ Money Could Buy

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">MANILA, Philippines - There are only days left before the 2016 presidential elections, yet many voters continue to look for additional information regarding the candidates. While not the be-all-and-end-all in selecting the next national leader, their net worth is a good indicator of how they manage their personal wealth, and how that possibly translates into their ability to lead the growth of the Philippine economy should they get elected.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIM8p6HH3wuDfj7mID-jyEtSwJKfVdZj93mUJtPA8n6yrXguGW0CV8deELYMhT8u6pvIrNkttbq61bt7eS-rr7Ef7AMYKzGZsVRpEE-z1ByNZduWnEJiFRFWDKcuRpACtBZJQQk0Eq-pda/s1600/duterte-roxas-santiago-poe-binay.jpg" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2016 presidentiables" border="0" class="img" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIM8p6HH3wuDfj7mID-jyEtSwJKfVdZj93mUJtPA8n6yrXguGW0CV8deELYMhT8u6pvIrNkttbq61bt7eS-rr7Ef7AMYKzGZsVRpEE-z1ByNZduWnEJiFRFWDKcuRpACtBZJQQk0Eq-pda/s1600/duterte-roxas-santiago-poe-binay.jpg" title="2016 presidentiables" /></a></div><br />To that end, we list the individual net worth of Vice President Jejomar Binay, former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, and Senators Grace Poe-Llamanzares and Miriam Defensor Santiago based on their latest Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), and attempt to quantify these by exploring the real estate possibilities that could be afforded by their personal wealth.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Manuel “Mar” Araneta Roxas II </span></b><br /><br />Total Assets: Php283,963,237<br />Total Liabilities: Php81,882,784<br />Estimated Net Worth: Php202,080,453<br /><br />Officially the richest of the 2016 presidential candidates, most of former Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas’ fortune was built from his time as an investment banker in New York, and from being a scion of the Araneta-Roxas family, which has various business interests and landholdings.<br /><br /><b>Residing in Metro Manila</b><br /><br />It would make sense to invest in a home in Metro Manila for someone like Mar Roxas. With finances like his, a home in Pasig is not out of the question, like this six-bedroom, six-bathroom Valle Verde home currently on the market for Php165,000,000.<br /><br /><b>Investing in the Province of Capiz</b><br /><br />Having served as Congressman of the First District of Capiz, an easy assumption to make is that Mar Roxas would be interested in investing in his home province. A net worth such as Roxas’ could accommodate the acquisition of a 3,000-sqm mountain resort in Dumarao, Capiz, 23 times, which is currently valued at Php8,500,000. This property features: family and barkada rooms, dormitories, swimming pools, a grotto, and natural waterfalls.<br /><br /><b>Buying a Commercial Lot</b><br /><br />Roxas previously went by the moniker Mr. Palengke in past political campaigns, and it would be an apt coincidence if he ever decided to invest in a commercial lot to use as a public market. His net worth would easily allow him to acquire such a space in A.S. Fortuna Street in Mandaue City, Cebu (three of them, in fact), which is currently listed for Php53,955,000. The 981-sqm lot is at a prime location, ideal for retail activity.<br /><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Mary Grace Sonora Poe-Llamanzares</span></b><br /><br />Total Assets: Php126,955,615<br />Total Liabilities: Php37,490,796<br />Estimated Net Worth: Php89,464,819<br /><br />The youngest candidate, Grace Poe’s SALN actually dropped from her previous ranking, as assets inherited from her late father, movie star Fernando Poe Jr., were removed due to a rule stating such properties should not be declared. Still, she remains the second wealthiest with a fortune comprised of investments and other assets.<br /><br /><b>Investing in Iloilo</b><br /><br />Grace Poe was once an abandoned baby discovered in Iloilo City. Should she ever want to reside in the city, she could do so from a Php16,000,000 three-door apartment near the Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral where she was found by a parish priest. With a total floor area of 402-sqm, the property has three units with five or six bedrooms each, making it an ideal rental investment as well.<br /><br /><b>Residing in Alabang</b><br /><br />It is uncertain what Poe’s next step would be should she not win the presidential elections. If she decides to retire from politics and resume the type of living she had while in the United States, a good investment would be on an American-style home in Portofino in Las Piñas. With four bedrooms, an attic, a two-car garage, and a private inner courtyard, its Php36,246,000 price is well within Poe’s budget.<br /><br /><b>Investing in Land for Educational or Philanthropic Use</b><br /><br />Also known as an educator and philanthropist, Poe could build her legacy as such if she ever decided to forego politics. With her net worth, she can buy a farm lot in Cebu. Currently valued at Php35,000,000, it has an existing rest house and 26,622 sqm of land, which can be dedicated to building an educational facility or remain as a farm where the less fortunate can seek employment.<br /><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Miriam Defensor Santiago</span></b><br /><br />Total Assets: Php123,033,539<br />Total Liabilities: Php50,000,000<br />Estimated Net Worth: Php73,033,539<br /><br />Widely recognized for having served in all three branches of the Philippine government (judiciary, executive, and legislative), Miriam Defensor Santiago is arguably the most qualified to hold office in Malacañang. Her fortune has been mostly built on legal and political grounds that has spanned over four decades.<br /><br /><b>A Residence for Sharing Knowledge</b><br /><br />The value of education is evident in Santiago, who has earned degrees from multiple schools. As she is often invited to speak and share her legal and political knowledge in different schools, it would be advantageous for her to own this three-story home in Filinvest 2, which features five bedrooms and six toilets and baths. Listed at Php16,000,000, the home is 10 minutes away from University of the Philippines Diliman, one of Santiago’s alma maters, where she taught law for 10 years.<br /><br /><b>Investing in Office Space</b><br /><br />Santiago’s career has been of pure legal work and local politics. The most ideal real estate investment for her would then be an office space in the event she wants to open another office for her legal practice. One such property that fits her SALN would be a Php43,000,000 office space in the Salcedo Village, Makati. Its floor area of 465 sqm is perfect for a large number of legal professionals.<br /><br />Expectedly, the incumbent senator may prefer a space with a better proximity to the Philippines’ different national offices, making Manila the ideal locale for most firms. Santiago’s net worth would be enough for a Php36,000,000 office space in Taft Avenue that features a building size of 448 sqm.<br /><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Jejomar “Jojo” Cabauatan Binay, Sr.</span></b><br /><br />Total Assets: Php76,301,436<br />Total Liabilities: Php16,050,453<br />Estimated Net Worth: Php60,250,983<br /><br />Despite allegations of corruption and tax evasion, Jejomar Binay is running for the country’s highest office after serving as vice president since 2010. He has the longest tenure in politics among the presidential candidates, and for the most part has amassed his wealth as a career-politician.<br /><br /><b>A Home in Makati</b><br /><br />Having served as Makati’s mayor since the 1980s (although briefly interrupted when his wife won a single term), it is expected that Binay would invest in the city he claims he had the biggest hand in developing. The city’s properties are some of the priciest in the country, and Binay’s entire declared net worth can be spent on just one Makati home, like one in Magallanes Village. Boasting three bedrooms and a land size of 568 sqm, it is currently priced at exactly Php60,000,000.<br /><br /><b>Commercial Spaces Outside Makati CBD</b><br /><br />Anyone with a high net worth should not make the mistake of not investing commercially in Makati. As the country’s foremost financial district, the returns are almost guaranteed for any commercial space. A net worth of Php60 million is more than enough to get a good investment in the city, like a new five-story building in Makati’s Brgy. Tejeros. With a land area of 590 sqm, it can accommodate a number of businesses, and its selling price of Php26,380,200 leaves more of the Binay net worth to invest.<br /><br /><b>Invest on Island Property</b><br /><br />That additional investment could be on an island. As Binay receives much scrutiny and allegations, he may want to consider living on a private island to distance himself from it all. Currently listed on Lamudi is one in Bantayan, Cebu, with a land area of 5,011 sqm and has a selling price of Php25,000,000.<br /><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Rodrigo “Rody” Roa Duterte</span></b><br /><br />Total Assets: Php22,971,732<br />Total Liabilities: Php1,000,000<br />Estimated Net Worth: Php21,971,732<br /><br />Another career lawyer and politician, Rodrigo Duterte has served as mayor of Davao City for seven terms (or over 22 years). Known for his hard controversial stance on criminals and modest lifestyle, he is considered the “poorest” of the presidential candidates with his comparatively small net value.<br /><br /><b>A Larger Home in Davao</b><br /><br />Duterte’s supporters have documented how the Davao mayor lives modestly, so one who has served the city for more than two decades may want to invest on a grander home. If he is to invest almost the entire Duterte net value on a home, a five bedroom, five bathroom house and lot is currently listed on Lamudi for Php15,900,000. It has a floor area of 328 sqm, and features a master bedroom with a walk-in closet, and a laundry and service area, among others.<br /><br /><b>Land for a Possible Rehabilitation Center</b><br /><br />Although controversially supportive of the extra-judicial killings of habitual drug users and dealers, Duterte is also acknowledged for having used city government funds to build a Php12 million drug rehabilitation and treatment center, which provides 24-hour services. Should he decide to do this as a private citizen, his net worth would be substantial for the purchase of land in Davao City with the costliest listing on Lamudi being Php15,000,000, and located near Bonifacio with a land area of 913 sqm.</div>

What Properties the Presidential Candidates’ Money Could Buy

MANILA, Philippines - There are only days left before the 2016 presidential elections, yet many voters continue to look for additional infor...

Duterte maintains wide lead in latest poll; Robredo, Marcos statistically tied in top spot

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">MANILA, Philippines- Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is still the front-runner in the latest Pulse Asia Survey commissioned by ABS-CBN Corp. published on Wednesday, May 4.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dd4fE6WAJd4pA-c1njsucN8MkGqJuM__UQF5THfeE1OEKBK851CsuFcb9gstKu0eWxi_UPP3CgF3GENI5-wVrbelwSZpWyhYMNVpphrcKP0Ut5FzoY4ugMal_gYLI1g49dSGEUNGSG9o/s1600/duterte-lead-pulse-asia.jpg" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Duterte maintains wide lead in latest poll" border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dd4fE6WAJd4pA-c1njsucN8MkGqJuM__UQF5THfeE1OEKBK851CsuFcb9gstKu0eWxi_UPP3CgF3GENI5-wVrbelwSZpWyhYMNVpphrcKP0Ut5FzoY4ugMal_gYLI1g49dSGEUNGSG9o/s640/duterte-lead-pulse-asia.jpg" title="Duterte maintains wide lead in latest poll" width="560" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">Mayor Duterte maintains wide lead over other presidential aspirants in the latest Pulse Asia Survey.<br />PHOTO CREDIT: Facebook/Rody Duterte</td></tr></tbody></table>The tough talking mayor maintained his lead with 33% rating for the second week in a row in the survey conducted from April 26 to 29 among 4,000 registered voters across the country. The survey had a margin of error of +/- 1.5%.<br /><br />Statistically tied at the second place were administration bet Manuel “Mar” Roxas II with 22% and Sen. Grace Poe with 21% ratings.<br /><br />Vice President Jejomar “Jojo Binay” and Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago got 17% and 2% respectively. <br /><br />Meanwhile, Camarines Sur Representative Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo surged in the survey and now shares the top spot with Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. Robredo has two percentage points lead with 30% of the votes over Marcos who obtained 28%. <br /><br />Former front-runner Francis “Chiz” Escudero ranked third with 18% followed by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano who obtained 15%. Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV received 3% while Sen. Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan got 2%. According to Pulse Asia, 5% of the voters remain undecided.<br /><br />In the senatorial race, Senate President Franklin “Frank” Drilon emerged as the top choice after obtaining 47.8% of the votes.<br /><br />Other senatorial aspirants who have the statistical chance of winning were Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, former senators Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri and Panifilo “Ping” Lacson, Sarangani Congressman Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, former Akbayan Party List Congresswoman Risa Hontiveros, former TESDA Director General Emmanuel Villanueva, Sen. Sergio Osmeña III, former Sen. Richard “Dick” Gordon, former DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima, Sen. Ralph Recto and Valenzuela Congressman Sherwin T. Gatchalian.<br /><b><br /></b><b>--Mini, The Summit Express</b></div>

Duterte maintains wide lead in latest poll; Robredo, Marcos statistically tied in top spot

MANILA, Philippines- Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is still the front-runner in the latest Pulse Asia Survey commissioned by ABS-CBN Corp...

Duterte, Poe statistically tied at top spot in new Pulse Asia survey

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">MANILA, Philippines- Consistent frontrunner Senator Grace Poe now shares the top spot with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte in the latest Pulse Asia survey.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwsKbIF9BBZo75RATHP_FqVmFbWoyteHCC8U-d_Mjh3CmKusLU5leDpMFho6hSgE9v4i8Jz3F_ohGTM4wu58VKgLIzFIdtXgSK6EZLrWwa5-bvzvkpL5Jr5avMuaGqpgVgs77WkV3ZkvK/s1600/duterte-poe.png" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Grace Poe are statistically tied at the top spot in latest Pulse Asia poll" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwsKbIF9BBZo75RATHP_FqVmFbWoyteHCC8U-d_Mjh3CmKusLU5leDpMFho6hSgE9v4i8Jz3F_ohGTM4wu58VKgLIzFIdtXgSK6EZLrWwa5-bvzvkpL5Jr5avMuaGqpgVgs77WkV3ZkvK/s640/duterte-poe.png" title="Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Grace Poe are statistically tied at the top spot in latest Pulse Asia poll" width="560" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Grace Poe are statistically tied at the top spot in latest Pulse Asia poll</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The ABS-CBN-commissioned survey conducted from March 8 to 13, 2016 was the first poll conducted after the Supreme Court approved Poe’s candidacy for president. Held nationwide with a sample size of 4,000, the survey yields a margin of error of +/- 1.5%.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-flG3lQ0fSY72vz-E4_fUwo-_xX9sHSXqJoY7PWzzWieDPpJHOM6IOugozRhPBfBMEP-_5P28ZthUqHOU9M8MbKfkBEbENZWYNaCq8Oz5wq3wX2iXOt1cSZthjHa7chS0EMcsi84CKB-/s1600/statistically-tied-duterte-poe.jpg" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Duterte, Poe top Pulse Asia survey" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-flG3lQ0fSY72vz-E4_fUwo-_xX9sHSXqJoY7PWzzWieDPpJHOM6IOugozRhPBfBMEP-_5P28ZthUqHOU9M8MbKfkBEbENZWYNaCq8Oz5wq3wX2iXOt1cSZthjHa7chS0EMcsi84CKB-/s640/statistically-tied-duterte-poe.jpg" title="Duterte, Poe top Pulse Asia survey" width="560" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">PHOTO CREDIT: ABS-CBN News</td></tr></tbody></table>Respondents in the poll, who were adults aged 18 and above and were registered voters with Biometrics, were asked the question: “If the coming 2016 election were held today, whom would you vote for as President of the Philippines?”  The respondents were shown a sample ballot with a list of candidates as of February 15, 2016.<br /><br />The results of the poll showed that 26% of the respondents preferred Poe, while 25% chose Duterte. Not far behind the frontrunners is Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay  who was picked by 22% of the respondents. Administration bet Manuel “Mar” Roxas II was preferred by 20% of the respondents while 3% picked Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago. Five percent of respondents did not choose any presidential candidate.<br /><br />Compared to the poll carried out from March 1 to 6, the latest survey has a bigger sample size which had 2,600 respondents. Poe, who earned 28% of the votes in that survey, had a slight advantage over Duterte, who had 24%.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRindUQvAPj4LeXaLL2oSUms8GNsFL3KISRI-DqJuBRHSivhMDhMU08H5R5otv-dZHodBiGTp8MT9n5iDOkpQC7ZLx5ZluS68c-bt9n0_Lb7LUMSO7FykmTcdNd6v-bHahLOyBoy1-3Io/s1600/duterte-poe-statistically-tied1.jpg" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pulse Asia survey president" border="0" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRindUQvAPj4LeXaLL2oSUms8GNsFL3KISRI-DqJuBRHSivhMDhMU08H5R5otv-dZHodBiGTp8MT9n5iDOkpQC7ZLx5ZluS68c-bt9n0_Lb7LUMSO7FykmTcdNd6v-bHahLOyBoy1-3Io/s640/duterte-poe-statistically-tied1.jpg" title="Pulse Asia survey president" width="560" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">PHOTO CREDIT: ABS-CBN News</td></tr></tbody></table>Poe emerged as the top choice in the National Capital Region (NCR) and the rest of Luzon (34%). Meanwhile, Roxas remains the preferred candidate in Visayas with 36%. Duterte swept Mindanao with 46% of the votes.<br /><br />While Duterte remains the top pick of respondents coming from Class ABC, Poe was preferred by respondents coming in Class D and E. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ-sJCrWeQ39tuhI1MFZ446ly_VO2RfBsnAzwQwiZ2p0oJflf85uKwpT7urOfHS-wprJRiKn32aEo1oFxYHM6aj-myosGu_TEUV194Dm8jqBXmLp8lVmW47MQZFBIs_nhusCeX37YW-m-4/s1600/duterte-poe-statistically-tied2.jpg" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pulse Asia survey president" border="0" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ-sJCrWeQ39tuhI1MFZ446ly_VO2RfBsnAzwQwiZ2p0oJflf85uKwpT7urOfHS-wprJRiKn32aEo1oFxYHM6aj-myosGu_TEUV194Dm8jqBXmLp8lVmW47MQZFBIs_nhusCeX37YW-m-4/s640/duterte-poe-statistically-tied2.jpg" title="Pulse Asia survey president" width="560" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PHOTO CREDIT: ABS-CBN News</td></tr></tbody></table><b>-Mini, The Summit Express</b></div>

Duterte, Poe statistically tied at top spot in new Pulse Asia survey

MANILA, Philippines- Consistent frontrunner Senator Grace Poe now shares the top spot with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte in the la...

LIVESTREAM: 2nd PiliPinas Debates 2016 on TV5 video now up

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">MANILA, Philippines - The second leg of presidential debate dubbed as "PiliPinas Debates 2016" for the May 9 general elections happens today, March 20, 2016 at the Performing Arts Hall of the University of the Philippines (UP)-Cebu. TV5, the media partner mounts full livestream for this historic event.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizn5M5qxOmnmL6U5eTW7uJSpTGszmv7I2BzER2ILPxDl8tr0kySI8eYIzln28481bN89b5TvPReiNMpWBrx8JybOSbPWmRHZYVArjDmj4BE6SB1qzlHke4Y6bFydABrzYnqEvkhlPVhfQN/s1600/pilipinas-debates-2016-tv5-livestream.jpg" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2nd PiliPinas Debates 2016 on TV5 video now up" border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizn5M5qxOmnmL6U5eTW7uJSpTGszmv7I2BzER2ILPxDl8tr0kySI8eYIzln28481bN89b5TvPReiNMpWBrx8JybOSbPWmRHZYVArjDmj4BE6SB1qzlHke4Y6bFydABrzYnqEvkhlPVhfQN/s640/pilipinas-debates-2016-tv5-livestream.jpg" title="2nd PiliPinas Debates 2016 on TV5 video now up" width="560" /></a></div><br />The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has partnered with TV5 and the Philippine Star for the highly anticipated Visayas leg of debates.<br /><br /><b>Catch the livestream of second Pilipinas Debates 2016 at the UP-Cebu here</b> (bilangpilipino.com):<br /><br />Note: The full video livestream courtesy of TV5 and News5 Everywhere will be available on this page (Refresh page for the updates).<br /><br />Meanwhile, here's the live Twitter feed for the second presidential debate of the 2016 elections:<br /><br /><center><a class="twitter-timeline" data-widget-id="701246678234312704" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PiliPinasDebates2016" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#PiliPinasDebates2016 Tweets</a><br /><script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+"://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");</script></center><br /><b>Miriam Santiago skips Comelec-TV5 #PiliPinasDebates2016</b><br /><br />The presidential candidates who will have their face offs today are: Vice President Jejomar Binay of United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), DILG secretary Manuel Roxas II of Liberal Party (LP); Independent candidate Senator Grace Poe; and Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of PDP-Laban.<br /><br />In a statement, Presidential candidate Miriam Defensor Santiago said she will not be attending the debate to undergo a <a href="http://pinoybuzz.blogkorner.com/2016/03/sen-miriam-skips-second-presidential-debate-to-join-clinical-trial.html" rel="nofollow">clinical trial to fight her cancer</a>.<br /><br />"I am very sorry to miss out on the debates, but it would be a disservice to the country if I forego the opportunity to get rid of my cancer completely and strengthen myself further to serve the Filipino people," Santiago said.<br /><br />Reports said that the presidential hopefuls will arrive at the debate hall at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday. The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) were also deployed around the campus for their security.<br /><br /><b>Second presidential debates topics, format</b><br /><br />PiliPinas Debates 2016 on TV5 will be "better, with longer hours and less advertisement," Comelec chairman Andres Bautista announced.<br /><br />This is the answer to complaints received from the <a href="http://pinoybuzz.blogkorner.com/2016/02/livestream-pilipinas-debates-2016-now-up-gma-7-360-degree-video.html" rel="nofollow">first presidential debate last February 21</a> sponsored by GMA-7 as it drew flak from critics and netizens on its format, long commercial breaks and the effectiveness of the discussions. <br /><br />This time, the debate proper will run from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (1 hour longer) and with prelude at 4:30 p.m. Live streaming will be available from 4:30 p.m. on TV5.<br /><br />TV5 veteran journalist Luchi Cruz-Valdez will serve as the moderator. The panel of interrogators is composed of TV5 news anchor Erwin Tulfo, TV5 public affairs host Lourd de Veyra, Bloomberg TV host Anthony Abad, RMN news anchor Rufill Banoc, The STAR editor-in-chief Amy Pamintuan and associate editor Marichu Villanueva.<br /><br />Bautista added that the way of questioning will be different for every round. During the first round, the panelist will be questioning the presidential candidates (panel discussion format) and, on the second round, each contender can raise a question against the other debater (one-on-one toss-up).<br /><br />With the changes, each presidential candidate will have 120 seconds or two minutes – from the previous 90 seconds – to answer questions, and 30 seconds to make a rebuttal.<br /><br />The topics to be discussed are disaster preparedness, climate change, health care, women's rights, education and fighting corruption.<br /><br /><b>Pilipinas Debates Schedule</b><br /><br />After the Cagayan de Oro and Cebu debates, Comelec will also organize the third and final presidential debate on April 24 at the University of Pangasinan for the Luzon leg. ABS-CBN and Manila Bulletin will serve as media sponsors.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the vice presidential debate is set on April 10 at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) to be organized with the help of CNN Philippines, Business Mirror and Rappler.<br /><br />Who will dominate the second #PiliPinasDebates2016? Express your thoughts in the comment section below.<br /><br /><b>RELATED STORIES</b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="http://pinoybuzz.blogkorner.com/2016/01/infographic-16-things-you-need-to-know-presidential-candidate-binay.html" rel="nofollow">INFOGRAPHIC: 16 Things You Need To Know About Presidential Candidate Jejomar Binay</a></li><li><a href="http://pinoybuzz.blogkorner.com/2015/12/infographic-16-things-you-need-to-know-about-presidential-candidate-sen-miriam-santiago.html" rel="nofollow">INFOGRAPHIC: 16 Things You Need To Know About Presidential Candidate Sen. Miriam Santiago</a></li><li><a href="http://pinoybuzz.blogkorner.com/2015/12/infographic-16-facts-about-2016-presidential-candidate-mar-roxas.html" rel="nofollow">INFOGRAPHIC: 16 Facts about 2016 Presidential Candidate Mar Roxas</a></li><li><a href="http://pinoybuzz.blogkorner.com/2016/02/infographic-16-things-you-need-to-know-rodrigo-duterte.html" rel="nofollow">INFOGRAPHIC: 16 Things You Need To Know About Presidential Candidate Rodrigo Duterte</a></li><li><a href="http://pinoybuzz.blogkorner.com/2016/02/presidential-candidate-grace-poe-16-things-you-need-to-know-infographic.html" rel="nofollow">INFOGRAPHIC: 16 Things You Need To Know About 2016 Presidential Candidate Grace Poe</a></li></ul></div>

LIVESTREAM: 2nd PiliPinas Debates 2016 on TV5 video now up

MANILA, Philippines - The second leg of presidential debate dubbed as "PiliPinas Debates 2016" for the May 9 general elections hap...

Grace Poe claims top spot in latest Pulse Asia survey

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">MANILA, Philippines - Senator Grace Poe emerged as the top presidential choice in the survey conducted two days before the Supreme Court made its landmark ruling allowing Poe to run for president in the upcoming presidential election.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIvS2rEGiJ5jm4ubtrsZHe_9BnwB9mw41lKXFKjEALcOxuQEdc8HymIOfPTbqrkI3tbWE8UnJ_Sa4POyok0Jj3jy5ESuqJsUBGsSxnFoGZ0W-ySOJYq9pREEmHVHUhm6bi0hB26xEomzdg/s1600/presidentiables.jpg" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Poe claims top spot in latest Pulse Asia survey" border="0" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIvS2rEGiJ5jm4ubtrsZHe_9BnwB9mw41lKXFKjEALcOxuQEdc8HymIOfPTbqrkI3tbWE8UnJ_Sa4POyok0Jj3jy5ESuqJsUBGsSxnFoGZ0W-ySOJYq9pREEmHVHUhm6bi0hB26xEomzdg/s640/presidentiables.jpg" title="Poe claims top spot in latest Pulse Asia survey" width="560" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The survey commissioned by ABS-CBN conducted from March 1 to 6 involved 2,600 respondents.<br /><br />Poe is now on solo lead with 28 percent of the votes, while Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte remains at second place with 24%.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJt8q6wd8coh4IftL8P-HGdEu3xNAl8S-AIj58ApLginW_NX7MJaZGA98fd56DP1kziQkwX5M7s5v_dTJTIcd0miwotZNBKhyphenhyphenorZE0WMFYBmlER0Qccvb1h9XM-uiKzGW_fXxo21KujfGg/s1600/pulse+asia+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pulse Asia survey Grace Poe tops" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJt8q6wd8coh4IftL8P-HGdEu3xNAl8S-AIj58ApLginW_NX7MJaZGA98fd56DP1kziQkwX5M7s5v_dTJTIcd0miwotZNBKhyphenhyphenorZE0WMFYBmlER0Qccvb1h9XM-uiKzGW_fXxo21KujfGg/s640/pulse+asia+1.jpg" title="Pulse Asia survey Grace Poe tops" width="560" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">PHOTO CREDIT: ABS-CBN News</td></tr></tbody></table>Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay plunged by three points to 21 percent. Binay shared the lead with Poe in Pulse Asia’s Feb. 16 to 27 survey. Currently in statistical tie at third place with Binay is former DILG chief Manuel “Mar” Roxas III with 20 percent. Santiago only garnered 3% of the votes.<br /><br />Poe also topped the second choice presidential preference getting 29% of the votes. Binay placed 2nd with 21%, while Duterte and Roxas tied at third place with 14%.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHV_HVMDSjVKkjy8WkkUg2mf8kb2PeljF5yFBkESe2l7M41ClghyJg8JSJOaMXb81yJSpe5ksc-xUD8b9dIDZ5lnTIM52LcyzIyVTzVuzXfWe7BQBq5c4WTTrYhPQPIbPvJ6aP_ME1n-i/s1600/pulse+asia+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pulse Asia survey Grace Poe tops" border="0" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHV_HVMDSjVKkjy8WkkUg2mf8kb2PeljF5yFBkESe2l7M41ClghyJg8JSJOaMXb81yJSpe5ksc-xUD8b9dIDZ5lnTIM52LcyzIyVTzVuzXfWe7BQBq5c4WTTrYhPQPIbPvJ6aP_ME1n-i/s640/pulse+asia+2.jpg" title="Pulse Asia survey Grace Poe tops" width="560" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">PHOTO CREDIT: ABS-CBN News</td></tr></tbody></table>Poe’s running mate Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero emerged as the top choice in the race for vice presidency with 25%. Escudero is still in statistical tie with Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. with 22%.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAeSCR0CKjRzm0ao26zygP7uJhkhxr2IJ941HTL-izYNEFWj_Ku8zVw4iosvv1WebTE_R06G8yYBnzxbGC5EWguuKnzaa2L7qr-gWX7tT7wUZsM0_GJGU_mUqd_fA5UV4OCPCbQS_DtjE5/s1600/pulse+asia+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pulse Asia survey Chiz tops" border="0" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAeSCR0CKjRzm0ao26zygP7uJhkhxr2IJ941HTL-izYNEFWj_Ku8zVw4iosvv1WebTE_R06G8yYBnzxbGC5EWguuKnzaa2L7qr-gWX7tT7wUZsM0_GJGU_mUqd_fA5UV4OCPCbQS_DtjE5/s640/pulse+asia+3.jpg" title="Pulse Asia survey Chiz tops" width="560" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">PHOTO CREDIT: ABS-CBN News</td></tr></tbody></table>Camarines Sur congresswoman Leni Robredo ranked second with 21%, while Senator Alan Peter Cayetano placed third with 14%. Senator Antonio Trillanes and Senator Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan had 6% and 5% of the votes, respectively.<br /><br />Among the senatorial candidates who made it to the Magic 12 are Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Senate President Franklin Drilon, former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Senator Ralph Recto, former Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senator Sergio Osmeña III, former Sen. Richard Gordon, former Rep. Risa Hontiveros, Congressman Manny Pacquiao, and former Justice Secretary Leila De Lima.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3O9Y3VA62cCPPTus6_XcxrOJpmIAHTlH7ems2NPaDGBa6zULDJqPANKtK7UM_7RgwSgpy8udkSTRQTwHX-_w79a1ccDT7f8clWW-NlSr80q0K2OJHG8jxQvfEBma4w4Gvftu02kKy3vS/s1600/pulse+asia+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3O9Y3VA62cCPPTus6_XcxrOJpmIAHTlH7ems2NPaDGBa6zULDJqPANKtK7UM_7RgwSgpy8udkSTRQTwHX-_w79a1ccDT7f8clWW-NlSr80q0K2OJHG8jxQvfEBma4w4Gvftu02kKy3vS/s640/pulse+asia+4.jpg" width="470" /></a></div><br /><br />Senator TJ Guingona and former TESDA chief Joel Villanueva, both from the Liberal party, are vying for the 12th or final spot. <b>-Mini, The Summit Express</b></div>

Grace Poe claims top spot in latest Pulse Asia survey

MANILA, Philippines - Senator Grace Poe emerged as the top presidential choice in the survey conducted two days before the Supreme Court mad...

Binay maintains lead in latest SWS presidential survey

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">MANILA, Philippines - The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) standard bearer Vice President Jejomar Binay has topped the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) presidential survey.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNri3RXXDhW8vln_NhTqRa-jo5CsKWLpxpL3mn2iKBQDOyQocO_vHwwZZhQHuYaX_KDoHv38iN06N87BGRzEZM1kvJIH_lVr39WhxWGdWuxQBdP-A7ll2wr3uR78zg43ddW2fjX5u_VI6f/s1600/JOJO-BINAY.jpg" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="VP Binay leads latest SWS presidential survey" border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNri3RXXDhW8vln_NhTqRa-jo5CsKWLpxpL3mn2iKBQDOyQocO_vHwwZZhQHuYaX_KDoHv38iN06N87BGRzEZM1kvJIH_lVr39WhxWGdWuxQBdP-A7ll2wr3uR78zg43ddW2fjX5u_VI6f/s640/JOJO-BINAY.jpg" title="VP Binay leads latest SWS presidential survey" width="560" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">VP Binay leads latest SWS presidential survey. PHOTO CREDIT: Facebook/ Jojo Binay</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The nationwide poll, conducted from January 8 to 10, was released on Friday, January 15.<br /><br />Binay received 31% of the respondents votes placing him on the top spot, while Senator Grace Poe, who previously shared the spot with him, garnered 24% of the votes.<br /><br />Presidential candidates Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, who received 21% of the votes, as well as Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who got 20%,  statistically tied with Poe as the survey claims a margin of error of ±3 points.<br /><br />Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago was at the bottom of the survey getting only three percent of the votes.<br /><br />The SWS survey asked 1,200 registered voters:  “Sa mga sumusunod na pangalan sa listahang ito, sino po ang malamang ninyong iboboto bilang presidente ng Pilipinas, kung ang eleksyon ay gaganapin ngayon?”<br /><br />(Among the following names on the list, who would you most likely vote as president of the Philippines, if elections were held today?)<br /><br /><b>Binay Benefits from Issues Faced by Fellow Presidential Candidates</b><br /><br />According to analysts, Binay’s surge in surveys was brought about by the issues troubling his fellow presidential candidates. A five percentage points increase from December 2015 to January 2016 was observed despite corruption allegations against him.<br /><br />But compared to the presidential candidates survey held on December 2014, Binay’s score decreased by six percentage points from 37%.<br /><br /><br /><b>Escudero Now Statistically Tied with Marcos</b><br /><br />Although Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero was able to maintain his lead among vice presidential aspirants after getting 28% of the votes, he is now statistically tied with Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos who received 25%. Placing 2nd were Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo received 17%  and Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano 14%.<br /><br />Sens. Gringo Honasan and Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV who received 8% and three percent, respectively, were at the bottom of the list. <br /><br /><b>Sotto: A Top Choice among Senatorial Candidates</b><br /><br />Among the senatorial candidates who topped the survey are <br /><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Sotto, Vicente III "Tito" of the Nationalist People’s Coalition 56%</li><li>Lacson, Panfilo "Ping" (Independent) 49%</li><li>Recto, Ralph of the Liberal Party 46%</li><li>Pangilinan, Francis "Kiko" of the Liberal Party 46%</li><li>Drilon, Franklin "Frank" of Liberal Party 43%</li><li>Osmeña, Sergio III "Serge" (Independent) 42%</li><li>Zubiri, Miguel "Migz" (Independent) 39%</li><li>Pacquiao, Emmanuel "Manny" of United Nationalist Alliance 37%</li><li>De Lima, Leila Norma Eulalia Josefa of Liberal Party 33%</li><li>Gordon, Richard "Dick" (Bagumbayan-VNP) 31%</li><li>Guingona, Teofisto III "TG" of the Liberal Party 28%</li><li>Hontiveros, Ana Theresia “Risa” of the Liberal Party 28%</li><li>Moreno, Isko Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino 28%</li></ul><div><b><i>-Mini/TheSummitExpress</i></b></div></div>

Binay maintains lead in latest SWS presidential survey

MANILA, Philippines - The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) standard bearer Vice President Jejomar Binay has topped the latest Social Weathe...