Many Filipinos are poor and candidates promise them all kinds of reforms just to get their votes on election day. But a lot of middle class Filipinos have problems too. Rino Asuncion, a web user, articulated this in the video question he sent to GMANews.TV which Bro. Eddie Villanueva happened to pick in Isang Tanong, the presidential forum.

Asuncion asked: “Lahat ng presidentiable atsaka tumatakbo, ang priority nila, mga mahihirap. Paano naman yung mga middle class? Ang mga middle class baon na sa utang, baon na sa credit card. Anong balak mong gawin sa kanila?”

Watch the video for Villanueva’s answer.

Bro. Eddie Villanueva is the leader of one of the biggest evangelical Christian groups outside of the Catholic Church. Editor-in-chief Howie Severino of GMANews.TV asked him how this will affect his governance if he is elected as president.

“Interesado po ako sa pananaw ninyo ukol sa prinsipyo ng Separation of Church and State. Mapapangako niyo ba na hindi niyo gagamitin ang Biblia bilang basehan ng inyong mga polisiya at desisyon kung kayo ag mahalal?”

Watch the video for Villanueva’s response.

Bro. Eddie Villanueva of Bangon Pilipinas is running for president again, even after his dismal finish in the 2004 elections. GMA News and Public Affairs Pillar Vicky Morales asked him what he will do differently this time.

“Medyo nangulelat po kayo sa 2004 presidential elections at maging po sa home province niyo sa Bulacan, eh pang-apat po kayong nagtapos. Ano po ang gusto niyong baguhin sa iyong stratehiya para gumanda po ang inyong swerte ngayong 2010?

Watch the video for Villanueva’s answer.

Evangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva of the Jesus is Lord (JIL) movement has no plans of dropping his renewed quest for the presidency to support Senator Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III.

In a statement released Thursday, Villanueva said he would stay in the presidential race as Bangon Pilipinas’ standard bearer.

“Bangon Pilipinas respects the decision of Senator Mar Roxas to give way to his fellow Liberal to take on the torch of the party’s leadership for the 2010 elections. But the Liberal Party’s move does not influence Bangon Pilipinas’ own plans,” he said.

Villanueva ran and lost during the 2004 presidential polls, placing fifth and last in the race.

Roxas on Tuesday announced that he is abandoning his presidential bid in the 2010 national elections to support Aquino.

Aquino, however, has yet to make a categorical statement on his political plans for 2010, saying Wednesday that he will embark on a spiritual retreat over the weekend to finalize his decision.

Villanueva said the change in the political landscape brought about by Aquino’s expected entry into the presidential race made his party “more challenged” to push for a platform “grounded on genuine love for God and country.”

“All parties offering a platform most responsive to the pressing needs of the country should be able to go through the electoral process by presenting such platform to the Filipino people, participating in debates on issues, going to the campaign trail, and ultimately, allowing the people to choose the best candidate based on the dictates of their conscience. This is the reason why we cannot and should not withdraw from the race,” he said.

Following Roxas’ announcement, priest-turned-Pampanga Governor Eddie Panlilio said he is willing to drop his own presidential bid for Aquino pending consultations with his supporters.

Lito Anzures, spokesman of Makati City Mayor and United Opposition president Jejomar Binay, said the mayor might also forgo his possible bid for the presidency to rally the opposition around Aquino.

Earlier, opposition senator Panfilo Lacson said former President Joseph Estrada–who said he is 99.9 percent certain of seeking the presidency again–should back out of the presidential race to unify the opposition. Lacson also said he is willing to express support for Aquino’s possible presidential bid. – GMANews.TV

In an unprecedented group pledge Sunday morning, the country’s presidential and vice presidential aspirants sought to inject hope in an election process marked by an untested automated system and widespread fears of cheating.

Thirteen hopefuls for the 2010 elections pledged to ensure clean and honest polls and vowed never to use public office for personal gain if they are elected.

They took the oath during GMA-7’s “Eleksyon 2010: Tatakbo Ka Ba?” fun run for a clean and honest elections held at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, which was broadcast live on television and via livestream on GMANews.TV.

Those who took the oath before Commission on Elections (Comelec) chair Jose Melo were former President Joseph Estrada, Senators Manuel Roxas II, Manuel Villar Jr., Francis Pangilinan, Francis Escudero, Loren Legarda, Richard Gordon, and Jamby Madrigal.

Also taking their oaths were Jesus is Lord Movement leader Bro. Eddie Villanueva, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chair Bayani Fernando, Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, environmentalist Nicanor Perlas, and Ang Kapatiran party’s JC delos Reyes.

“Hindi ako gagamit ng salapi sa maling paraan o ng armas at anumang uri ng dahas para masiguro and pagkapanalo ko sa eleksyon (I will not use funds in the wrong way nor use firearms or any other form of violence to ensure victory in the elections),” read part of the prepared oath, which the 13 signed before Melo, National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) and Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) head Henrietta de Villa, and Philippine Bar Association chair Federico Agcaoili.

The oath also read, “Hindi ko gagamitin ang kaban ng bayan o anumang pag-aari ng Pilipinas para sa aking personal na interes (I will not use public funds or any other property of the Philippines for my personal interest).”

Those “perceived candidates” who did not attend the event were Vice President Noli de Castro, who was on an official trip to China; Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who relayed that they were both ill; Pampanga governor Ed Panlilio, who informed the network that he was preoccupied with the vote recount in his province; Isabela Governor Grace Padaca, who was in Belgium; and Senator Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III, who said he is “still undecided” on whether to run in next year’s elections.

Click here to view a large image of pledge signed by 2010 hopefuls.

“We hope to awaken the consciousness of our people on how important electing the right people to public offices is,” said Felipe L. Gozon, president, chairman, and chief executive officer of GMA Network. “Elections are a very serious matter.”

Gozon added that he was “more than satisfied” with the turnout of the event.

After taking their oath before Comelec chair Melo, representatives of some of the country’s leading civic groups, media and election watchdogs, and a live television audience of millions, the hopefuls affixed their signatures to their written pledges.

“Puwede nating singilin ang mga tatakbo sa kanilang sinumpaan. This is our collective challenge to aspirants to do what’s right,” said Marissa Flores, GMA Network’s senior vice president for news and public affairs.

Aside from the political personalities’ oath-taking, 5,000 people participated in the fun run that took place beforehand.

Dubbed “Eleksyon 2010 na, Tatakbo Ka Ba? – Hamon Para sa Kaayusan ng Pilipinas,” the one-day fun run kicked off GMA Network’s awareness campaign to promote clean and honest polls in 2010. with reports from Sophia Dedace and Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV