From song and dance numbers to motorcades, Senate hopefuls have employed various ways, different tactics, and styles during this campaign period to woo voters. Some went house-to-house; others opted to address larger audiences in more than a hundred campaign caravans.

But where do senatorial candidates stand on issues that voters most care about?

In the second half of Vera Files’ election series, we kept track of statements, advocacy, policy agenda, previous bills and consistency in standpoint of senatorial candidates on the five most “urgent national concerns” according to a February 2019 Pulse Asia pre-electoral survey.

These are:

• controlling inflation
• improving or increasing worker’s pay
• fighting graft and corruption in government
• creating more jobs
• fighting criminality

Pulse Asia asked 1,800 likely voters nationwide to pick from a list three issues that need urgent action from the Duterte administration, or name an issue themselves. The survey had a ± 2.3 margin of error.

The first part of the series covers independent candidates: singer-composer Freddie Aguilar, former Biliran Representative Glenn Chong, lawyer Larry Gadon, former TESDA Deputy Director General Dado Padilla, former Sulu 2nd District Representative Lady Ann Sahidulla and former education undersecretary Butch Valdes.

Here are facts you need to know:

Freddie Aguilar, Singer/Songwriter

Glenn Chong, former Biliran representative

Lorenzo "Larry" Gadon, Lawyer

Diosdado “Dado” Padilla, former TESDA Deputy Director General

Nur-Ana "Lady Ann" Sahidulla, former 2nd District of Sulu Representative

Antonio "Butch" Valdes, former Education Undersecretary

Sources:

Freddie Aguilar

Freddie Aguilar campaign team, Freddie Aguilar para Senado: Adhikain Para sa Pagbabago

Freddie Aguilar official Facebook page, FREDDIE AGUILAR OBJECTIVES

Bonbel09 (private Youtube account), Freddie Aguilar interview, Sept. 30, 2010

ABS-CBN News, Freddie Aguilar protests violent arrest of nephew, Jan. 23, 2010

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lj5doxfmwVfddWWH6G_6h4afnWfuccg3-H8X39BfOx0/edit

Glenn Chong

GMA Public Affairs YouTube channel, “Atty. Glenn Chong, inilatag ang kanyang mga plataporma sa pagtakbong senador,” April 6, 2019.

News5Everywhere Youtube channel, “Aplikante sa Senado - Glenn Chong,” Feb. 19, 2019.

Tsek.ph, “Chong makes wrong claim on Biliran poverty,” April 11, 2019.

UNTV News and Rescue, “Atty. Glenn Chong will continue poll fraud battle vs Smartmatic & Comelec in his 2019 senatorial bid,” Feb. 7, 2019.

Lorenzo "Larry" Gadon

On inflation

• Manila Bulletin, #Harapan2019: Larry Gadon on Inflation and Prices of Goods, Feb. 18, 2019
• Inquirer.net, ‘I am very confident that I will win’ --Gadon, Oct. 12, 2018
• ABS-CBN News, Lawyer who sought Sereno ouster seeks Senate seat, Oct. 12, 2018
• CNN Philippines, Gadon: My priority is to lower electricity rates, March 10, 2019

On wages

• CNN Philippines, ‘The Filipino Votes’ Senatorial Forum 4, March 10, 2019

On graft and corruption

• GMA News Online, The six articles of impeachment vs. CJ Sereno, March 19, 2018
• ABS-CBN News, Gadon wants SC to invalidate Sereno’s appointment, March 1, 2018
• UNTV News and Rescue, Gadon welcomes forwarding of Sereno graft charges to Ombudsman, Aug. 21, 2018

On job creation

• Manila Bulletin, (TRANSCRIPT) Harapan 2019: The ABS-CBN Senatorial Town Hall Debate, Feb. 17, 2019
• News5 official Youtube account, APLIKANTE SA SENADO - ATTY. LARRY GADON, Feb. 25, 2019

On fighting criminality

• GMA News Online, De Guzman says death penalty not a deterrent; Gadon says imprisonment not enough, Feb. 9, 2019
• Rappler.com, Gadon on drug war: If I were President, I’d kill more, Dec. 8, 2017
• Manila Bulletin, #Harapan2019: Larry Gadon on age of criminal responsibility, Feb. 18, 2019

Diosdado "Dado” Padilla

Investigative Documentaries on Youtube, Investigative Documentaries: Katiwalian sa Senado, balak wakasan ni Atty. Dado Padilla, February 28, 2019 (3:06-4:37)

News5Everywhere on Youtube, Dado Padilla, March 25, 2019 (18:25-20:34, on graft and corruption)

ABS-CBN News on Youtube, DZMM TeleRadyo: Message 'Sen' - Dado Padilla, may sagot sa netizens, February 19, 2019 (3:08-04:25, on improving/increasing workers' pay)

Diosdado Padilla's personal website, dadopadilla.com

Nur-Ana "Lady Ann" Sahidulla

ABS-CBN News YouTube channel, “ISYU, IT'S YOU: Gary Alejano at Lady Ann Sahidulla may sagot sa isyu ng bayan,” Dec. 11, 2018

CNN Philippines YouTube channel, “The Filipino Votes: Senatorial Forum Part 6,” March 24, 2019

GMA Public Affairs YouTube channel, “Kahirapan at mataas na singil sa kuryente, sosolusyonan ni Princess Lady Ann Sahidulla,” March 29, 2019

News5 Everywhere YouTube channel, “Aplikante sa Senado - Nur-Ana Sahidulla,” March 12, 2019.

Antonio "Butch" Valdes

Katipunan ng Demokratikong Pilipino YouTube channel, “#KDP Senator Butch Valdes sa Thinking Pinoy #SenatorialGisahan1on1,” Feb. 25, 2019

UNTV News and Rescue YouTube channel, “CNG founder Butch Valdes seeks to end political dynasty and corruption if he wins in Senate bid,” Jan. 22, 2019.

Guided by the code of principles of the International Fact-Checking Network at Poynter, VERA Files tracks the false claims, flip-flops, misleading statements of public officials and figures, and debunks them with factual evidence. Find out more about this initiative and our methodology.