TAYO ANG MAG-AYOS: Vice presidential aspirant Sen. Bongbong Marcos has some unsolicited advice for President Aquino on how to solve the country's ongoing territorial row with China over the West Philippine Sea.

Speaking to reporters during a campaign sortie in Pangasinan, Marcos said the Philippines started the problem with China and should be the one to end it.

"Tayo ang nag-umpisa. Tayo ang mag-ayos," when asked on what he thinks about the continuing tensions between China and the Philippines over the disputed territories.

China claims nearly all of the resource-rich South China Sea. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have rival claims to parts of the sea.

The vice presidential bet said there are other ways to confront the situation in the West Philippine Sea without engaging in military action. "In my mind, the solution is not in fighter planes or getting ancient ships from the United States," he said.

He also has the following advice to President Aquino.

"My advice to the President, engage the Chinese more," he said, referring to other possible avenues of negotiations aside from the legal track that the government pursued.

"Engage China at every possible level. Yung ating mga taipan, baka may mga koneksyon sila. Kausapin na nila, baka makatulong. Hindi maayos ito hanggat ang representante ng China at representante ng Pilipinas ay hindi mauupo at pipirma ng isang agreement.

"Sabihin natin sa China, balik tayo sa dati, hayaan ninyo ang mga mangingisda namin, hahayaan namin mga mangingisda ninyo" Marcos said.

2ND PROCLAMATION RALLY WITH MIRIAM

Marcos campaigned alone in Pangasinan on Friday, without his running-mate, presidential aspirant Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago.

Speaking before the local and national media in his campaign sortie in Pangasinan, Marcos said plans are being laid out for another Santiago-Marcos rally in the Visayas.

"We're planning another proclamation rally, sa Iloilo naman. Sabi niya [Santiago], siya naman ang magdadala sa akin sa Iloilo," he said.

Marcos and Santiago kicked off their campaign in Ilocos Norte last Tuesday where they were well received by the Ilocanos.

Since then, Santiago has been a no-show on the campaign trail despite assurances from Marcos that the presidential bet is fit to campaign. Santiago earlier said she had been diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer but has already conquered the illness .

Marcos said the public should understand the delicate health condition of Santiago.

"She says that for her, the most effective way to campaign is with the young people," he said, noting that almost 45 percent of the registered voters belong to the youth sector.

"She will campaign in her own way, pero normal naman na para mas maraming mapuntahang lugar, naghihiwalay," he added.

MARCOS WANTS DOLE POST

If he wins the vice-presidential race, Marcos said he wants to be the secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) if offered a slot in the President's Cabinet.

"I will ask for DOLE. Isa sa pinakamalaking problema ang trabaho. Marami tayo pwede gawin sa pagdami ng trabaho at proteksyon sa mga manggagawa," he said.

Marcos said the previous DOLE leadership has been weak in implementing labor regulations, to the detriment of the workers.

"Yung mga end of contract at contractualization, if we look in the Labor Code, it is not allowed. Hindi ini-implement ng DOLE yan," he said.

He is also saddened by the budget cuts made for OFW assistance in the 2016 budget of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

CATCH THE BIG FISH

The senator also said it is time to catch the "big fish" to solve the problem of illegal drugs in the country.

Marcos said illegal drugs have penetrated every corner of the country. "Kahit sa bukid, meron nang nagtutulak. Meron nang nagbebenta. Dati urban areas lang. Not anymore," he said.

"Panahon na na hulihin yung malalaki, imbestigahan at ikulong natin. But we cannot say na ang problema ng droga ay sa mga pulis lang o sa [Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency] lang. Problema yan ng buong lipunan."