MANILA, Philippines - World peace, anyone?

Presidential forums are not just about platforms and controversies.

Organizers of Monday's Philippine Daily Inquirer presidential forum at UP Diliman surprised 8 presidential candidates who attended the event with questions usually asked in beauty contests: their love lives, families, quirks and aspirations.

Here are some beauty pageant-worthy questions (and answers) posed at the event:

Question for Sen. Manuel Villar Jr.: Which would you rather have: wealth or power?

Kapag ikaw ay bata at galing ka sa mahirap, siyempre, hinahanap mo wealth. Pero pagkatapos niyan, ikaw ay makakakita ng mas mataas na pangarap. Minsan ang pangarap mo ay makakarating sa pinakamataas: ang makatulong sa kapwa. Minsan kailangan mo ng power para magawa ang mga pangarap na maiahon ang kababayan mula sa kahirapan.

(When you are a child who grew up poor, you look for wealth. But after that, you will find a loftier goal. Sometimes, your dream will be the ultimate: to help others. Sometimes you need power to achieve your dreams and to help your fellow men rise from poverty.)

Question for former Defense Sec. Gilberto Teodoro Jr.: Rank the following people. President Arroyo, your uncle Danding Cojuangco and your mother-in-law Marybeth [Lopez de Leon]. Who will you save from imprisonment or death?

All are important. The mother-in-law is most important, naturally. Without the mother-in-law, there is no daughter. Without the daughter, there is no wife. The rest are equal. However, to save from imprisonment--that is their own legal outlook. They have their rights under the law. If elected president, I shall not intervene.

(Note: Teodoro is married to former model and current Tarlac 1st District Rep. Monica Louise "Nikki" Prieto-Teodoro. Read about her here)

Question for Sen. Jamby Madrigal: If elected president, what will be the role of your husband?

My husband will have a supporting role. But I will not want him, being a foreigner, to be involved in anything with regards to running the country. He is [a First Gentleman] because he is a French Gentleman. That is as far as it goes. He can continue with his charitable work, but definitely, he will not be involved in any negotiation, or any business deal. I will cut his head, his tongue, if he bcomes like the present FG (Miguel Arroyo).

Question for Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III: How powerful is Kris (Aquino-Yap) in shaping your political life? How indulgent a kuya (elder brother) will you be?

The influence of my younger--my mother (Cory Aquino) would be the first to tell you that I speak my mind and I follow my own lead. I am open to opinions even if they are opposite of mine. But at the end of the day, I will be responsible for all my actions. What influence does my younger sister have? I am sure she will not stop talking about my clothing or my sense of style. But she recognizes that we have differences. She recognizes that she is more ostentatious than I. Will I be indulgent? Yes, I will be. You will have to be in a democratic country, especially with opinions that are disparate or even opposite of mine. That is the essence of democracy.

Question for environmentalist Nicanor Perlas: Who is the best president of the Philippines?

President Fidel Ramos. But I don't agree with everything he did.

(Note: Perlas had been a consultant of sorts during Ramos's administration. He helped Ramos with several tasks and pushed some agendas during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation or APEC in 1996.)

Another question for Sen. Madrigal: Would you know how much a kilo of galunggong (Mackerel scad) and itlog na pula (red egg) cost?

Madrigal: I think it's about P60 per kilo?

(Audience shouts) No!

Madrigal: I don't know the answer to that. I would be honest because I'm a vegetarian.

(Organizer) Itlog na pula?

Madrigal: Hindi po ako kumakain ng itlog (I don't eat eggs).