Article by:
Priam Nepomuceno and Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – Should they win in the May 9 elections, Partido Reporma standard-bearer Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson and his running mate Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III sees it not as a "privilege" but as "calling sacrifice".
"Kung kaming dalawa ay sabay pagpalain ng Poong Maykapal, ng Diyos na maglingkod pa, tawagin namin (itong) 'calling sacrifice', siguro sa isipan ng iba wala akong pinatutungkulan, siguro sa isipan ng iba pribilehiyo ito na ma-elect, kami po ang aming mindset iba (If we two are to be blessed by God by another chance to serve again, we are calling it 'calling sacrifice', others, I am not pertaining to anyone one, sees it as privilege to be elected, but we have a different mindset)," Lacson said in a speech during a campaign rally at the Quezon City Memorial Circle on Wednesday afternoon.
Lacson said their mindset is different because of their long years of public service which he said adds up to 83 years between the two of them.
"When you are not called then you are not called and then when you are called do your best," the presidential aspirant said, adding that they will do their best to reform the government if successful in the coming elections.
"Kaya nga may battle cry kung nababasa niyo diyan sa labas at dito, sabi namin aayusin ng gobyerno para maging maayos ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino (That is why our battle cry, if you saw it posted outside and inside, saying that we will fix the government so that the lives of every Filipino be made better)," Lacson said.
In the same event, actor and television host Vic Sotto, also known as "Bossing", said Lacson and his elder brother are both trustworthy men and can help rid Philippine society of thieves and corruption.
“Sila ang tunay nating mapagkakatiwalaan ng ating kinabukasan, sila ang aayos ng ating gobyerno, sila rin ang aayos ng ating buhay (They are the ones we can trust with our futures, they will fix our government, and they will put our lives in order),” the younger Sotto said.
The party's senatorial bets, retired police general Guillermo Eleazar, health advocate Dr. Minguita Padilla, and former Makati Rep. Monsour del Rosario also joined the campaign rally.
Former Agriculture Secretary and senatorial aspirant Emmanuel "Manny" Piñol, who aims to advance programs to improve the lives of farmers and give food security to Filipinos, also joined the gathering.
Pinol suggested that model food outlets be put up in Quezon City, so that city residents could buy fresh produce and meats straight from the farms and the seas through Pinoy fishermen.
Lacson and Sotto aim to uplift and nurture the livelihoods of farmers and fishermen alike, as they have spearheaded investigations in the Senate into agricultural smuggling that is crippling the local industry.
Radio host and senatorial candidate Raffy Tulfo also echoed his approval of the Lacson-Sotto platform.
Through his son Ralph, Tulfo vowed to push the BRAVE (Budget Reform Advocacy for Village Empowerment) advocacy of the veteran senators.
The tandem sees this measure as the solution to rampant corruption in the government, as funds from the national government would be brought down to the grassroots, so local government units can better plan their projects for their constituents toward their own progress.
Meanwhile, Eleazar believes this program is the best weapon against poverty and would lift more Filipinos.
Lacson has laid out BRAVE in previous consultations with local officials and various sectors right from the outset of his and Sotto’s candidacy last September when they were the first pair to declare their intentions to run.
Meanwhile, guest senatorial candidate JV Ejercito shared his belief in the Lacson-Sotto tandem to advance the healthcare sector, which is aligned with the Universal Health Care Act that he helped author in the Senate.
Ejercito hopes Lacson and Sotto, his former Senate colleagues, can improve medical services for all Filipinos in all parts of the country, especially amid the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic. (PNA)
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