Administration senatorial bets face hometown crowd in rally kickoff

Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, Philippines - A hometown advantage was in store for the administration senatorial slate at the opening salvo of its campaign: the Ilocano voters loyal to the president.

The first stop for the proclamation rally on Tuesday, Feb. 11, of the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas was President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s “solid north” - Ilocos Norte.

Around 7,000 Ilocanos gathered at the Centennial Arena in Laoag City cheered the 12 candidates who were complete for the first time - with the presence of presidential sister Senator Imee Marcos - since the announcement ahead of the filing of certificate of candidacy in October.

The 12 candidates are:

+ former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos

+ Makati Mayor Abby Binay

+ Senator Pia Cayetano

+ former Senator Ping Lacson

+ Senator Lito Lapid

+ Senator Marcos

+ former Senator Manny Pacquiao

+ Senator Bong Revilla

+ former Senator Tito Sotto

+ Senator Francis Tolentino

+ ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo

+ House Deputy Speaker Camille Villar

The common thread of their speeches was the provision of livelihood.

“‘Yan ang sisiguraduhin ko, ‘yung mahihirap na tao maproteksyunan at magkaroon ng sustainable livelihood,” Pacquiao said.

[Translation: I will ensure that the poor will be protected and will have sustainable livelihood.]

“Nariyan ang laban ng mahal na bilihin. Nariyan din ang laban ng kakulangan sa kita o sweldo dahil walang hanapbuhay o trabaho. Nariyan din ang laban hinggil sa hindi makabili ng gamot, maintenance, o pagpapagamot,” Tulfo said.

[Translation: There are battles against expensive commodities, lack of income due to having no jobs, and incapacity to purchase medicines and avail health care.]

“Ano ba ang pangarap ko para sa aking mga anak? Para sa akin, ang sagot diyan syempre una, bahay at lupa… susunod naman, sapat na hanapbuhay, trabaho o pangkabuhayan,” Villar said.

[Translation: What do I want for my children? My answer to that is a house and lot and a job or livelihood.]

Others focused on tax breaks to ease consumer burdens.

“Ipaglalaban ko maalis ang value-added tax sa kuryente. ‘Pag naalis ‘yan, okay na, bababa ang lahat ng presyo,” Tolentino vowed.

[Translation: I will fight to remove the value-added tax on electricity. If that is removed, prices will go down.]

“Sa lahat ng senior citizen, kailangan nila ng maintenance medicine… Sila ‘yung kailangan ng libreng access sa gamot… Kailangan tutukan ang early childhood development… Mas mainam na wala nang tax sa ating overtime pay at ang ating lahat ng bonus natin dapat wala nang tax,” Binay said.

[Translation: Senior citizens need their maintenance medicines. They need free medicine access the most. Early childhood development should also be given priority. It would also be better if taxes would be removed from overtime pay and all our bonuses.]

Some candidates targeted other issues.

“Palalawigin natin ang turismo sa buong Pilipinas… Unang-una ang medical tourism, eco-tourism, at ang pinakamahalaga, ang agro-tourism,” Lapid said.

[Translation: We will expand tourism from medical tourism, eco-tourism, and most importantly, agro-tourism.]

“Ang una kong gagawin para lalong guminhawa ang serbisyo sa bayan ay babaguhin ko ang amendments ng Local Government Code,” Abalos said.

[Translation: The first thing I will do to ease public service is to introduce changes to the Local Government Code.]

“...‘Yung waiver ng rights doon sa Bank Securities Act ng lahat ng government officials from the lowest clerk or janitor all the way up to the president,” Lacson said.

[Translation: …The waiver of rights in the Bank Securities Act for all government officials from the lowest clerk or janitor all the way up to the president.]

“Unahin ko ‘yung anti-fake news at anti-fake content and then kombinasyon ng rightsizing the government at magbigay ng 14-month pay sa lahat ng mga empleyado,” Sotto said.

[Translation: I will prioritize the anti-fake news and fake content and then a combination of rightsizing the government and provision of 14th month pay to employees.]

Some reelectionists highlighted their track record.

Revilla touted the number of bills filed and passed, while Cayetano mentioned the cheaper medicine law.

Marcos endeared herself to the crowd by speaking in Ilocano.

The president highlighted the track record of his candidates, and seemingly alluded to the failures of the Duterte administration.

“Wala sa kanila ang may bahid ng dugo dahil sa tokhang. Wala sa kanila ang kasabwat sa pagbulsa ng sako-sakong pera, pinagsamantalahan ang krisis ng pandemya, pinabayaan ang ating mga kababayan na magkasakit at mamatay,” he said.

[Translation: None of them have traces of blood from the drug war, pocketing government funds, took advantage of the pandemic, or neglected our countrymen to get sick and die.]

“Wala sa kanila ang mga pumapalakpak sa Tsina at natutuwa pa kapag tayo ay binobomba ng tubig, tinatamaan ang ating mga coast guard, hinaharang ang ating mga mangingisda, ninanakaw ang kanilang huli, at bukod pa roon ay inaagaw pa ang mga isla natin para maging bahagi ng kanilang bansa.

“Wala po sa kanila ang tilang sakristan ng isang bulaang propeta na nasasakdal dahil sa pagyurak sa ating kabataan at sa ating kababaihan.

“Wala sa kanila ang tagataguyod ng pugad ng krimen, ng sentro nang paglalapastangan ng mga kababaihan na mga POGO (Philippine offshore gaming operations),” Marcos said.

[Translation: None of them praised China and none were happy when we were water cannoned by their coast guard, blocked our fishermen and stole their catch, and claimed our islands to make these part of their territory. None of them acted like a follower of a prophet who is facing charges for abusing children and women. None of them are enablers of crime and POGOs which hurt women.]

Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, the campaign manager, said the team will visit 21 provinces across the archipelago.