Sen. Risa Hontiveros gets warm welcome to Bataan from Rep. Jose Enrique Garcia III, Gov. Albert Garcia and Vice Gov. Cris Garcia. Photo by Ernie Esconde
BALANGA CITY — Reelectionist Senator Risa Hontiveros was warmly met and enthusiastically welcomed in her visit alone without any other national candidate to Bataan Wednesday.
In Balanga City, Mayor Francis Garcia with other city officials met her at the city hall where children from the Alternative Politics Movement happily greeted the senator with song and dance.
After a short program, Garcia accompanied Hontiveros in her short tour of the Balanga City Public Market which is considered as the most modern public market in the province.
The senator interacted and gamely posed for pictures with market goers and stall holders in the different sections of the market.
After the market visit, Hontiveros proceeded to The Bunker, seat of the provincial government, where she was welcomed by Gov. Albert Garcia, Rep. Jose Enrique Garcia III, and Dinalupihan Mayor Maria Angela Garcia.
Vice- Gov. Cris Garcia, some board members and municipal mayors were also present at The Bunker.
After lunch, Hontiveros met and greeted members of Alterpol and leaders of the transport sector under Kasakbayan or the Bataan Transport Federation.
In the short programs at the city hall and The Bunker, the senator taught the crowd of her battlecry complete with hand signals “Healthy buhay, Hanapbuhay, Risa pa! Isa pa!”
“May hanapbuhay para mapangalagaan ang ating mga pamilya at gusto natin ay healthy dahil gusto nating makapaghanapbuhay,” she said.
She said that in her little way, she contributed to various projects of the Bataan Capitol, added fund to the Dinalupihan District Hospital, and gave relief assistance to 300 members of the transport group, among some others.
In an interview, Hontiveros said she has already signed the report of Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Richard Gordon on the Pharmally issue.
“Posibleng mag- interpellate ako para magdagdag ng ilan pang mga datos at tinitindigan ko talaga ang mga findings ng Blue Ribbon committee lalo na ang tungkol sa overpriced na mga pandemic supplies,” she said.
“Nagpupugay ako sa aming chairman na si Sen. Gordon dahil ito ay naging matapang, pursigido na tapusin talaga itong pagdinig kaya umaasa ako na pag-resume namin ay makakakalap pa kami ng ilan pang pirma na kailangan para mareport-out at harinawa ma-adapt ng senado ang kumpletong report sa Pharmally,” Hontiveros said.
On the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant in Morong, Bataan, she said that her joining the protest and being an activist against the operation of the plant was part of her formative years as a teenager.
“Ngayon pulitiko at mambabatas na ako kaya nakikinig ako sa sinabi nilang gusto nila ng win-win solution tungkol doon. Confident ako na magkakaroon ng magandang ideya ang pamahalaan dito sa Bataan,” she said.
“Kilala rin ang mga lider ng Bataan sa pagsusulong ng mga programa at polisiyang pangkalusugan na para din sa kalikasan at yon din ang aking hahanapin at susuportahan kung magbubuo ng win-win solution tungkol sa Bataan Nuclear Power Plant,” Hontiveros added.
