MARIVELES, Bataan — Ten of the 13 senatorial candidates endorsed by Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HnP) stormed this vote-rich town during the second day of the campaign period Wednesday.
Davao City Mayor Sarah Duterte, HnP chair, led the senatoriables in the town considered as number one in the province of having the most number of registered voters placed at more than 80,000.
Mariveles is also site of the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) that has multinational firms employing more than 40,000 workers coming from different parts of the country.
Some 10,000 people attended the campaign sortie held at the FAB covered court.
The President’s daughter said not all of their candidates belong to “old politicians,” pointing to Bong Go, Jiggy Manicad, Ronald dela Rosa and Francis Tolentino. “Hindi naman lahat old politicians meron kami,” she said.
She thanked the people of Bataan for supporting her father during the last elections. “Nandito kami upang mag-solicit ng tulong ninyo at makilala ang mga bagong kaibigan,” she said.
The candidates present were reelectionist Senators Cynthia Villar, Sonny Angara, JV Ejercito, former Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla, Jr. and wannabes Jiggy Manicad, Dong Mangudadatu, Imee Marcos, Francis Tolentino and Bong Go.
Those who were not able to attend were Pia Cayetano, Ronald dela Rosa and KoKo Pimentel.
The candidates presented their advocacies.
“Importante ang hanapbuhay. Kapag may hanapbuhay, makakaahon sa kahirapan ang mga tao,” Villar said. She pledged to improve the lot of farmers and fishermen.
Angara said he will continue to work further on better education offered by public schools. He is one of the authors of the Universal Health Care Bill that aims to give all-out health coverage for all Filipinos.
“Kung ako’y papalaring makabalik sa Senado, lahat ng gagawin kong panukalang batas ay para sa kapakinabangan ng taong bayan,” Estrada said.
Manicad said that he has seen war, hunger and poverty and many other issues aff ecting the people. “Naramdaman ko ang nararamdaman ng mga tao kaya pumasok ako sa pulitika,” the former journalist said.
“Pakiusap ko sana sa mga magulang na ihiwalay ang isyu ng Dengvaxia sa ibang bakuna. Mas magkakaproblema kung hindi mababakunahan ang ating mga anak,” Ejercito said.
Mangudadatu said if unrest in Mindanao will stop, the country will be one of the richest in the world. “Kailangan maalis ang hidwaan ng mga Kristiyano, Muslim at mga lumad. Iisang dugo ang nananalaytay sa atin,” he said.
Marcos said everything has a solution. “Pinatatawad ko na ang mga taong nagkasala sa akin,” Revilla said.
Go wanted improved medical services in the country and said that he will be the bridge of the people to President Duterte.
“Ipagpatuloy natin ang pagbabago na nasimulan ng Pangulo at labanan natin ang droga, korupsiyon at kriminalidad,” he said.
Gov. Albert Garcia and other Bataan offi cials promised to fully support the Hugpong candidates. “Kailangan ng Pangulo ang mga taong tutulong sa kanya sa Senado,” the governor said.
