ORION, Bataan — Otso Diretso senatorial candidate Erin Tañada on a caravan campaigned in Bataan Sunday.
The former Quezon Province congressman was with Sherwin and Ines, brother and daughter of opposition candidates former solicitor-general Florin Hilbay, and human rights advocate Chel Diokno, respectively.
They made the rounds of the towns of Dinalupihan, Hermosa, Orani and Samal and made a brief stop to dialog with farmers in Barangay Capitangan in Abucay town.
The farmers mostly belong to the Tañada Estate of 52 hectares owned by Erin’s family already subjected to the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program but not yet titled to 40 beneficiaries.
Tañada assured the tillers they will soon be the rightful owners of the land and will work to strengthen support to farmers in the form of subsidies.
From Abucay, the caravan passed through the MacArthur Highway to the City of Balanga and the towns of Pilar and Orion where Tañada met with some victims of the fire in Barangay Capunitan last January 28.
“Maraming problema ang bansa ngayon. Tayo ay pumili ng mabuti sa darating na halalan,” Tañada said.
He said that the May 2019 election is very important. “Piliin natin ang mga senador na hindi takot lumaban. Senador na pwedeng magsabi sa Pangulo na ng gusto niyang batas ay lalong magpapahirap sa taong-bayan.”
“Ang policies na ipinatutupad ng Pangulo ay halos laban sa mahihirap,” Tañada claimed.
On the fire victims, he said that there should be proper interaction among the local, provincial and national governments.
“Tingnan ang pangangailangan ng mga nasunugan. Bigyan ng permanenteng bahay sa loob ng Orion para hindi sila malayo sa kanilang trabaho,” he said.
He urged the National Housing Authority, Department of Housing and other agencies to start working on how to resettle the fire victims numbering 1,018 families of more than 6,000 individuals.
The caravan proceeded to the Freeport Area of Bataan in Mariveles but already minus Tañada who left after his speech in Orion.
The Alternative Politics (AlterPol) Movement headed by Derek Cabe of the Kilusang Pambansang Demokratiko facilitated the campaign.
