DAY one of the senatorial campaign for the 11 Makabayan coalition bets and the two labor leaders of the Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) was a back-to-the-basics affair of trudging through alleys of Metro Manila’s impoverished districts and meeting potential voters eyeball to eyeball.
Acknowledging that they are all starting on the backfoot from lack of funding and powerful political endorsers, Makabayan’s bets said they have no intention of trying to match poll survey frontrunners on ad spending.
“Hindi natin kayang tapatan ang bilyones ng mga trapo, pero kaya nating ipanalo ang laban ng masa. Tayong mga ordinaryong Pilipino ang may tunay na kapangyarihan. Sama-sama nating itulak ang makabuluhang reporma (We cannot match the billions of traditional politicians, but we can win the fight for the masses. The ordinary Filipinos have the real power. Let us work together in pushing reforms),” farming sector leader Danilo Ramos said.
The 68-year-old chairperson of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) officially launched his campaign in his hometown in Malolos, Bulacan among rice and vegetable farmers and agricultural workers after the kick-off activity at the Kartilya ng Katipunan in Manila.
Ramos, a veteran street parliamentarian, is betting that the people’s desire for social justice and clean governance can match the campaign war chest of well-heeled candidates.
House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro barnstormed schools in Manila, including visits to her alma maters Philippine Normal University and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, as well as schools where she previously studied like Padre Gomez Elementary School and Arellano High School, and Ramon Magsaysay High School where she taught before becoming a legislator.
Castro believes reaching the hearts and minds of young voters and educators could be a key factor in the coming elections.
“This campaign is not just about me – it’s about amplifying the voices of our teachers, students, and education workers who have long been neglected. Sama-sama nating isusulong ang makabuluhang pagbabago sa ating sistema ng edukasyon (Let us work together in making meaningful reforms in our educational system),” Castro said.
House Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela Women’s party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas is banking on tapping the women’s votes which comprises more than half of all the votes that will be counted in May.
Having navigated the legislative channels in her three terms as a member of the House of Representatives, Brosas is hoping that her track record of pushing pro-women and pro-poor measures would translate into a good showing in the senatorial race.
All three underlined the need to dismantle political dynasties in Congress.
WHAT DID THEY DO?
For his part, labor leader Leody de Guzman called on the Filipino voters to look closer at the record of old names seeking re-election in the Senate.
“Walang nagawa para sa mahihirap ang marami sa magbabalikang mga senador. Sa mahabang panahon, walang nagawa para solusyunan ang problema ng mga manggagawa. Hindi nakagawa ng batas para pababain ang presyo ng bigas. Tuloy pa rin ang land-grabbing. Tuloy ang kontraktwalisasyon, mababa ang sahod, mataas ang presyo ng kuryente, gasolina, pagkain at iba pang bilihin (Many of those who are seeking reelection did nothing for the poor. In their long years of service, they failed to provide solutions to address the problems of workers. There is also no law to bring down the price of rice. There is still land-grabbing, labor contracting, low wage, high prices of electricity, fuel and food commodities),” he pointed out.
De Guzman said Filipinos should ask old names in the senatorial race for their report cards in deciding whether they are worthy of their trust.
“Hindi pwedeng kompletong attendance lang ang ipagmamalaki (They cannot just brag that they have a complete attendance),” he added.
