PRESIDENTIAL candidate Sen. Panfilo Lacson yesterday said government should tap the private sector to finance road projects aimed at decongesting traffic in urban centers, including Metro Manila.
Lacson said that while the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program is right on track, the government cannot afford to continue because of its ballooning national debt, which is listed at P11.77 trillion.
He said that by shifting to Public-Private Partnership, the government will not have to spend to build infrastructure projects.
“Ang private initiative walang gastos ang gobyerno kaya lang ang mga kababayan natin magbabayad ng toll fees (The government will not spend under a private initiative arrangement, but our countrymen will have to pay toll fees for its use),” Lacson said during the CNN Philippines’ presidential debate on Sunday.
Lacson likewise said it is time to decentralize the government as doing so will provide job opportunities in the countryside and ease overcrowding in urban hubs.
He said this can be done by appropriating at least P1 billion to each of the 81 provinces nationwide so they can come up with their respective infrastructure programs and generate local jobs.
Lacson also said that the government should review the present setup when it comes to the salaries of nurses to discourage them from seeking jobs abroad.
“Ang solusyon doon meron tayong tripartite wage board na tumitingin sa wages. Dapat i-review ang sweldo ng pribadong sector na nurses (The solution here is we have a tripartite wage board which oversees this. There should be a review of the salaries received by nurses in the private sector),” he added.
When asked how a Lacson presidency will treat the LGBTQ+ community, he will allow civil union but not same-sex marriage.
“Same sex marriage, no. Civil union, yes. Dapat walang discrimination, may karapatan din silang maging ordinaryong tao, kung ano ang enjoyment natin, bigyan natin sila ng equal opportunity (There should be no discrimination because they have the right to enjoy what ordinary people enjoy. Let us give them equal opportunity),” he said.
He likewise thumbed down the controversial proposal to legalize divorce in the country and frowned at the practice of religious groups endorsing candidates.
Vice presidential candidate Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Saturday said he has “not even given a thought” to the idea that he will be working with a different presidential candidate come July 1, or when the term of the next president starts.
Asked if he pictures himself elected with a president who is not his party mate, Sotto said:
“In my sphere, we are working on the presidency of Senator Lacson. At this point, I have not entertained the thought of other candidates winning.”
Sotto made the statement during the Saturday CNN Philippines’ vice presidential forum, which was attended by aspirants to the country’s second top elective position, except for one.
During the forum, Sotto kept his composure as he responded to issues raised against him by his rivals.
Sotto calmly rebutted the baseless allegations of former Rep. Walden Bello, who claimed he had always been very submissive to the wants of President Duterte, especially on controversial measures.
“Wag ho tayong magrewrite ng history kasi lahat naman ng key legislative na itinulak ni President Duterte, who was the biggest backer? It was Mr. Sotto. The anti-terror act, the public services act, the retail trade liberalization act, foreign investment act, the rice tariffication act, you name it. He never dissented from any major legislation kaya ho hindi independent ang kandidatong ito. Wag tayong magrewrite ng history and by the way, you never defended your colleague Senator de Lima when he was hauled out of the Senate (Let us not rewrite history because all key legislations pushed by President, who was the biggest backer? It was Mr. Sotto. The Anti-Terror Act, the Public Services Act, the Retail Trade Liberalization Act, Foreign Investments Act, the Rice Tariffication Act, you name it. He never dissented from any major legislation that’s why this candidate is not independent. Let us not rewrite history and by the way, you never defended your colleague Sen. Leila de Lima when she was hauled out of the Senate),” Bello said.
Instead of losing his cool, Sotto remained composed as he answered: “Why don’t you ask Senator de Lima herself? Because I didn’t allow her to be arrested in the Senate. That’s one thing. Now, all the bills and all the laws that former Cong. Bello mentioned are all for the benefit of the Filipino people. Anti-terror law, bakit gusto mo ba kampi tayo sa terrorist? Hahayaan natin sila ganun na lang? Foreign investments, bakit ayaw natin maka-recover ang ekonomiya? Ano nakasadlak na lang tayo, bagsak na lang? (Why don’t you ask Sen. de Lima herself? I didn’t allow her to be arrested in the Senate. That’s one thing.
Now, all the bills and the laws that former Cong. Bello mentioned are all for the benefit of the Filipino people. Anti-Terror Law, do you want the government to side with the terrorists? We will just allow them, is that it? Foreign investments, do you not want our economy to recover? Shall we not revive our dying economy?),” Sotto said.
