In Pampanga, Binay campaign goes sectoral

Mara Cepeda

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In Pampanga, Binay campaign goes sectoral
With the Pampanga governor and the Angeles mayor declaring support for his rivals, the Vice President goes directly to the sector he has been able to help

PAMPANGA, Philippines – A factory, the home of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW), and two relocation sites.

In his sorties in Pampanga on Monday, April 4, Vice President Jejomar Binay engaged in activities that were different from the usual holding of rallies, motorcades, and paying courtesy calls to local officials.

On Monday, the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) standard-bearer’s first stop was the Pampanga’s Best processed foods factory, where he told several factory workers about his plan to abolish the income tax for employees earning P30,000 and below. 

He proceeded to the Lubao home of Villamor Austria, whose wife Imelda was an OFW who died in a hit-and-run incident near the Macau Tower in 2014. Binay, who used to be the presidential adviser on OFW affairs, helped bring back Imelda’s remains to the Philippines.

The Vice President was also visited two relocation sites in Pampanga in the afternoon: the Northville Resettlement Area in Santo Tomas and the San Vicente Resettlement Area in Apalit. 


 

“Itong mga visits na ito are a reiteration of what I have been doing. [I visited an] OFW family [dahil sa] ‘yung aking pinaggalingan na tumulong sa OFW,” said Binay when asked why he added sectoral visits in his itinerary.

(These vists are a reiteration of what I have been doing. I visited an OFW family because, in my previous position, I was tasked to help OFWs.)

“Kanina mga manggagawa. Eh tamang-tama na maipaliwanag ko sa kanila na tama lamang na ‘yung income tax ay matanggal na,” he added.

(Earlier, I talked to workers. It’s a good chance for me to explain to them that their income tax should be removed.)

Once the survey front runner, Binay is now tied with Duterte for the second place in the latest Pulse Asia survey. Senator Grace Poe continues to lead the 5-way presidential race. 

‘Old strategy’

OFW FAMILY. Vice President Jejomar Binay eats lunch at the house of the Austria family in Lubao, Pampanga, on April 4, 2016. He helped bring home their mother, who died in Macau in 2014. Photo courtesy of the United Nationalist Alliance

UNA spokesperson Mon Ilagan said Binay is likely to visit more sectoral representatives in the run-up to the May polls. 

“It’s an old strategy, but I think kailangan nang bumaba ni Vice President nang ganun. For example, sa workers, dun sa Pampanga’s Best, in-explain niya ‘yung kung ano ‘yung programa niya for taxes. Ito naman, when we talk of competence, ito natulungan niya nung 2014,” Ilagan told Rappler.

(It’s an old strategybut I think the Vice President needs to go down to the people this way. For example, he explained his program on taxes with the workers in Pampanga’s Best. Then he went to the people he helped in 2014.)

Facing about 700 factory workers, Binay gave assurances that the government can survive even if income tax for low wage earners would be removed. 

“Eh bakit ba ho naman hindi pa ho natin alisin? ‘Wag na ho nating kolektahin ang income tax. Magagawa at kaya po ng gobyerno ‘yun. Hindi ho totoo na malaki ang mawawala sa gobyerno dahil sa mawawala ‘yung income tax,” said the Vice President. 

(Why won’t we remove it? Let’s stop collecting income tax. The government has the capability to do that. It’s not true that the government would lose a lot if we abolish income tax.)

He explained that a crackdown on smuggling can compensate for the revenues that the government will supposedly lose due to his tax exemption proposal.

Hindi naman ho zero ‘yan na kapag inalis ang income tax ay wala nang mababalik dun sa pagkakaalis. Pagka naalis ang income tax, gagastusin ninyo ‘yun. Eh ‘di meron ‘yung mga bibilhin ninyo, magbabayad ng tax,” Binay added. 

(Revenue will not be zero if we remove income tax. When your income tax is removed, you will be able to spend more. You will be taxed when you spend on more things.)

Meanwhile, the Austrias hosted lunch for Binay to express their gratitude for helping repatriate Imelda’s remains to the Philippines two years ago. 

“Marami po ang nabigay niya [sa amin],” Austria told reporters. “Dito po mananalo po talaga siya. Malakas po siya dito. Iba po ‘yung dating niya. Kahit [‘yung mga local officials ay para sa ibang kandidato], Binay pa rin po kami.”

(He has given us a lot. He will win here. He is strong here. He has a different appeal. Even if our local officials are backing other candidates, we are still for Binay.) 

Chances in Pampanga

NOT AN ENDORSEMENT. Lubao Mayor Mylene Pineda-Cayabyab eats lunch with Binay and his daughter Senator Nancy Binay on April 4. The Vice President clarifies this is not an endorsement. Photo by Mara Cepeda/Rappler

Binay’s fate in Pampanga, a province of 1.2 million voters, remains unclear even if allies of reelectionist Pampanga 2nd District Representative and former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo are reportedly backing him.

Angeles City Mayor Ed Pamintuan recently expressed his support for Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. (Link: )

Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda also publicly endorsed Liberal Party standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II and running mate Leni Robredo two weeks ago. 

The governor’s daughter, Lubao Mayor Mylene Pineda Cayabyab, joined Binay when he visited the Austrias on Monday.

Binay, however, said this should not be counted as an endorsement from the younger Pineda.

“Vice President naman ako. Eh binibigyan naman ako ng kortesiya ng mga local officials pag ako ay dumadating sa lugar nila,” he said.

(I am the Vice President. Local officials give me courtesy when I visit their areas.) – Rappler.com

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Mara Cepeda

Mara Cepeda specializes in stories about politics and local governance. She covers the Office of the Vice President, the Senate, and the Philippine opposition. She is a 2021 fellow of the Asia Journalism Fellowship and the Reham al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship of the UN. Got tips? Email her at mara.cepeda@rappler.com or tweet @maracepeda.