Your guide to what Hugpong ng Pagbabago senatorial bets say during sorties

Pia Ranada

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Your guide to what Hugpong ng Pagbabago senatorial bets say during sorties
Who talks about their platform during sorties? Who sings? Here's a quick and easy summary of what Hugpong ng Pagbabago senatorial candidates say during campaign sorties.

MANILA, Philippines – The 90-day campaign season for the May 2019 elections is on. Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), with its slate of 13 senatorial candidates, will be going around the country to hold campaign rallies.

HNP’s head, Davao City mayor Sara Duterte, said they aim to hold 110 events in 90 days. While these rallies will be held in different cities, you can expect candidates to be repeating key messages – their priority legislation should they become senator, their defenses against allegations lobbed at them, or even just their message to supporters.

In this guide, Rappler compiles key quotes and messages made by HNP candidates during sorties. This will be updated as the candidates say something new.

For each candidate, we will include particularly interesting quotes, written verbatim. There will also be a summary of their platform, as explained by the candidate during sorties, or key message.

We did not include their jokes, side comments, and gimmickry. For these, you can check out our Facebook Live videos showing the campaign rallies in their entirety.

The summary below is based on the candidates’ speeches during the Pampanga, Bataan, and Olongapo City rallies they attened on February 12 to 13.

THE CANDIDATES

Sonny Angara

  • Talks about the passage of the free college law and the Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act, which he co-sponsored in the Senate.
  • Mentions that it was his father, Edgardo Angara’s, law that gave a 20% discount for senior citizens.
  • Sara Duterte says she would elect him to any public post, including President: “Iboboto ko ito bilang Presidente. Napanood ko siya sa TV. Alam niya sinasabi niya.” (I would vote him for president. I watched him on TV. He knows what he’s saying.)
  • Notably does not mention his support for the controversial Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.

 

Pia Cayetano

  • Talks about her experience as a mother who lost a child and relates this to her appeal to mothers to get their kids vaccinated.
  • Says she will pass laws that will benefit Filipino families.

 

Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa

  • Ako si Bato, tumatakbo sa pagka-senador. Wala akong maipagmayabang sa inyo. Wala akong kayamanan, wala akong eksperyensya sa pulitika. Pulis lang ako. I come with a clean heart. Malinis ang puso ko. Kahit na buksan niyo pa ito.” (I am Bato, running for senator. I can boast of nothing to you. I have no wealth, no experience in politics. I am just a policeman. I come with a clean heart. My heart is clean. Even if you open it up.)
  • Says he will focus on peace and security, particularly in ensuring the anti-illegal drugs campaign succeeds.
  • Sings a song.

 

JV Ejercito

  • Says President Duterte will soon sign the Universal Healthcare Law, which he championed in the Senate.
  • Says he champions transportation and infrastructure modernization, says he defends the Department of Transportation budget to ensure funding for the Duterte government’s infrastructure program.

 

Jinggoy Estrada

  • Mga kaibigan, alam ‘nyo naman pinagbakasyon kami ng nakaraang administrasyon dahil sa walang basehang kasong ipinaratang nila sa amin…Wala po kaming kasalanan sa taongbayan.” (My friends, you know that the previous administration made us go on vacation because of a baseless case lodged against us…We committed no sins against the people.)
  • Promises to be the “voice of the Filipino masses”.
  • Mentions the Kasambahay law, which he championed in the Senate. The law provides benefits for domestic helpers and requires that their employment be covered by a contract in order to protect their labor rights.
  • Claims he was never absent in the Senate.
  • Promises to support Duterte’s legislative agenda.
  • Promises to push for laws to provide more jobs and help overseas Filipino workers.

 

Bong Go

  • Patuloy po akong magiging tulay niyo kay Pangulong Duterte.” (I will continue to be your bridge to President Duterte.)
  • Says he will continue the “true change” Duterte is bringing to the country.
  • Promises to improve health services all over the country, starting with putting up more Malasakit Centers, supposed one-stop shops making it easier for Filipinos to get assistance for their medical expenses.
  • He says he will also focus on laws related to fire prevention, cheaper housing, and the creation of a Department for OFWs.
  • He supports a Magna Carta for barangay captains that would make them regular government employees.

 

Zajid ‘Dong’ Mangudadatu

  • Simple lang ang mensahe ko, ang mensahe ng kapayapaan at pagkakaisa ng buong sambayanang Pilipino.” (My message is simple, a message of peace and uniting the entire Filipino nation.)
  • Says he wants to “break barriers between Christians and Muslims”.
  • Supports development of gas deposits in Liguasan Marsh, in his hometown of Maguindanao, which he says could yield $1 trillion in income for the country.

 

Imee Marcos

  • Promises to pass laws suspending value-added tax (VAT) even temporarily, or lowering it, saying it has done nothing but burden Filipinos.
  • Promises to help lower the cost of food, commuting, and communication expenses like load and Internet data.
  • Wants health insurance, other benefits for barangay captains.
  • Thinks barangay captains should have term extensions, until 2022 .

 

Jiggy Manicad

  • Bilang reporter nang mahigit dalawang dekada, nakita ko po ang iba’t ibang isyu ng lipunan. Maaaring ituring niyo po ako bilang pinaka bunso sa lineup ng Hugpong ng Pagabago, pinaka bago sa mukha ng pulitika subalit hindi po ako bago sa mga isyu ng lipunan na ating ginagalawan.” (As a reporter for over two decades, I’ve seen the different issues facing our society. You may see me as the youngest in HNP’s lineup, the newest face i n politics but I am not new to the issues hounding our society.)
  • Promises to focus on laws that will lower prices of food and ensure food security. These include improving the agricultural sector and putting up agricultural research hubs in key parts of the country.
  • Alludes to his lack of resources by showing the audience his one and only “walking tarpaulin” which he brings to all campaign rallies.

 

Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel III

  • Says that in his term as Senate President, he managed to ensure the passage of Duterte’s priority legislation: free irrigation law, free tuition law, higher take-home pay for military and police.
  • Promises to support a Magna Carta for Barangay Captains so they become regular government employees.
  • Wants travel tax abolished.

 

Bong Revilla

– “Akala ko hindi ‘nyo na ako mahal. Akala ko hindi ‘nyo na ako titilian. Pero damang-dama ko pa rin po ang pagmamahal ninyo.” (I thought you no longer loved me. I thought you would no longer scream for me. But I still feel your love.)

  • Claims to have initiated “more than 400 laws,” 230 of which were supposedly signed.
  • Promises to fight for Filipinos, even if it means putting his life on the line.

 

Francis Tolentino

  • Ang plano ko po sa ating bayan, ang pangarap ko para sa ating bayan, magkaroon ng isang mataas na buhay na may kalidad, may dignidad, at ligtas sa kalamidad.” (My plan for our country, my dream for our country is to have a high standard of living, with dignity and safe from calamity.)
  • Wants a department dedicated to helping calamity victims.
  • Promises to change the Labor Code so that senior citizens can continue working if they want to.

 

Cynthia Villar

  • Naniniwala po ako na pag may hanapbuhay ang tao, walang dahilan kung bakit tayo hindi makakaahon sa kahirapan.” (I believe that if people have jobs, there’s no reason we can’t escape poverty.)
  • Says she has put up 1,932 livelhood projects and 1,855 farm schools all over the country.
  • Vows to continue her advocacy to help ensure affordable food, help agricultural sector.
  • Promises to craft laws that will help uplift Filipinos from poverty.

Other notable details:

  • Angara is the only candidate who distributes press kits with his background and list of accomplishments.
  • Dela Rosa and Revilla devote a chunk of their speaking time to singing a song.
  • When Sara Duterte introduces the candidates, she begins with Duterte’s “true” candidates – Go, Dela Rosa, and Tolentino. She then mentions the rest in alphabetical order.

– Rappler.com

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Pia Ranada

Pia Ranada is Rappler’s Community Lead, in charge of linking our journalism with communities for impact.