Roxas shares same anecdote on vendors’ plight in Bacolod sorties

In his campaign sorties in Bacolod City this week, Otso Diretso senatorial candidate Mar Roxas shared similar stories on the plight of vendors he met during his market tours to explain why he wants to stop the imposition of the excise tax on fuel if he’s elected back to the Senate.

His first stop in Bacolod City on Wednesday, March 13, was Burgos Public Market, where he was greeted by his kasimanwas who shouted “Mr Palengke! Mr Palengke!” –  the former trade secretary’s campaign peg in his successful 2004 senatorial bid. (READ: Mar Roxas is ‘Mr Palengke’ once again on campaign trail)

Some were overheard saying, “Ari na ang tood na Ilonggo (Here comes the true Ilonggo),” while others approached him for handshakes and selfies. Roxas traces his roots to Negros Occidental as his mother, Judy Araneta Roxas, is from Bago City. 

Roxas said he was happy to meet with the vendors and customers at the public market, and shared that he had met a vendor named Nene from Barangay 7.  

He said Nene had a P1,000-capital to buy chicken and vegetables, and she would earn P1,400 after selling her wares.

“This is her livelihood. If we could just help her. If we can stop the excise tax on fuel. We can lower the fare and prices of good. If the transportation is expensive, the prices of goods will go up,” he said.  

He said he would do everything in his power to bring down the prices of basic commodities if elected in the Senate. Roxas is pushing for the repeal of the excise tax on fuel to help bring down prices of goods.

A few hours later, Roxas shared a similar anecdote during a meeting with various sectors in the village gym at Barangay Villamonte. This time, he said he met a woman at the Burgos Public Market – Loida with 3 children, whose husband was a construction worker.  

Roxas told the crowd of more than 300 people at the gym that Loida was buying some chicken and pork when he chanced upon her during his visit to the market earlier that day. 

“I saw her pocket contained P1,000. I saw some P20 and P50 bills and coins,” Roxas said. “She would cook the chicken and pork and sell it during lunch and dinner. She would earn P1,400 from her livelihood.”

Loida, he said, told him said she has to earn a living as well to augment her husband’s meager income as a construction worker.

He said he was sharing Loida’s story because everybody has the same story. “Whether you are a small or big planter, PWD, senior citizens, whatever sector, or student, you work hard to make ends meet.” 

Roxas said he was touched by the story of Loida. “That’s the same story I heard from the whole Philippines, wherever I go.” 

He said all issues are connected to the life of Loida, as he cited the impact of the excise tax on fuel on the lives of Filipinos.

The senatorial candidate arrived in Bacolod City Tuesday night, March 12, after his campaign sorties in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, and in other neighboring cities and towns. – Rappler.com