- *MITCH M. LIPA
Partido Reporma presidential candidate, Senator Panfilo Lacson, and Nationalist People’s Coalition vice presidential bet, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, are pushing for the BRAVE or Budget Reform Advocacy for Village Empowerment agenda.
The two officials, along with senatorial bets Dr. Minguita Padilla and Monsour del Rosario, visited Barangay Tangub in Bacolod City Saturday, to tell Bacolodnons and Negrenses of their campaign agenda during the online “kumustahan”, attended by hundreds of supporters mindful of health protocols.
Lacson promoted his economic agenda through BRAVE, adding that budget planning should start in the barangay, municipalities or cities, and the province. The budget should then be submitted to the Regional Development Council before its endorsement to the national agencies concerned for inclusion in the proposed appropriation that the Office of the President will submit to Congress for approval.
Lacson said he believes that this is one way to empower the marginalized and small groups in society, and to strategize needed programs and projects for them.
He said the micro, small and medium enterprises comprised 95 percent of what drives the economy and provides jobs to millions of Filipinos.
Part of his reform is to strengthen MSMEs by providing incentives to them while they are in the process of recovering their businesses and eventually rehiring workers. Lacson said another main agenda is to design programs for massive job creations.
Lacson and Sotto also recalled sponsoring the creation of many cities in Negros Occidental and have supported various projects and laws to help the small and medium businesses as well as policies for the good of the sugar industry.
Sotto said they passed the Bayanihan laws to provide financial assistance to Filipinos affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but he noted problems in the implementation because not all who deserved to be beneficiaries have received the aid.
Lacson and Sotto said they are banking on their track records in fighting graft and corruption and committed to continue the fight if they win in the May 9, 2022 elections.
The online “kumustahan” in Bacolod was the sixth leg in the series of activities that Lacson and his party have been conducting to reach out to as many Filipinos as possible without violating the health protocols amid the COVID pandemic.
The event was seen via social media platforms in different areas of Negros Occidental, including in Don Salvador Benedicto, where hundreds of residents gathered to watch and listen to the broadcast.
During the event, Padilla stressed the need to improve the health sector, adding that she would like to implement reforms to ensure fast and effective delivery of health services. She also distributed free eyeglasses to the residents during the program.
Congressman Del Rosario, who hails from Bacolod, appealed for support to the reform agenda of the Lacson-Sotto tandem. He said he will be a representative of the province to the Senate. The team is also supportive of the proposed revival of the Negros Island Region.
Lacson and Sotto also met with the different campaign leaders in the province, and Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson at the Capitol.
The governor confirmed the meeting but said there was no commitment yet, with regard to support in next year’s elections. — MML
