- MITCH M. LIPA
The Grupo Progreso candidates in Bacolod City got a major endorsement Feb. 9 from key grassroots organizations under the Makabayan bloc, led by former Bayan Muna partylist congressman Neri Colmenares.
Team ABEL, which stands for congressional candidate Dan Atayde, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, and Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, also expressed an all-out support to the senatorial bid of Colmenares, who is a native of Negros Occidental.
The event was held at the Mansilingan Gym, with barangay captain Rodolfo Pico responsible for gathering the residents to attend the program.
Leonardia said this is a major political development in the run-up to the official start of the campaign period for local elections on March 25. “We highly appreciate the Makabayan bloc’s continued support to the GP slate,” he added.
Colmenares choses his hometown as the first province to campaign for his Senate bid. He had authored a bill increasing to P2,000 the monthly SSS pension, but lamented that while the House and the Senate approved the legislation, Malacañang only granted a P1,000 hike in the SSS pension.
Once elected senator, he said he will push that the balance of P1,000 be granted by the national government. He also plans to refile a bill on social pension that automatically grants P1,000 a month to senior citizens.
“As soon as you reach 60 years old, all Filipinos, without exception, get the monthly social pension regardless of your status in society,” Colmenares said, adding that he will also re-introduce a bill on free medicines and free hospitalization that needs an allocation of P454 billion annually.
Once it becomes a law, it will unburden millions of Filipinos as PhilHealth currently only covers at most 44 percent or even less of a patient’s hospital bill.
Colmenares thanked the Grupo Progreso for their unwavering support to Bayan Muna in as many elections in the past./MML
