With just one month to go before the May 12 midterm elections, senatorial candidates traveled to various parts of the country to reach more voters.
According to a 24 Oras Weekend report by Marisol Abdurahman on Saturday, Representative Arlene Brosas said she is campaigning for women’s rights.
Congresswoman France Castro, along with Mimi Doringo, Amirah Lidasan, Liza Maza, Danilo Ramos, Jerome Adonis, and Rommel Arambulo, attended consultation talks in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro.
Senator Pia Cayetano pushed for stronger coordination between local and national governments, while Atty. Angelo de Alban met with parents of children with special needs.
Francis Pangilinan campaigned for lower bills for the urban poor while Senator Bong Go pushed for support for small entrepreneurs and local products.
Congressman Rodante Marcoleta recommended reforms to aid farmers, while Atty. Vic Rodriguez campaigned against corruption and illegal drugs.
Teddy Casiño visited the Mangyan in Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro, while Ben Tulfo met with supporters in Zamboanga Peninsula.
Alyn Andamo participated in a fun run on the environmental agenda, while Bam Aquino proposed free related learning experiences for nursing students.
Jimmy Bondoc took part in a coordination meeting in Zamboanga City, while Senator Bong Revilla campaigned in the Bantayan Island in Cebu.
Senator Francis Tolentino reminded voters to assess the platforms of each candidate.
At a press conference in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, senatorial bets Bondoc, Jayvee Hinlo, Rodriguez, Marcoleta, and Erik Mata, along with two representatives of Go and Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, urged supporters to “vote straight” for the PDP-Laban slate.
Bondoc revealed that former President Rodrigo Duterte’s “last wish” before his arrest by the International Criminal Court was for supporters to only vote for PDP-Laban candidates to protect his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, who is set to face an impeachment trial in the Senate.
“Sabi niya, kung pwede po, para sa kaniyang anak, mag PDP-Laban straight tayo… Sa tagal po nating kilala si Tatay, alam natin when he’s just talking political, but you know when he is sincere. Gusto po talaga niyang maglagay ng matitinong senators,” said Bondoc.
He also emphasized PDP-Laban’s role in the filing of cases in relation to alleged irregularities in the 2025 national budget and against the implementation of online voting for Filipinos abroad.
“We are fighting suits… Ang pakay natin ngayon ay ibalik sa tamang landas ang ating naliligaw na bayan. If you don’t believe there’s anything wrong in the country, wag niyo na kaming iboto… pero if you feel like kailangan ibalik ang prinsipyong Duterte, wag niyo po sana kalimutan [ang PDP-Laban],” he added.
Marcoleta called the House TriComm hearings on fake news “kalokohan (nonsense)”.
He alleged that the hearings were being done to persecute Duterte and his allies instead of being held “in aid of legislation.”
“It was directed precisely against only one person. To prosecute and persecute the former president Rodrigo Duterte,” he added.
“Kung talagang ang feeling mo naabuso ka talaga, demanda mo na lang. There are libel laws, defamation… Yung ginagawa nila ngayon para patigilin yung dissent para sa ganon di sila binibira… pero this is directly to censor public discourse. Di tama yun because parang napreprevent yung freedom of speech,” he stated.
Ariel Querubin met with leaders from Cebu and emphasized the importance of defending the country’s claim in the West Philippine Sea.
He urged the government to boost the country’s national defense.
“Kung papayagan lang tayo na i-exploit, explore, and harness yung resources sa West Philippine Sea, uunlad tayo. Yung ekonomiya natin gaganda, pati yang mga problema sa inflation, mareresolba,” Querubin said.
“Kakausapin natin yung mga mambabatas natin na huwag muna nilang patabain yung bulsa nila at ibigay yung iba sa modernization nitong defense and security forces.”
On Facebook, Wilson Amad slammed the results of recent senatorial surveys.
“Kung ang resulta ng poll survey ay totoo, masasabi natin na malayo pa ang sibilisasyon sa ating bayan,” he said.
“This election is a test of who are my true relatives, friends, and advocates. I respect those who don’t want to be counted,” he added in a separate post.
Roberto Ballon conducted a community project in Tondo, Manila, and attended the Kamalayan Leadership Conference in Taytay, Rizal, on Saturday.
Bonifacio Bosita visited his supporters in Mandaue City, while Relly Nufable Jose Jr. greeted his supporters in Bacolod City.
Jose Jessie Olivar conducted house-to-house campaigning in Eastern Samar.
Olivar was also endorsed by Eastern Samar gubernatorial candidate Atty. Rafael Asebias.
“Bilang isang naghahangad na maging senador, patuloy akong magsusulong ng mga adbokasiyang tunay na makikinabang ang bawat Pilipino—lalo na ang ating mga magsasaka, manggagawa, at pamilyang nangangailangan ng tunay na boses sa Senado,” Olivar said in a Facebook post on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Koalisyon ng Organisadong Samahan ng Maralitang Taga-Lungsod (KOSMAT) held a covenant signing ceremony on Friday at Loreto Church in Bustillos, Manila. The event drew more than 1,000 participants from urban poor communities across Manila, Navotas, Quezon City, Caloocan, and Muzon, Bulacan.
The program opened with a Holy Mass and was followed by the formal covenant signing between KOSMAT and several senatorial candidates and representatives. Among those present were Pangilinan, Luke Espiritu, Dennis Aquino (on behalf of Bam Aquino), Choy Mendoza (representing Heidi Mendoza), and Erin Tañada, the third nominee of the ML Party-list.
The signing marked a shared commitment to uphold the rights, welfare, and dignity of urban poor communities.
KOSMAT said that the Urban Poor Agenda serves as a guide to ensure elected leaders take concrete action on urgent issues such as affordable housing, decent livelihood, and access to basic services.
Espiritu emphasized the need to protect the rights of farmers, fisherfolk, indigenous peoples, and the urban poor.
He said that land should serve those who till and live on it—not billionaires and real estate developers.
Espiritu stressed his party’s commitment to grassroots-centered governance and vowed to champion legislation that advances the rights and welfare of the poor if elected.
He also called for urgent climate action, including a national transition to renewable energy.
In a statement, South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., national president of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, urged party members to unite and serve with compassion.
Tamayo also emphasized that the campaign period should be marked by solution-oriented discourse.
”Itaas natin ang antas ng paglilingkod sa ating bansa,” he said. — VBL, GMA Integrated News
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