Taguiwalo’s song after CA rejection: ‘Do You Hear The People Sing?’

If former Environment Secretary Gina Lopez’s favorite song is “I Believe I Can Fly,” former Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo said her song for the public is “Do You Hear The People Sing” from the musical Les Misérables.

“Iyan ang kanta na ipaaabot ko sa mamamayan. Wala na ko ngayon sa Social Welfare and Development, basta hanay ako ng mamamayan at tumitindig sa tama, sa bayan at sa mahihirap,” Taguiwalo said at a press conference following her rejection by the bicameral Commission on Appointments (CA).

Part of the song’s lyrics read: “Do you hear the people sing? / Singing a song of angry men? / It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again!”

Lopez sang I Believe I Can Fly after she was rejected by the bicameral body last May.

Apart from Lopez and Taguiwalo, also earlier rejected by the CA was Perfecto Yasay Jr. as Foreign Affairs secretary.

Taguiwalo said it is a “badge of honor” if being rejected by the CA means she stuck with her principles.

“I’m in good company to be rejected like Gina Lopez. It’s a badge of honor for us kasi hindi masasabi na corrupt kami, tumindig kami sa prinsipyo,” she said.

Asked if she feels that Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano will suffer the same fate as hers, Taguiwalo said they will just serve the people with or without Cabinet positions.

“We are here to serve the people and we’ll continue to serve the people. If Congress decides na we should not be in the Cabinet, wala tayong call diyan. Hindi kami kakapit sa posisyon, kapit-tuko. Basta kung saan kami makapaglilingkod, we’ll do that,” she said. — RSJ, GMA News