PPM backs Senate bets from Alyansa, PDP-Laban

The Partido Pederal ng Maharlika (PPM) on Saturday endorsed 12 senatorial candidates in the May midterm elections.

Of the 12 candidates, six are from PDP-Laban, four belong to the administration-backed Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, and two are independents.

• Vic Rodriguez (PDP-Laban)
• Senator Christopher ''Bong'' Go (PDP-Laban)
• SAGIP party-list Representative Rodante Marcoleta (PDP-Laban)
• Jayvee Hinlo (PDP-Laban)
• Senator Ronald ''Bato'' dela Rosa (PDP-Laban)
• Philip Salvador (PDP-Laban)
• Senator Imee Marcos (Alyansa)
• former Senator Vicente "Tito'' Sotto III (Alyansa)
• former Senator Panfilo Lacson (Alyansa)
• Senator Francis Tolentino (Alyansa)
• Joey Montemayor (Independent)
• former Senator Gringo Honasan (Independent)

Hinlo, Salvador and Marcoleta were present, as well as senatorial candidate Raul Lambino of PDP-Laban during the event held at Club Filipino in San Juan City.

Dela Rosa and Go sent representatives to the event.

PPM national president and former labor secretary Silvestre Bello III said the candidates were selected based on their qualifications.

“Ang pagpili namin sa mga kandidato na iboboto namin ay based on their qualifications… Ano ang track record nila? Hindi dahil sila ay pinili, o sila ay sa kabilang partido. Sila ay pinili namin iboto dahil sa kanilang magandang track record as public servant,” Bello said.

(We selected the candidates we wanted to vote for based on their qualifications… What are their track records? Not just because they were chosen, or because they were from a different party. We chose to vote for them because of their good track records as public servants.)

According to Bello, who was the labor chief under then-President and PDP-Laban chairman Rodrigo Duterte, he is hopeful that these candidates will support Vice President Sara Duterte, who is set to face an impeachment trial in the Senate over alleged funds misuse and other offenses.

“It goes without saying na tutulungan nila si Vice President,” Bello said.

(It goes without saying that they will help the Vice President.)

Hinlo calls for more job opportunities

In his speech, Hinlo said that the solution to poverty in the country was not “ayuda,” but rather industrialization.

“Anong utak ng mga pulitiko? Utak ayuda. Kawawa ang Pilipino ginawang pulubi. Ano ang solusyon ni Attorney Hinlo? Pagpaparami ng trabaho… industrialization. Dapat ang mga factories, pagawaan ng mga armas, makinarya, medisina, mga vaccine, dito dapat ginagawa sa Pilipinas para maraming trabaho,” he said.

(What is the mindset of the politicians? They’re all thinking about dole-outs. The poor Filipinos are being turned into beggars. What is the solution of Attorney Hinlo? Increase jobs… industrialization. The factories, armories, machineries, medicine, vaccines, should all be in the Philippines to increase jobs.)

“Gusto nila band-aid solution… Kailangan ng factories dito. Hindi po dapat mag-enjoy ang mga foreign workers sa kanilang produkto, at yung Pilipino bibili lang. Dapat, manggagawang Pilipino ang ating priority. Manggagawang Pilipino ang bigyan ng trabaho, bigyan ng pagkain para sa kanilang pamilya.''

(They wanted a band-aid solution… We need factories here. Foreign workers should not enjoy their products, while the Filipinos are just customers. Filipino laborers should be our priority. Filipino laborers should be given jobs, and food for their families.)

“Ang gobyerno dapat gumawa ng maraming trabaho,” he added.

(The government should create many jobs.)

He also proposed a course on “Philippine Patriotism and Ethics Studies” from Grade 1 to college.

“Tinanggal nila ang [the Good Manners and Right Conduct subject]. Bakit ganoon? Ano ang values na gusto nila, puro nalang payaman? Kaya ba yon? Payaman abroad, kalimutan ang bayang Pilipinas, kalimutan pati magulang? Hindi dapat papayag doon,” Hinlo said.

(They removed [the Good Manners and Right Conduct subject]. Why is that? What values do they prefer, just becoming rich? Is that possible? To just get rich abroad and forget the country and even your parents? We should not allow that.)

“Ang Pilipino, dapat nagmamahal sa ating pamilya, nagmamahal sa ating komunidad, nagmamahal sa bayan,” he continued.

(A Filipino should love his family, community, and country.)

His other proposed programs include the creation of a cat and dog sanctuary, Overseas Filipino Workers retirement and pension plans, and adjustments to import taxes for PUVs.

Marcoleta slams House move vs VP Sara

Meanwhile, Marcoleta said the purpose of the hearings on the Department of Education, which VP Sara previously oversaw, and the Office of the Vice President's budget utilization was to put together an impeachment case.

“Isa lang namang tao ang talagang inuusig, nagkukunwari lamang kayo na ‘in aid of legislation.’ Ano po ang katibayan na ‘in aid of legislation’? Uusigin lang ang isang tao na kilala natin lahat,” Marcoleta said.

(There’s just one person being persecuted, and you were all just pretending that it was ''in aid of legislation.'' What is the proof that it was ''in aid of legislation? We all know who you are persecuting.)

“Ginagawa niyo ito para i-impeach ang Vice President. Nangangalap lang po kayo ng ebidensya. November pa po ‘yun, sinasabi ko na ang katapos-tapusan po ng ginagawa ninyong ito, you will impeach the Vice President,” he said.

(You are all doing this to impeach the Vice President. You are just gathering evidence. That was back in November; I already said that in the end, you will impeach the Vice President.)  —VBL, GMA Integrated News

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