Former Senator and 2025 senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Monday received a boost in his election bid for May in Valenzuela City, after Senator Sherwin “Win” T. Gatchalian promised to campaign for him.
Sen. Gatchalian, in a message after the Monday flag-raising ceremony in Valenzuela City, cited Lacson for his experience and excellence in the Senate, including finding sources of funds for free higher education.
“Let us choose a public servant who will truly serve the nation, not just from the heart but also from experience and excellence. That is why I am asking you to help campaign for Sen. Ping Lacson and make sure he wins,” he said in Filipino, before the Elders of Valenzuela City (EVC) after the flag-raising ceremony.
Related: Ping Lacson, Nakuha ang Suporta para sa Pagka-Senador sa mga Lider ng Valenzuela City
The senator also cited Lacson’s knack for finding questionable appropriations in the national budget, and having these realigned to meaningful programs like free higher education.
He recalled Lacson’s calling out an P8.3-billion appropriation involving the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)’s budget for 2017 – and introducing an amendment to remove it. The senators eventually agreed to put the amount in the free tertiary education measure that was about to become a law.
“It was Sen. Lacson who found the budget to fund free tertiary education… If he had not called out the questionable fund, we would have had a free tertiary education law that was unfunded,” the senator said.
Also, Sen. Gatchalian lauded Lacson for being early to his appointments mainly because he valued people’s time.
“That is his personality – he doesn’t like to keep people waiting because he values their time,” the senator said.
Meanwhile, Mayor Weslie “Wes” Gatchalian lauded Lacson for carefully scrutinizing the backgrounds of those going through the Commission on Appointments. Lacson and now-Mayor Wes were colleagues in the CA when the mayor served as congressman.
For his part, Lacson lauded Senator and Mayor Gatchalian, as well as Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, for their leadership that catapulted Valenzuela City from a small town that was formerly a part of Bulacan to a thriving, highly urbanized city.
“Thanks to the leadership of different leaders, highlighted by the leadership of three Gatchalians – Sec. Rex, Sen. Win and Mayor Wes – they catapulted Valenzuela City to becoming a highly urbanized city with a nominal GDP of P168.8 billion in 2023,” he said.
He also paid tribute to the Gatchalians’ patriarch William, who he said supported him in his crimefighting days as head of the then Presidential Anti-Crime Commission Task Force Habagat – particularly against kidnap-for-ransom gangs.
Meanwhile, Lacson reiterated his appeal to voters to be discerning and choose their senators wisely in May. He said there are four types of senatorial candidates:
* One who works and never steals from public funds;
* One who does his work but also steals public funds;
* One who is too lazy and does not work, but does not steal;
* One who is lazy and does not work, but only knows how to steal public funds.
“It is up to you to choose. We must be discerning so that we can give our nation hope,” he said.
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Ping Lacson, Nakuha ang Suporta para sa Pagka-Senador sa mga Lider ng Valenzuela City
Nakuha ni dating Senador at 2025 senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Lunes ang malaking dagdag na suporta para sa pagka-senador sa Mayo, matapos nangako si Sen. Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian na ikakampanya at ipanalo siya sa Valenzuela City.
Sa isang mensahe matapos ang flag-raising ceremony sa Valenzuela City, pinuri ni Sen. Gatchalian si Lacson dahil sa kanyang karanasan at kakayahan sa Senado, kabilang ang paghanap ng pondo para sa libreng edukasyon.
“Pumili tayo ng taong talagang maglilingkod sa atin, at hindi lang talaga maglilingkod dahil galing sa puso kundi may karanasan at galing na maglingkod. Kaya ako personal na lumalapit sa inyong lahat para po tulungang ikampanya at ipanalo si Sen. Ping Lacson dito sa Valenzuela,” ani Sen. Gatchalian sa mga Elders of Valenzuela City (EVC) matapos ang flag-raising ceremony.
Napabilib ang senador sa paghanap ni Lacson ng mga kwestyonableng item sa pambansang budget, at pag-realign nito sa makabuluhang programa tulad ng libreng tertiary education.
Binuking noon ni Lacson sa P8.3-bilyong appropriation sangkot ang budget ng Department of Public Works and Highways para sa 2017 – at pagsulong ng pag-amyenda para tanggalin ito. Matapos nito ay napagkasunduan ng mga senador na ilipat ito sa magiging batas para sa libreng tertiary education.
“Ang nakahanap ng budget para mapondohan ang libreng edukasyon sa Pilipinas ay si Sen. Ping Lacson… (Kaya) kung hindi niya ho nakita yan, baka hanggang ngayon may batas nga ho tayo walang pondo,” ayon kay Sen. Gatchalian.
Pinuri din ni Sen. Gatchalian ang pagiging maaga ni Lacson sa mga appointment, dahil para sa kanya, mahalaga ang oras ng iba.
“Yan ang kanyang personalidad at pagkatao, hindi niya pinapaantay ang taumbayan, binibigyan niya ng importansya. Para sa kanya mas mahalaga ang oras,” aniya.
Pinuri naman si Lacson ng kapatid ni Sen. Gatchalian na si Mayor Weslie “Wes” Gatchalian, dahil sa maingat na pag-research nito sa background ng mga dumadaan sa Commission on Appointments. Nagkasama si Lacson at ngayo’y Mayor Wes sa CA noong congressman pa si Mayor Wes.
Pinuri naman ni Lacson si Mayor at Senator Gatchalian, at pati na rin si Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, sa kanilang pamumuno na nagpaunlad sa Valenzuela City mula sa maliit na bayan na parte ng Bulacan, sa isang masaganang highly urbanized city.
“Thanks to the leadership of different leaders, highlighted by the leadership of three Gatchalians – Sec. Rex, Sen. Win, Congressman and Mayor Wes – catapulted Valenzuela City na naging highly urbanized city with a nominal GDP noong 2023, P168.8 billion,” aniya.
Pinuri din ni Lacson ang ama ng magkakapatid na si William, na sumuporta sa kanya sa paglaban sa krimen bilang hepe ng Presidential Anti-Crime Commission Task Force Habagat – partikular laban sa kidnap-for-ransom.
Samantala, muling nanawagan si Lacson sa mga botante na maging mapanuri at mamili ng maayos sa Mayo. Aniya, may apat na klaseng kandidatong tumatakbo para senador:
* Ang marunong magtrabaho at hindi nangungurakot;
* Ang marunong at masipag magtrabaho pero nangungurakot;
* Hindi marunong magtrabaho, tamad, pero hindi naman nangungurakot;
* Hindi na nga marunong magtrabaho, tamad, nangungurakot pa.
“Bahala na kayo kasi yan ang pagpipilian natin… Basta maging mapanuri lang tayo para magkaroon ng pagasa ang ating bansa,” aniya.
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Full text of Speech at the Flag-Raising Ceremony in Valenzuela City
This is the life, Valenzuela life, ayon kay Mayor Wes. I am deeply honored to be your speaker in today’s flag-raising ceremony. And even more with the presence of the former distinguished colleague sa 16th, 17th and 18th Congresses, and another distinguished colleague sa Commission on Appointments in the 17th Congress.
Alam nyo, simple ko lang ma-describe si Sen. Win. Napaka-low key pero laging handang mag-interpellate. Basta yan alam kong mag-interpellate, doble ang paghahanda ko pag ako interpellate-in kasi well-researched, well-studied and well-prepared.
Ang passion niya talaga, education, health, and energy. Basta sa linyang ganyan ang kanyang pag-interpellate, talagang maghanda ka na. Maski sino sa amin alam namin yan, kabisado namin si Sen. Win. And si Cong Wes noong araw sa CA, magkasama lang kami for 18 months kasi may term-sharing.
Ang isang maliit na bayang tinaguriang Polo, hinango sa Pulo, kasi impression noon ng mga Kastila e island ito kasi may Tullahan River. But in the course of time, and thanks to the leadership of different leaders, highlighted by the leadership of 3 Gatchalians – Sec. Rex, Sen. Win, Congressman and Mayor Wes – catapulted Valenzuela City na naging highly urbanized city with a nominal GDP noong 2023, P168.8B. Parang per capita nito at least P200K ang per capita.
So from a small town na part ng Bulacan, and masasabi ko lang sa aking matagal na kaibigan ang kanilang mahal na ama si William, I’ve known William, talagang old friend from way way back panahon pa noong VP pa si President Estrada, ang suporta niya sa anticrime efforts namin grabe. I was then the commander of Task Force Habagat under the PACC, at talagang nandiyan siya lagi to support our anticrime efforts particularly sa KFR gangs. Talagang all out, ang puso niya, civic mindedness at pagmamahal din sa ating mga kababayan sa ating bansa. Di ko na paghahabaan,
Meron akong isang parting message sa ating lahat. Ito wala akong pinatutungkulan na maski isa sa mahigit 60 tumatakbong senador. Pero malimit tinatanong kami sa interviews, may pagasa ba ang ating bayan? Binabalik ko ang tanong, ang pagasa ng ating bayan nakasalalay sa ating mga botante. May 4 uri ng tumatakbo bilang senador ng Republika. Ito sa akin ito: Ang una, ito ang masipag at marunong magtrabaho at di nagnanakaw. Ang pangalawa, masipag at marunong magtrabaho pero nagnanakaw. Ang pangatlo, ang walang alam sa trabaho, tamad pero di naman nagnanakaw. Pang-apat ang tamad na, walang alam sa trabaho, nagnanakaw pa.
Bahala na kayo kasi yan ang pagpipilian natin. Sa aking kategorya, yan ang ating pagpipilian so wala akong pinatutungkulan. Di ko kinakampanya sarili ko. Basta maging mapanuri lang tayo para magkaroon ng pagasa ang ating bansa. Maraming salamat po at magandang umaga sa ating lahat.
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