Independent senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson is taking to heart – and possibly to the Senate – the lessons he learned from ordinary Filipinos he interacted with during the 90-day senatorial campaign.
Lacson said in a radio interview Saturday that he learned many realities that would guide him in crafting legislation for issues affecting sectors such as agriculture, education, and local government units (LGUs).
“During our campaign, we visited areas where we met with LGU officials, down to the barangay chairmen. While we explained to them our campaign platform, we also drew not just inspiration but also lessons from their real-life experiences,” he said in Filipino in an interview on Bombo Radyo Philippines.
“If we did not meet with people on the ground like this, we would not have known about their situation, much less how to help them,” he added.
Related: Ping Lacson, Isiniwalat ang mga Aral sa 90-Araw na Kampanya
Lacson cited as an example the issues in the implementation of the Free Tertiary Education Act of 2017, where he learned from parents from poor families that they were asked to pay tuition in advance and wait for rebates – which at times do not come.
He also said he is considering revisiting and introducing amendments to existing laws to give students from poor families some leeway in staying in the free tertiary scholarship program.
In agriculture, Lacson said that after learning that youths are no longer interested in taking up agriculture courses, he is considering a “Kabataang Magsasaka” bill that provides scholarships to farmers’ children – in exchange for rendering years of service in the Philippines after graduation, in the mold of the “Doktor Para sa Bayan” law.
This will expose agriculture scholars to new technologies in agriculture, and lead to modernized farming.
Lacson also said he is pushing for a measure that will empower LGUs by giving them a one-percent rebate on their Value-Added Tax (VAT) collections, with the rebate going to infrastructure, development and livelihood projects.
Meanwhile, Lacson reminded voters anew to vote wisely when they go to the polling precincts on Monday, May 12.
“Vote wisely. This is very important. What is at stake is not just our generation but future generations of Filipinos,” he said.
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Ping Lacson, Isiniwalat ang mga Aral sa 90-Araw na Kampanya
Kung sakaling papalarin sa halalan si independent senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson, dadalhin niya sa Senado ang mga aral na natutunan niya sa pag-iikot sa iba’t ibang lugar ng bansa sa nakaraang 90-araw na kampanya.
Ani Lacson sa panayam sa radyo nitong Sabado, marami siyang nakitang realidad na magiging gabay niya sa paggawa ng panukalang batas para sa mga sektor tulad ng agrikultura, edukasyon, at local government units (LGUs).
“Unang una, ang pag-iikot namin, pupunta kami sa mga lugar na kung saan nakasalamuha namin ang mga LGUs down to barangay chairmen. Nakita namin doon while binibigyan namin sila ng nilalaman ng plataporma namin para makatulong sa LGUs. At the same time, we draw not just inspiration but lessons sa sarili nilang mga experiences sa kani-kanilang lugar,” aniya sa panayam sa Bombo Radyo Philippines.
“Kung hindi kami nag-ikot, di namin maiisip o matutugunan, di namin alam ang situation sa ground,” dagdag niya.
Isa sa mga aral na binanggit ni Lacson ay ang mga isyu sa pagpapatupad ng Free Tertiary Education Act of 2017, kung saan pinapaabono sa mga magulang ng mahihirap na estudyante ang matrikula – at pinaghintay ng rebate na minsan ay hindi dumarating.
Nais din ni Lacson na repasuhin ang batas para bigyan ng kaunting kaluwagan ang estudyante galing sa mahirap na pamilya para hindi matanggal sa free tertiary education program.
Sa agrikultura, nais ni Lacson na kumuha na agriculture courses ang kabataan sa pamamagitan ng panukalang batas na “Kabataang Magsasaka” na magbibigay ng scholarship sa anak ng magsasaka – at bilang kapalit ay magsisilbi sila sa Pilipinas ng ilang taon matapos ang graduation, tulad ng “Doktor Para sa Bayan” law.
Sa pamamagitan nito, matututunan nila ang ang mga bagong teknolohiya sa agrikultura, at sa modernized farming.
Itinutulak din ni Lacson ang panukalang magpapalakas sa LGU sa pamamagitan ng 1% rebate sa kanilang Value-Added Tax (VAT) collections. Ang rebate ay mapupunta sa infrastructure, development at livelihood.
Samantala, nanawagan muli si Lacson sa mga botante na bumoto ng tama sa Lunes, Mayo 12.
“Vote wisely. Napakaimportante. Ang nakataya dito hindi lang sa aming henerasyon kundi sa anak namin at susunod pang henerasyon na Pilipino,” aniya.
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