Opposition slate 'Otso Diretso' barnstorms Roxas City
Published Jan 10, 2019 06:32 pm
By Raymund Antonio
A month before the start of the campaign period for the May polls, the eight senatorial candidates from the Oposisyon Koalisyon were all present on Thursday for a series of town hall meetings in Roxas City, Capiz.
This was the first time the “Otso Diretso” slate was all present for a public activity since Vice President Leni Robredo formally presented the full senatorial slate during a launch in Marikina City in October 2018.
Vice President Leni Robredo led the presentation of the eight candidates of Oposisyon Koalisyon for the 2019 senatorial elections on Wednesday, 24 October 2018, at Brgy. Parang, Marikina City. File Photo by OVP)
Robredo, the leader of the opposition, was not able to join the OK senate bets, but her former running mate and ex-Senator Mar Roxas II made sure that he was with his fellow candidates at the events this time.
Capiz, which has less than half a million registered voters, is the home province of Roxas.
Roxas hosted the meeting of the OK candidates at 9 a.m. with student leaders and Sangguniang Kabataang members at Hercor College in Roxas City. They also then met with health, women and community leaders in the city’s Villareal Stadium.
Before their meetings, the opposition candidates went to various local radio stations to share their legislative agenda and what they would do if they win a Senate seat. Some of them also talked about the current issues in the country during their interviews.
Reelectionist Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino vowed that he and other members of the OK slate will prioritize the welfare of all Filipinos.
“Maraming concerns ang ating mga kababayan. Maraming naghihirap at naghahanap ng solusyon. Ang grupo naming Otso Diretso ang tututok sa mga pangangailanagn ng taumbayan at pamilyang Pilipino,” he said.
(Our countrymen have many concerns. Many of them are suffering from poverty and they look for solution. Our group Otso Diretso will focus on the needs of the people and Filipino families.)
Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno slammed the continuous implementation of excise and value added tax despite the soaring consumer prices that affect Filipinos.
“Unang una, dapat ayusin natin yung excise tax na nakapaloob sa TRAIN Law dahil hindi nga makatarungan lalong lalo na sa mga mahihirap,” he said.
(First of all, we should fix the excise tax provided in the TRAIN Law because this is unjust, especially to the poor.)
Diokno urged the National Food Authority to monitor the supply of rice, to ensure that prices remain stable for the staple.
Speaking before local officials of Roxas City, Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc emphasized the importance of empowering local government units and barangays.
“The barangay should be honored and should be remembered as a very special (unit). We can even be actually more powerful than the president, you’re the only one who has the three powers, exceptional power of the executive, of the judicial, at legislative,” she said.
The four other members of the OK slate are Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano, former solicitor general Florin Hilbay, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, and ex-Quezon congressman Erin Tañada.
Among the eight of them, only Roxas and Aquino are among the probable winning senatorial candidates in the latest Pulse Asia survey. Roxas ranked 8th to 15th places while Aquino was in 10th to 16th places.
The opposition coalition has renamed its eight-man slate to “Otso Diretso,” to woo the public to vote “Straight Eight” in the May elections.
Vice President Leni Robredo led the presentation of the eight candidates of Oposisyon Koalisyon for the 2019 senatorial elections on Wednesday, 24 October 2018, at Brgy. Parang, Marikina City. File Photo by OVP)
Robredo, the leader of the opposition, was not able to join the OK senate bets, but her former running mate and ex-Senator Mar Roxas II made sure that he was with his fellow candidates at the events this time.
Capiz, which has less than half a million registered voters, is the home province of Roxas.
Roxas hosted the meeting of the OK candidates at 9 a.m. with student leaders and Sangguniang Kabataang members at Hercor College in Roxas City. They also then met with health, women and community leaders in the city’s Villareal Stadium.
Before their meetings, the opposition candidates went to various local radio stations to share their legislative agenda and what they would do if they win a Senate seat. Some of them also talked about the current issues in the country during their interviews.
Reelectionist Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino vowed that he and other members of the OK slate will prioritize the welfare of all Filipinos.
“Maraming concerns ang ating mga kababayan. Maraming naghihirap at naghahanap ng solusyon. Ang grupo naming Otso Diretso ang tututok sa mga pangangailanagn ng taumbayan at pamilyang Pilipino,” he said.
(Our countrymen have many concerns. Many of them are suffering from poverty and they look for solution. Our group Otso Diretso will focus on the needs of the people and Filipino families.)
Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno slammed the continuous implementation of excise and value added tax despite the soaring consumer prices that affect Filipinos.
“Unang una, dapat ayusin natin yung excise tax na nakapaloob sa TRAIN Law dahil hindi nga makatarungan lalong lalo na sa mga mahihirap,” he said.
(First of all, we should fix the excise tax provided in the TRAIN Law because this is unjust, especially to the poor.)
Diokno urged the National Food Authority to monitor the supply of rice, to ensure that prices remain stable for the staple.
Speaking before local officials of Roxas City, Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc emphasized the importance of empowering local government units and barangays.
“The barangay should be honored and should be remembered as a very special (unit). We can even be actually more powerful than the president, you’re the only one who has the three powers, exceptional power of the executive, of the judicial, at legislative,” she said.
The four other members of the OK slate are Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano, former solicitor general Florin Hilbay, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, and ex-Quezon congressman Erin Tañada.
Among the eight of them, only Roxas and Aquino are among the probable winning senatorial candidates in the latest Pulse Asia survey. Roxas ranked 8th to 15th places while Aquino was in 10th to 16th places.
The opposition coalition has renamed its eight-man slate to “Otso Diretso,” to woo the public to vote “Straight Eight” in the May elections.