Deputy Speaker and Antique Rep. Loren Legarda was the earliest bird to file the certificate of candidacy for a national position, hoping to return to the Senate after a three-year hibernation in the House of Representatives.
Legarda was the first senatorial candidate to be spotted at the Sofitel Tent in Pasay City, reportedly arriving there at around 8 am on Friday, Oct. 1, the first of eight days of COC filing throughout the country.
An environmentalist, Legarda, who will represent the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), served two consecutive terms as senator before running for the lone district of Antique.
The NPC is also expected to field Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III as its vice presidential candidate for 2022. Sotto has agreed to be the runningmate of Partido Reporma presidential bet, Sen. Panfilo Lacson.
Aside from Legarda, the NPC was also expected to nominate Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as a senatorial candidate for 2022.
Both NP and Reporma are eyeing an alliance with the National Unity Party (NUP) for the 2022 polls.
Lacson’s office has sent out invitations for the formal signing of the coalition agreement among the three parties to be represented by Lacson for Reporma, Sotto for NPC and former Antipolo City Rep. Ronaldo Puno for the NUP.
However, the event has been postponed twice this week.
In a press statement, Legarda said she hopes to contribute “much more” in addressing the CoVID-19 pandemic and climate change crises.
"Our pandemic recovery should respond to the health needs of our people and on our economic recovery and should be attuned to the climate pathway as we are also dealing with the climate crisis,” she said.
“With my 20 years of experience as Senator and my stint as Representative of the Lone District of Antique, I am confident that I can do much more to help solve the twin crisis, for the welfare of the Filipino people,” Legarda said.
“More jobs and livelihood, quality education, efficient healthcare system, stronger environmental protection and cultural preservation – these are what I have always championed since I was first elected Senator in 1998 and these are what I will continue to prioritize, given a fresh start in the Senate in 2022,” she said.