Gonzales bares plans in first 100 days if elected president
If elected, presidential aspirant Norberto Gonzales will focus on pandemic response as well as decongesting crowded communities, among others, in his first 100 days in the office.
During Manila Bulletin's "MB Hot Seat," Gonzales said he will strengthen the country's agricultural industry to produce more nutritious food in a bid to boost every Filipino's immune system.
He also said he will put the drug and pharmaceutical industry as well as the medical community at the forefront of the pandemic response as they can determine solutions regarding COVID-19.
"Kailangan 'yung ating ating medical community medyo gawin nating (We need to make our medical community as the) lead role," he said in an interview aired Monday night when asked about his top 5 priorities should he win the presidency.
"Imagine, how much have we spent for the vaccines and yet, we have not allowed the development of one industry that could have been developed. 'Yung ating drug and pharmaceutical industry, bakit hindi sila inutusan para maghanap ng supply... Tingnan nyo ang nangyari, 'yung mga naghanap ng supply natin, hindi na nahiya, buhay na natin ang nakatayaa, ninakaw pa at inabuso pa diba? (Why haven't we tasked our drug and pharmaceutical industry to look for supplies of drugs and medicines? Look at what happened. The ones who are looking for our supplies, they are shameless. Our lives are at stake, but they even have the audacity to rob and abuse us)," he added, without referring to a particular person or a group of people.
Gonzales also said he will decongest crowded communities while there is still pandemic or during times of emergencies "because there is no circulation of air" in those areas.
"Napapansin n'yo diba may community na siksikan 'yung bahay, tapos napapaligiran ng bakanteng lupa, baka during emergencies pwede nating pakiusapan yung mga may ari. Gagarantiyahan ng pamahalaan na walang maagaw na lupa (If you have noticed, there are communities crowded with houses. But they are surrounded by big, open spaces. Maybe, during emergencies, we can ask the owners of these available spaces to let us borrow their lands. But we should assure them that no land will be taken away from them)," he said.
Compelling local leaders to ensure and maintain cleanliness of their communities is also part of Gonzales' agenda in his first three months.
"Hindi 'yung pwedeng, yung isang buwang malinis tapos (We cannot allow just a month of cleanliness.," he said.
Gonzales, who was also the national defense chief during former President Macapagal-Arroyo's administration, also stressed the need to address "other immediate concerns, like the issue" with China.
"Lagi tayong kinakabahan sa (we're always afraid of) China. Those things need to be addressed immediately, yung mga nakaka-abala sa peace ng ating bayan. Titingnan natin 'yan (those that disrupt peace in our country. We will look into that)," he said.
In the same interview, Gonzales said we cannot wage war against China in relation to tension over the West Philippines Sea.
"Paano tayo lalaban sa China? Talo tayo dyan. Ubos tayo dyan (How can we fight China? We'll be pulverized). That is not the point," he said.
Although he acknowledged the country's sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea, the presidential aspirant said that what is more important is to show is that while Filipinos are not militarily capable against China, they are willing to sacrifice their lives for their country.