With the exclusion of Malasakit Movement Party-list from the official ballot by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Asec. Celine Pialago is now part of the Frontliners ang Bida Party-list.
In a statement Wednesday, Feb. 9, Pialago said she is excited to represent the Frontliners ang Bida Party-list as it has the same principles and beliefs with her former party-list.
According to her camp, Pialago is set to be part of the party's nominees but it's still being worked on.
According to Section 8 of Republic Act 7941 or the Party-List System Act, "each registered party, organization or coalition shall submit to the COMELEC not later than forty-five (45) days before the election a list of names, not less than five (5), from which party-list representatives shall be chosen in case it obtains the required number of votes." It also stated that no change of names or alteration of the order of nominees shall be allowed after the same shall have been submitted to the Comelec except in cases where the nominee dies, or withdraws in writing his nomination, becomes incapacitated in which case the name of the substitute nominee shall be placed last in the list.
Pialago already expressed gratitude to the party for their warm welcome, as she felt at home with them as they only have a singe goa which is to help frontliners.
“Ang mga paniniwala, prinsipyo at pinaglalaban ng Frontliners ang Bida Party-list (Team 111) ay kahalintulad po ng sa atin kaya naman isang karangalan para sakin na maging boses ng mga frontliners (The beliefs, principles, being fought for by Frontliners ang Bida Party-list (Team 111) is the same with my former party-list that's why it's an honor for me to be the voice of frontliners),” she said.
"No good things come to waste, hindi masasayang lahat ng naumpisahan natin dahil ipagpapatuloy natin dito sa Frontliners Ang Bida Partylist (What we started will not go to waste because we will continue it with Frontliners Ang Bida Partylist)," she added.
Pialago's Malasakit Movement sought to push for standard benefits for barangay representatives, kagawads, barangay tanod, social workers, volunteers, barangay health workers to improve their quality of living
The Comelec Office of the Clerk of the Commission said the group was excluded citing the resolution of its pending incident.
"The OCOC hereby notifies that party-list registrant Malasakit Movement Inc. (Malasakit Movement) has been excluded in the final listing of party-list candidates to appear in the ballot in connection with the May 9, 2022 National and Local Elections in view of the resolution of its pending incident," it said..
With the new party, Pialago said that she will also work for the creation of healthcare centers in far-flung areas to end the travel woes of patients who are trying to get to their town's health centers.
Pialago also wants the regional "disease detectives" or those working under Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Units to get better hazard benefits.
Other frontline workers whose lives she seeks to improve are the ones Pialago had worked with in the MMDA such as traffic constables.
She became MMDA Spokesperson in September 2016. After almost two years , she became Assistant Secretary. She has served under three MMDA chairpersons, namely Tim Orbos, the late Danilo Lim, and Benhur Abalos.