Actor Robin Padilla is among the silverscreen stars attempting to win a Senate seat in the May 2022 elections.
If you're wondering what he intends to do if and when he lands that lofty position in government, you're in luck, as he these are some of the platform details he discussed in an interview with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio during her “Sara All For You” online program on Friday, Feb. 18.
On workers’s rights and social justice
As he is a proponent of social justice, Padilla said he is pushing for the passage of the Security of Tenure and End of Endo Act of 2018 (Anti-Endo Act), which seeks to end the issue of contractualization and exploitation of workers in the Philippines.
It can be recalled that tPresident Duterte vetoed the Anti-Endo act in 2019 after local business groups lobbied against its passage.
He also said that he wants to improve the wages of Filipino employees, specifically teachers and healthcare workers. He explained that the building of infrastructure is obsolete if workers are forced to leave the country for better wages.
On federalism
One of Padilla’s key platforms is the establishment of a federal-style government by decentralizing power and national development and empowering local government units (LGUs). According to him, the national government should not prioritize development in Metro Manila--which he refers to as "Imperial Manila"--in order to allow better cultural and economic development in other regions of the country and as a means to prevent corruption through equal distribution of wealth.
On mining and environmental policy
Padilla is against the implementation of new legislation to regulate mining and environmental protection; instead he wants to opt for better implementation of existing laws.
He also mentioned that mining should become a state-owned industry and that the state should partner with other nations involved with international mining federations, adding that mining should be done compliant with international standards.
Furthermore, he is of the belief that mining and use of the country’s natural resources can be a means to pay for national debt.
On unemployment, food security
Padilla mentioned improving cooperation between government and non-government institutions to better provide employment opportunities for the urban working poor. According to him, the national government should focus more on employment instead of nurturing people’s dependence on financial aid or "ayuda".
He also criticized the importation of agricultural products as a solution to supply shortages, and promised to push for better government support for food producers, farmers, and fisherfolk in order to ensure long-term food security.
On peace in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)
Padilla, a Muslim and advocate for peace in Mindanao, said that he would pursue more government attention in creating legislation to support the development of BARMM. He believes this will end the conflict in the region.
Padilla is a Filipino actor best known for his “bad boy” persona in films. He is running for a senatorial seat in the 2022 elections and has aligned himself with the UniTeam banner led by presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. and his running mate Duterte-Carpio.