House Deputy Speaker and Antique Rep. Loren Legarda has called for the stricter implementation of environment and entrepreneurship-related laws, which she says can help the country in its economic recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
In a statement Thursday, Feb. 24, Legarda cited three sectors that political candidates must look into during their term, should they win in the upcoming May polls. They are the environment, economy, and health.
She said some of her bills could address concerns in these key sectors.
"Mula sa karagatan, sa tubig, sa ating air quality, sa ating solid waste, ang mahalaga dito 'yong istriktong implementasyon at 'yung oversight function ng Congress, at 'yung pagpopondo ng mga batas na ito. Ito po'y papa-igtingin ko (From the seas, to our water, to the air quality, and solid waste, what's important is the strict implementation of related laws and the oversight function of Congress as well as the funding of such laws. That's what I will strengthen)," Legarda, who seeks a Senate comeback, said, adding that taking care of the environment is part of pandemic recovery.
Another sector that must be looked into is the economy, she said.
"The backbone of the Philippine economy is small business, kaya nga po 'yung DTI Shared Service facilities, 'yung DOLE Pangkabuhayan, 'yung sustainable livelihood program para sa 4P families – ito po'y maliliit na programa ng gobyerno na dapat ipagsama-sama sa isang Pangkabuhayan Law, para po taon-taon ito'y mapondohan for our pandemic recovery (That's why the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Labor and Employment's programs need to be collated into the Pangkabuhayan Law to fund the businesses for pandemic recovery)," she said.
The lawmaker also highlighted the importance of entrepreneurship for the country's recovery.
"Why is this important? Hindi naman po lahat kailangan maging empleyado (Not everyone need to become employees). The others, may desire maging self-employed—magkaroon ng maliit na negosyo (they have the desire to be self-employed, to own a small business)," she said.
Legarda cited as an example her constituents in Antique who are upcycling their woven products.
"'Yun ang purpose ng aking (That's the purpose of my) Barangay Employment and Entrepreneurship Service Office Bill, para po pa-igtingin natin ang (the purpose of which is to strengthen the) grassroots economy," she said.
If elected again to the Senate, Legarda said she will focus on programs that will help those in the barangay level because "our economic revival will be coming" from it.
"Everything should be local, everything sa barangay level. Maski anong ganda ng batas na ginagawa namin sa national, kung hindi po ito naiintindihan ng lokal; kung hindi po ini-implement ito hanggang sa barangay level, ay sayang lang po ang ating magagandang isinulat na batas (No matter how good the law is, if it's not understood and implemented at the local level, it will just have no purpose)," she said.