After gaining the support of top Bangsamoro leaders, Senator Risa Hontiveros earned the backing of motorcycle and taxi riders in her reelection bid in the May polls.
Riders and owners of the transport service provider Angkas expressed their support for the candidacy of Hontiveros during the recent Angkas Safety Fiesta event.
Hontiveros on Wednesday, April 6, expressed gratitude for the support, saying that it fuels her to continue to push for a legislative agenda promoting the riders’ safety and dignity at work.
“Nagpapasalamat ako sa suporta ng ating mga magigiting na Kuya at Ate Angkas. Ito ang magiging inspirasyon ko sa patuloy na pagsusulong ng inyong kapakanan at karapatan. Sisiguraduhin nating hindi kayo maiiwan sa ride na ito (I am thankful to the support given by our brothers and sisters in Angkas. This will be my inspiration to continue to push for your rights. We will ensure that you will not be left behind),” the senator said.
The lady lawmaker also pledged to support the passage of the Motorcycle taxi law and the establishment of more welfare-based programs for riders that will not only protect their rights but also ensure safety at work.
She also promised to work on unburdening the riders of fees in training requirements, in securing licenses, as well as in the motor vehicle inspection system.
Meanwhile, Hontiveros also received the endorsement of top officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and the highest-ranking Catholic Church prelate in Cotabato in the upcoming elections.
During an event in Cotabato City on April 1, BARMM Interim Chief Minister Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim, who is also chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), along with Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament members Mohagher Iqbal, Eduard Guerra and Raissa Jajurie, said that they are supporting Hontiveros’ candidacy and want her back in the Senate for a new term.
According to Ebrahim and the other BARMM officials, a win by Hontiveros “assures the Bangsamoro people that they will always have a friend in the Senate.”
They also cited her track record as a peace advocate and her “consistent” support for peace efforts in Mindanao, even before she was a senator.
Cotabato Archbishop Angelito Lampon gave his blessings to Hontiveros, and joined other religious priests and lay leaders in expressing their support for the senator's advocacy of “Healthy Buhay and Hanapbuhay,” as well as peace and the welfare of the FIlipino family.
Hontiveros thanked the leaders for their support as she vowed to make a stronger push for peace and progress in the Mindanao region if reelected.