Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said he is deeply humbled and extremely honored to get the support of the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) saying the endorsement from the country’s provincial executives will provide a big boost in his re-election bid.
“This endorsement coming from the ranks of my fellow public servants will serve as an inspiration in pursuing needed reforms to bring about inclusive growth and in further strengthening local government units,” Gatchalian said.
“Rest assured that once re-elected, there will be no letup in pushing for genuine reforms especially in the education and energy sectors,” he further said, confirming he has received a copy of the letter of Marinduque Governor Presbitero J. Velasco Jr., LPP national president, to all members.
Velasco has urged the League’s 81 governor-members to back the candidacy of Gatchalian and five other senatorial candidates whom they have chosen to support in the coming May 9 national and local poll exercise.
“As LPP national president, I urge you to consider supporting our League’s ‘common’ candidates for the Senate based on our survey. I hope that you can also consider including them in your list of senatorial candidates whom you will be supporting this May 9, 2022 national and local elections,” Velasco said in his letter to the governors dated April 4.
LPP is the latest group to express their support for Gatchalian, who is seeking another six-year term in the upper chamber.
The group said they need “more allies in the 19th Congress to help the League push for vital policies that would advance our legislative agenda and protect the gains we have achieved in promoting a genuine fiscal and local autonomy of all local government units (LGUs), particulary to help secure our rightful share in the national taxes.”
During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Gatchalian pressed the national government to grant additional Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) shares to LGUs that were under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the strictest lockdown measure, to ensure smooth delivery of basic services to the public.