Given the mandate to carry out his policy directions for the welfare of the marginalized sectors in our society, Partido Reporma standard-bearer Panfilo ‘Ping’ M. Lacson said demolition squads destroying and confiscating the goods of underprivileged market vendors would be a thing of the past.

Speaking to some groups of market vendors in Baclaran, Parañaque City on Thursday, Lacson said he is hoping they would keep themselves organized and be compliant to local government ordinances, so they could avoid having serious run-ins with the law in the future.

Lacson empathized with the difficult situation experienced by some of the vendors he encountered during the campaign period because they reminded him of his late mother, who worked as a textile vendor. This is why he always felt extra passionate to be of service to them as well.

“Hindi niyo naitanong, ‘yung nanay ko, market vendor din sa napakatagal na panahon. ‘Yon po ‘yung nakapagpaaral sa amin, walo kaming magkakapatid. Kaya alam ko ‘yung dinarama ng isang market vendor na katulad ninyo {In case you did not know, my own mother worked as a market vendor for a long time, too. Through that {job}, she managed to send all of us to school, we were eight siblings. So, I know how market vendors feel like you,’’ the presidential bet said during their town hall meeting.

Lacson recognized that while the legal market vendors could sell their products in peace, having secured permits from their local government units (LGU), there was still the presence of some hawkers who were not authorized to engage in commercial transactions with the public.

‘’The situation in Baclaran really is that cops could drop by every once in a while, or the barangay officials because, of course, they have ordinances or laws to carry out. So, what we should do is to keep (the vendors) organized, so you could set up stalls (to sell your goods or services) legally,’’ he added.

Lacson himself once dealt with a number of abusive cops trying to extort money from both legal and illegal vendors during his heyday as chief of the Philippine National Police. He vigorously implemented anti-‘kotong’ (corruption) drives to save market vendors from being randomly victimized by corrupt authorities.

Another way to solve the problem for the long-term, Lacson said, is through his flagship Budget Reform Advocacy for Village Empowerment (BRAVE) program where the LGUs nationwide will be given the wherewithal to design and implement livelihood projects for their constituents.

The Partido Reporma chairman sees BRAVE as a viable solution to the perennial problem of people from the provinces risking the lives they have gotten used to in the rural areas and migrating to different cities just to find economic opportunities.

“Kung bibigyan ng sapat na suporta (ang mga LGU) at pabayaan doon din mag-implementa (ng mga proyekto), malaki pong matutulong nang sa ganoon bawat kanayunan, bawat bayan, bawat probinsya may sarili silang nakalaang pondo na sapat para ayusin ‘yung kanilang mga pamumuhay doon sa kanilang lugar {If we are going to provide ample support (for the LGUs) and allow them to implement (the projects) themselves, it would help us greatly, so that every rural district, every town, every province has enough budget allocation to improve the living conditions of people in their respective localities},’’ he stressed.

Lacson engaged during the dialogue on this topic a Baclaran-based market vendor, who traced his roots to Marawi City, Lanao del Sur.

The vendor said he only wanted to make a living peacefully without having to worry about hostilities breaking out anytime that’s why he is rooting for Lacson to win the presidenc