ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro (Facebook)

ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro will throw her hat in the Senate race during the midterm elections next year. 

"Tinatanggap ko po ang hamon (I accept the challenge)," Castro, a House deputy minority leader, during the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT-Philippines) 42nd anniversary event on Wednesday night, June 26. 

Her pronouncement was met with raucous applause by the attendees. 

Castro's remark was apparently a response to an "open letter" from retired teachers that was really during the event. 

"Sa 2025 midterm elections, ikaw ang nais naming pambato, Teacher France Castro! Ang pagtakbo mo sa halalang senatoryal, kung iyong mamarapatin, ay bahagi at alinsunod sa pagtupad ng kilusang guro sa ating tungkulin sa sambayanang Pilipino," the letter read. 

(You're our desired bet for the 2025 midterm elections, Teacher France Castro! Should you oblige, your senatorial rin is part and in line with fulfilling the responsibility of activist teachers to the Filipino nation.) 

The letter notes that Castro is now on her third and final term as member of the House of Representatives. 

"Pero hindi ka pa pwedeng sumali sa aming retirees’ club- wala ka pang 65 years old," it said. 

(But you can't join our retirees' club just yet--you haven't reached 65 years old.) 

"Matunog sa social media ngayon ang pangalan mo bilang alternatibong Kalihim ng DepEd (Department of Education), matapos ang pagbibitiw ni Sara Duterte na tanda ng ganap na pagguho ng pekeng UniTeam. Alam naming kayang kaya mo ang trabahong iyon," the retired teachers said in their letter. 

(Your name is very popular now in social media as an alternative DepEd secretary, following Sara Duterte's resignation that marked the dissolution of the take UniTeam. We know that you're capable to do that job.) 

ALSO READ:

https://mb.com.ph/2024/6/25/vp-duterte-as-opposition-leader-romualdez-gives-classy-response

But they ultimately reckoned that Castro was "more suited in the halls of the Senate". 

"Panahon na para magkaroon ng tunay na oposisyon sa pulitika ng bansa. Hindi ang kampong Duterte, o mga grupo ng konserbatibong elit o iba pang nagpapanggap na oposisyon. Tayo ang tunay na oposisyon na nagdadala ng tunay na agenda ng mamamayan," the letter read. 

(It's time for the country to have true opposition politics. Not from the Duterte camp, or the conservative elite that pretends to be the opposition. We are the true opposition that drives the people's agenda.)