CEBU CITY – A new party-list seeking a seat in the midterm elections wooed voters during a series of consultative meetings here on Monday, Feb. 24.
THE first three nominees of Aksyon Dapat party-list (from left) Atty. Bobbit Rocco, Hernani Braganza, and Edgar Lagman discuss their platforms during a press briefing on Monday, Feb. 24, in Cebu City. (Calvin Cordova)
If successful in the May elections, Aksyon Dapat party-list said they will focus on livelihood, health, education, environment, housing, and peace and order.
The party-list’s first nominee, former Pangasinan Rep. Hernani Braganza, said Aksyon Dapat was created after they studied the peace and order situation in the country.
Advocating peace and order makes Aksyon Dapat different from other party-list groups, said Braganza, a former peace advocate and negotiator of four past administrations and a former Cabinet Secretary.
Braganza said that the country can only achieve real progress through lasting peace. “Let’s stop spending our taxpayer’s money in killing each other as Filipinos. We must address the root cause of the armed conflict so we can achieve lasting peace,” said Braganza.
Joining Braganza were second nominee Bobbit Roco, a lawyer and US-trained pilot, and third nominee Edgar Lagman, a registered nurse and an entrepreneur.
Braganza, a former mayor of Alaminos City, Pangasinan, said Aksyon Dapat is advocating for higher funds for different local government units, especially towns, to keep pace with the progress of cities.
He added that services to the general public should be institutionalized and not need to pass through politicians which tend to result in selective support.
"There's nothing wrong with providing help to needy people. But the difference is we believe in strengthening our institutions para hindi napopolitika ‘yung serbisyo (so that services won’t be politicized). When everyone is a taxpayer, hindi dapat namimili ‘yung politiko kung sino tutulungan niya, ‘yung kakampi lang niya, 'yung kalaban hindi kasali (politicians should not choose who they will help)," said Braganza. "Politicians like us, we come and go, but institutions don't. During your time in public service, you strengthen the institution," Braganza added.
Aksyon Dapat vowed to support and assist approximately 21 million families with adequate, poor, or low incomes and approximately five million families with sufficient or excess incomes to create more jobs, businesses, and livelihoods that will strengthen the economy and drive the development of Filipino families.
Roco, son of former senator and presidential candidate Raul Roco, said that Visayas will be one of their priority regions for assistance once they win. Aksyon Dapat has prepared their Plan 1,000 for implementation once elected.
"This is the start of the consultation process of Aksyon Dapat. We can be your voice in Congress directly, without passing through other political leaders,” said Braganza.
Braganza said that “without demeaning our friends, government leaders,” the advantage of a party-list is that they can go straight to the grassroots to deliver needed assistance.
Lagman said that political will is one of their thrusts as a party-list to achieve their goals in Congress. “What makes us different is our advocacy for good and honest governance towards. This advocacy is very timely if we look at what's happening with our national budget now,” Lagman said.
They are hoping for Cebuano votes as they continue their campaign in the Visayas.
"We are appealing for support from the people of Cebu. As we have said, we are a platform-based organization, eight years in the making. Our family names are known advocates for the most controversial issues and we will stand by it,” Braganza said.
After Cebu, they will go to Bohol, Dumaguete, and Negros Islands for more consultative meetings.