Taguig City 2nd district Rep. Pammy Zamora (left), Makati City Mayor Abby Binay (Mayor Binay's office)

Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidate Makati City Mayor Abby Binay has received a rather symbolic endorsement from a fellow woman of power over in Taguig City.

Raising Binay's hand in support of her Senate bid Thursday, April 10 was Taguign City 2nd district Rep. Pammy Zamora. This took place during a barangay caucus held in East Rembo and Cembo.

In her speech, Binay assured the citizens of East Rembo and Cembo that she will continue to fight for the EMBO Barangays in the Senate, which drew cheers and applause from the crowd.

“Tayo po ay nagdesisyon na tumakbo sa Senado dahil dadalhin po natin ang laban sa Senado (I decided to run for a Senate seat because I will bring the fight there),” she said.

Cembo and East Rembo are among 10 barangays formerly part of Makati that were placed under the jurisdiction of Taguig by the Supreme Court (SC) in 2023.

Embo residents have complained that Makati’s health and education services and benefits are not being provided by the Taguig city government.

In response, Binay since last year granted them access to free consultations and subsidized medical services at Ospital ng Makati. She even extended the operating hours of selected health centers in Makati to cater to their primary healthcare needs for free. 

Binay also opened the weekly Lingkod Bayan Caravan in a designated barangay to EMBO residents and other non-residents. It offered free checkups, x-ray, ECG, FBS, blood typing, and free medicines, among other services.

Binay said she was encouraged by the support of Congresswoman Zamora, her “kinakapatid” or godsister.  

“Kaya ngayon may lakas ng loob po akong humarap sa inyo dahil magiging kasama, kasangga, kaibigan po natin, at kailangan po na may counterpart ako sa Kongreso - ang isang Pammy Zamora,” she said.

(The reason why I have the courage to face you now is because I have a companion, an ally, my friend, I need a counterpart in Congress--Pammy Zamora.)

Binay vowed to replicate some of Makati’s pioneering programs on the national level, among them providing free maintenance medicines, unlimited and free dialysis and chemotherapy, and strengthening early childhood education. 

She also intends to propose in the Senate the removal of taxes on bonuses and overtime pay of private sector and government workers.