By Glenn Gale
While most politicians hunkered down in the comforts of their homes during the long COVID-19-induced lockdown, there were a handful of brave and caring individuals who were out and about trying to do their bit to alleviate the suffering of impoverished Filipinos. One of them is Rep. Ronnie Ong, a neophyte lawmaker and second nominee of Ang Probinsyano Party-list.
Tall and athletic—and looking more like an action star than a politico—Ronnie, though a congressional rookie, has already carved a reputation inside and outside of Congress not only for pushing for legislation, but also for creating programs and projects related to his proposed laws.
This early into his tenure, the congressman has championed policies promoting employment, protection of children and senior citizens and animal welfare. In his first six months as a lawmaker, he not only filed bills and resolutions on these issues. He also created projects such as Tulong sa Senior Citizen Work Program, which employs senior citizens at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, worked with Create Responsive Infants By Sharing Foundation Inc. and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in protecting foundlings or abandoned children, and partnered with Pawssion Project PH in various stray animal rescue, adoption and fostering projects.
Best of all, he has shown how to walk the talk by adopting Coco, one of Pawssion Project’s rescues. Coco has now exchanged a stray dog’s street life for the good life with his own dog house and a spacious garden he could run freely around in all day. The four-legged cutie has also become a media star, thanks to his new owner, but that’s another story.
“I was determined to prove that if I got elected to Congress, I would do my best to show that politics is not a self-serving career, but rather a calling to serve the people who put their trust in me,” he says.
He goes on: “When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, I remained on-the-job together with my team. More than just house-to-house relief operations, my office worked with various local governments such as Pasig, Manila, Marikina, Taytay, and Batangas to bring in truckloads of vegetables all the way from Benguet to various community kitchens—helping not only front liners and healthcare workers, but also Benguet farmers.”
He also launched a program to provide front liners and healthcare workers of Manila and Pasig with fish sourced from Sorsogon fishermen.
Recognizing healthcare workers and various front liners’ need for daily transportation, Ronnie also launched the #LibrengSakay UV express van program, which provided home-to-hospital roundtrip service to hundreds of healthcare workers and front liners, and kept UV Express van drivers/operators gainfully employed during ECQ.
In his most high-profile gesture during ECQ, the young politician also reached out to Mang Dodong, the Caloocan fish vendor who achieved media fame for being jailed for 12 days for not having a travel pass while out to purchase fish. Ronnie, together with his friend, actor Coco Martin, gave him a bike and sidecar. He also helped Mang Dodong jumpstart his own fish stand business in Caloocan.
He says: “I firmly believe that Filipinos can empower and inspire one another while staying at home during the lockdown. So, I also produced and released a tribute music video dedicated to our healthcare workers and other front liners titled “Kaya Natin Ito,” which was performed by Yassi Pressman and composed by OPM artist Eich Abando.”
To date, the tribute music video has garnered over 2.2 million views, generating in its wake several mini-videos showcasing various inspiring COVID-19 stories of healthcare workers, front liners and ordinary Filipinos alike doing their all to help the country rise from this pandemic.
So, hats off to Rep. Ong for providing us with a feel-good story emanating from what has been a very trying time for millions of Filipinos. More power to his ilk!
This story first appeared on PeopleAsia June-July 2020 issue.
