BY PAOLO CAPINO
In his campaign sorties, he always touts his BRAVE initiative, or Budget Reform Advocacy for Village Empowerment, which envisions to give a bigger share of the national budget to local government units (LGUs). Anchored on his “Aayusin ang Gobyerno, Aayusin ang Buhay Mo” platform, he is bent on fixing corruption at the highest levels of government; promising that he and his appointees would immediately sign a bank waiver, if elected.
It started in Mexico, Pampanga and ended in Cabuyao, Laguna. Running for senator was not even in my organizer in 2021, but I took on the challenge, when I was invited to be part of Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson’s ticket.
It was sudden, but I was encouraged by Lacson’s ability to recognize how an ordinary person like me could bring change to this country. Prior to this, I was part of the digital campaign team of Sen. Lacson under Partido Reporma, having met him for the first time during one of our initial meetings for his presidential bid.
I am used to staying on the sidelines and would prefer to listen from a corner, without the need to be acknowledged. So there I stayed at first. A few days later, I was asked by someone from the party if I would like to try running and pushing for my PWD (person with disability) advocacy, which started in 2020.
I hesitated at first, but eventually agreed because the chairman of our party, Lacson himself, is a man of integrity and dedication. Once I filed my certificate of candidacy, I decided that it was more worthwhile pushing for his campaign rather than mine.
Everyone should know that Lacson has clear and concise plans for our country. These are not motherhood plans, but specific ones.
Anchored on the “Aayusin ang Gobyerno, Aayusin ang Buhay Mo” platform, he wants to fix corruption at the highest levels of government. And there is no doubt in my mind that, once elected, he would hastily remove those who have intentions of stealing from the public’s coffers. He has repeatedly said that on Day One of his presidency, he would sign a bank waiver and ask his appointees to do the same for the sake of transparency.
Like a responsible father leading his household, he wants to enforce discipline within his family, which would allow people to see that his campaign is based on honesty.
He would always talk about how the problem of the Filipino people is the government itself. I am confident that with Lacson at the helm, public officials would be forced to shape up, or risk seeing their careers end abruptly.
His experience in politics and public service alone would undoubtedly bring the needed reforms to our ailing nation. He knows how to get things done and tap the right people to do them properly. On the other hand, the head of a family who hires thieves for helpers should not be surprised if his house eventually collapses from within.
Financial problems are inevitable and that is why planning is needed in the sharing of limited resources. One aspect of this financial planning on a national level is how to properly make funding and other services available to the people, especially those most in need.
In every campaign sortie I was in, when I was still part of their senatorial slate, Lacson touted his BRAVE initiative, or Budget Reform Advocacy for Village Empowerment, which basically states that local government units will have a bigger share in the national budget under his administration.
As a PWD, I am reminded of citizens who may need an emergency wheelchair or crutches, but will have to wait for funding from the city or municipality to reach their respective barangays. The city may also have to wait, especially towards the end of the fiscal year, so that they could replenish their stocks or be able to acquire wheelchairs.
Lacson also knows that the top-down approach in the budgeting system does not work. People who do not live in highly urbanized areas would always have a more difficult time getting government assistance if this is not addressed. Fiscal reforms will not be complete if the flow of funding is not amended. Poor people should not be victims of a flawed process. All these can be fixed under a Lacson administration.
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His character, legislative track record and decisiveness would attest to his capabilities and potential as our next president. This is our chance to elect an intelligent and hard working public servant with a clear-cut plan on how he wants to steer the country towards progress.
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While these topics may be hard for the masses to digest, Lacson’s approach to them shows how much he cares for people who are desperately in need — a need that was magnified at the height of the pandemic and the series of lockdowns it has brought upon us.
He saw that the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is problematic because it encourages unproductive citizens. He wants to reinvent the program. He is correct, and the data bear him out: billions of pesos were already spent since 2016 for the 4Ps.
I believe that an active citizenry is composed of empowered citizens. Giving money to people is different from investing in people who need capital to create their own businesses. This mindset must change, and it starts by tweaking the 4Ps in order to help our nation become stronger and more self-reliant.
After all, isn’t this what every parent would desire for his or her children? A father would be so proud if he sees that his son or daughter would be able to survive on his or her own two feet.
Stimulating further productivity, however, also requires some extra time and effort. Protecting our country’s future prosperity will also have to include ensuring that we are insulated from thieves. Or, at least, we should have a more intensified judicial process that would allow us to see the prosecution of those who are caught stealing, in order to deter those who would want to steal from government in the future.
We are all responsible for, and deserve to have, a government that truly unites us and looks out for our welfare. A father will not ignore the wailing of his children and would find solutions to the problems within his household.
Lacson has sound policies and programs. I sincerely pray that Filipinos would realize that he is the best person to solve the biggest problem there is in our nation today: Corruption!
His character, legislative track record and decisiveness would attest to his capabilities and potential as our next president. This is our chance to elect an intelligent and hard working public servant with a clear-cut plan on how he wants to steer the country towards progress.
When a father decides to provide sustenance to his family, he would work hard and endure all the challenges bound to be thrown at him, as any respectable father would do.
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson is the father we deserve and need for this nation. His leadership would carry us through times of economic gains. At the same time, he would never abandon us when disaster and crisis strike.
