Even without the billions of pesos worth of political machinery, former senator and senatorial candidate Kiko Pangilinan stood before a crowd of Bulaceños on Tuesday, April 8, at the Malolos City Hall Amphitheater and invited them to join him in proving, once and for all, that his principles and track record alone make him worthy for another term in the Senate.
“Nandito ako ngayon, naninikluhod na humihingi ng inyong suporta… Sama-sama nating patunayan na may laban ang ating prinsipyo, ang ating panininidigan sa bilyong pera ng ating mga katunggali,” he said.
The former senator, who barnstormed the municipalities of Bocaue, Malolos, and Sta. Maria, earlier in the day, held a mini campaign rally on Tuesday evening to share with Bulaceños his plans once he reaches the Senate halls again.
Pangilinan said that given the chance, he would push anew the implementation of the Sagip Saka Act to protect the welfare of farmers and fisherfolk, as well as bring down the rising prices of food.
He also talked about his proposed “Libreng Almusal” program that will target kinder to senior high school students in public schools and address the country’s high dropout rates and widening learning gaps.
“Sa aking libreng almusal mula kinder hanggang Grade 12, kukunin ang hanggang kalahati ng school feeding budget para bumili sa ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda na direkta. Magiging sariwa na ang pagkain at magiging masustansya pa,” he said.
The Sagip Saka Act was a testament to Pangilinan’s commitment to a campaign promise in 2016. The measure became a law in 2019.
For Pangilinan, his principles and track record of public service are the only armors he brought to the battle for a Senate seat this coming May, lamenting how his political opponents have already spent billions of pesos in the campaign trail.
“Hindi ko kaya at ayokong tapatan ang inyong magiging matamis na oo sa ganyang paraan. Dalawang bagay—una, ginagalang ko kayo. Naniniwala ako na isasama nyo ako sa balota, sa inyong listahan, dahil sa aking mga resibo, sa aking pagkatao, at sa aking kakayahan (at) hindi dahil sa bilyong pisong halaga,” he said.
“Pangalawa, ginagalang ko rin ang aking sarili. Naniniwala ako na ang pamumuno ay pagbibigay ng sarili, ang pag-alay ng pinakawagas na pagmamahal,” he added.
The former food security secretary acknowledged Bulacan’s role in the three terms he spent in the Senate because the province voted him to power in all those three elections.
In exchange for the trust given to him by Bulaceños, Pangilinan took pride in never having his name tarnished by allegations of corruption.
“Hindi tayo pumayag na masangkot sa anumang kasong anomalya,” he said, adding that temptations have hounded him since he was a 24-year-old Quezon City councilor but that he stood firm and remained true to his convictions.
And despite being a shoo-in in the 2022 senatorial elections, Pangilinan did the ultimate sacrifice of running alongside former vice president Leni Robredo in hopes of bringing someone he believed in to Malacañang.
Such sacrifices, he shared, were easy to make because of the love he has for his children and the country.
“Mahal ko ang aking mga anak. Gusto ko silang lumaki sa isang bayang maunlad, marunong makipag-kapwa tao at malusog sa katawan, at sa isip, sa salita at sa gawa. Pangarap ko yan para sa lahat. Lahat ng Pilipino,” he said.
“Kaya ayoko na ng sana all, kung mamarapatin, ay dapat all. Dapat all kumakain ng tama. Dapat all kumikita ng tama at sapat. Dapat all may mabuting kalooban. Dapat all may mabuting asal,” he added.
In his bid for a Senate comeback, Pangilinan already said he is willing to work across political spectrums to bring his advocacies of uplifting the lives of everyday Filipinos to fruition.
“Ang pagkain, hindi dapat maging pribilehiyo, kundi isang karapatan. Prayoridad nating pababain ang presyo ng mga pagkain at handa tayong makipagtulungan kahit kanino. Dahil walang kulay ang gutom. At walang kulay ang solusyon.”