Last Thursday, two women who have been showing a very good chance of being elected to Congress’ two chambers stood on one podium in San Pedro City in Laguna and vowed to work for the welfare of all Lagunenses.
Laguna 1st District Board Member Ann Matibag, who is now running for the post of San Pedro City, Laguna’s first representative to Congress, and Antique Representative Loren Legarda, who is now seeking a comeback to the Senate after three years at the Lower House, received an outpouring of support from the city’s residents at Matibag’s meeting de avance held at the San Pedro City Plaza last Thursday.
Strong Performance
In the final weeks of campaigning for the May 9 elections, Matibag has shown a “strong” performance among the six contenders for the post of San Pedro City’s first representative.
Not only has she been topping surveys in the weeks prior to her miting de avance, Matibag has secured the endorsement of national and local officials from President Rodrigo Duterte to Laguna Governor Ramil Hernandez, Vice Mayor Karen Agapay, incumbent Laguna 1st District Representative Dan Fernandez, and Biñan City Representative Len Alonte.
Matibag has also drawn support from various sectors of San Pedro's society, including transport drivers, vendors, women's associations, religious organizations and 20 out of the 27 barangay captains in the city.
With this outpouring of support, Matibag is assured of victory on May 9, a repeat of her performance during the 2019 midterm elections when she topped the votes as a member of the Laguna Provincial Board in the 1st District.
Very Proud Husband
In introducing his wife to the public during the meeting de avance, Cabinet Secretary Melvin Matibag declared that he is "very proud" of Ann's accomplishments during her three years as member of the provincial board of Laguna.
"Makikita ninyo [sa harapan ninyo] ang isang board member na napakaraming nagawa, kaya mahal na mahal ninyong lahat," Matibag told the audience.
The Cabinet Secretary, who is also one of the leaders of the PDP-Laban Party and a close associate of President Rodrigo Duterte, added that the President himself has endorsed Ann Matibag's candidacy for congresswoman of San Pedro City.
"Pinagtiwalaan po siya ni Pangulong Duterte at sinabing 'personal kong kandidato bilang congresswoman ng San Pedro si Ann Matibag,'" he related.
Education, Women Top Priority
Matibag vowed to continue upholding women’s welfare, education, health, and the youth — the same core sectors she had focused on in her term as Board Member.
In particular, Matibag promised to prioritize the passing of the “one student, one tablet” measure that Legarda has recently filed at the House of Representatives.
“Alam naman po natin na kahit hindi pa po tayo nakakaupo sa Kongreso ay marami na po tayong naibigay na mga tablet at mga laptop para sa mga nangangailangang estudyante dito sa Unang Distrito ng Laguna,” she recalled. “Kaya po dadagdagan po natin iyan, lalo na para sa ating mga Lagunanay na gagawin ang lahat para makapagtapos ang kanilang mga anak.”
Matibag also vowed to continue the “ayuda” that the national government has coursed through to San Pedronians whose livelihood were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
In her speech, Matibag asserted that her track record of selfless service to “Lagunanays” serve as enough proof to debunk what she called were “baseless” allegations made by her rivals.
“Kahit sino pa man ang manira, hinding-hindi nila mababawi kung ano ang resibo na nakikita ng San Pedro ngayon kay Ann Matibag," she declared. "Kahit anong paninira ang ipukol nila laban sa akin, damang-dama ko na ang pagmamahal ng bawat taga-San Pedro, kaya ang sagot ko lamang diyan: 'Bakit ngayon lang? Dapat noon pa!'"
Human Capital
In her own speech, Legarda first drew on the fact that San Pedro City, one of the most populous cities in Laguna province, has a rich pool of potential talents, especially among the youth, that are waiting to be tapped.
“Ang San Pedro raw po ay ang ‘Human Capital’ ng Laguna, sabi nila,” she said. “At ano po ang ibig sabihin nito? Ibig sabihin lamang po nito, binibigyan ng halaga ang pagkatao, ang utak at ang kaalaman ng mga kabataan.”
Legarda then mentioned Matibag’s pledge for support to her measure to give out one table per student in the Philippines, explaining that the Covid-19 pandemic has brought out a need for every Filipino student to adapt to new technologies in learning.
Under Legarda's House Bill 10405 which was filed last October 2021, each public elementary and secondary student as well as students enrolled in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) will be provided with a tablet phone.
"Aabot sa 26 milyon na mga batang Pilipino ang walang sariling tablet. Kaya sa ilalim po ng aking panukalang batas, magkakaroon po ng sariling gadget ang bawat batang Pilipino," Legarda pledged.
The three-term Senator then drew from her roots in San Pablo City, Laguna as she observed that many of the legislation she has passed have been of benefit to many Lagunenses.
Legarda particularly cited her efforts to boost micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), solid waste management, free tuition in state colleges and universities, and universal healthcare.
“Maraming salamat sa napakainit na pagtanggap ng San Pedro sa akin… Tutulungan po tayo ni Ann Matibag sa pagpasa ng mga batas na gagawin natin sa Kongreso,” she affirmed.