MABALACAT CITY, Pampanga – Candidates seeking for a Senate seat in the 2022 National Elections conveyed insights on how to address prevalent issues and problems faced by the Central Luzon region during the maiden episodes of “The Forum: Central Luzon” (TFCL).
The program is a series of town hall assemblies aimed to know how national and local candidates in the May 9, 2022 polls intend to approach and formulate plans and programs on education, environment, business, infrastructure, and the challenge to health and medicine brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, given the unique landscape of the region.
Mabalacat City College (MCC) Chief of Staff Charmaine Venturina shared the first episode amplified the advocacy of MCC and its partners of relaying to the residents that voting is an informed choice, and something to be checked on, and studied about.
“I am very proud because based on the comments we received about the first episode, we found out we are not alone in the advocacy of not only letting people know that they have the right to vote but also that they do it because they are informed, because they checked and researched about their candidates, and assessed if they have the moral compass in terms of what they want to happen in the country and their locality,” she pressed.
TFCL’s first episode which aired on March 16 already garnered about 8,500 views, while the second episode, aired on March 18, has around 8,200 views combined, as of March 21.
The episodes are live streamed via the Facebook pages of MCC as the lead organizer, and its partners including Philippine Information Agency Region 3, Pampanga Press Club, and Metro Angeles City Journalists Association; and televised on CLTV36, and GNN TV44.
In addition, Venturina underscored that they have been receiving good reviews on the uniqueness of the regionalized and localized problems asked to the candidates as these are rarely being tackled about on other debates organized by other media outfits or networks.
“The questions will be different for each episode because the issues for Senatorial candidates are more on regional issues. We should also have different nature of questions for the Party-list representatives. We also have a different flavor for local candidates as the questions are more pointed out, focused, and specific in the place where they are seeking a position,” she shared.
The candidates were given the same time limit to answer the questions coming from the different sectors in the region such as the academe, youth leaders, historians and local artists, workers, media, and common folks.
On the traffic congestion in Subic and Clark
Among the concerns raised is the traffic congestion in Subic and Clark as the population of these two economic zones double, and even triple at daytime.
Senatorial candidate Samira Gutoc said an ideal transportation to ease traffic congestion and maintain the productivity of both areas are still mass transportations, but suggested it should be balanced with ecologically-friendly vehicles such as bicycles or motorcycles.
Former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque suggested that the ongoing construction of Subic-Clark Railway should be extended up to the Freeport Authority of Bataan as it is proven that a train is the most efficient mode of transportation for moving both passengers and cargo, and an efficient railway system is the key to achieve a quality of life.
Current Senator Sherwin Gatchalian emphasized the need for a bus rapid transit (BRT) for its low investment cost, and high capacity, and the World Bank already funded studies on this for Quezon City and Cebu, and said this should happen in all urban centers such as Clark, and Angeles City.
Senatoriable Jopet Sison stated there are still many spaces to utilize for the use of trains and subway, or mass transportation such as buses and cars, or building bike lanes for bicycles but should always be within the armpit of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
Former Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones also pressed for the use of locally-produced trains like what has been built in the University of the Philippines Diliman as this is proven the most effective mass transportation for the unclogging of traffic congestion in the two ecozones.
Registered nurse and professional teacher Carl Balita lauded the development in the area, the discipline of the people, and its good potential in economic development that is why he pushed for green transportation or the modes of sustainable transport relying on renewable energy resources.
On food sustainability and protection of PH’s Rice Granary Capital
Three candidates also shared how they would support food sustainability, and protect the province of Nueva Ecija, the rice granary capital of the Philippines.
Gutoc echoed the call to put a moratorium on land conversion favoring commercialization as there is a need to protect agricultural properties and encourage agricultural development. She added many lands are still not utilized, and pushed on developing farms by incentivizing the return of Overseas Filipino Workers back to farmlands.
Roque seconded the call for moratorium given that it is in conjunction with the National Land Use Plan as industrialization and commercialization should not be limited given their economic contribution. He said the focus should be on what lands owned by the government can be given to farmers to provide them livelihood opportunities, and strengthen food security.
Gatchalian stressed there should be a national land use program that will balance food security and habitation as lots of the lands are being converted for housing. He added that demands for renewable energy are getting bigger, and solar energy requires a lot of hectares of land, thus, there is a need for the optimum use of these lands for the different objectives of the country.
On the programs for the preservation of regional culture
The second batch of senatorial candidates were also asked to share their programs for the preservation and promotion of Central Luzon’s culture including its local history, cinema, and languages.
Sison underscored the key in promoting an area’s culture is through federalism, which he has long been pushing for. He added economic and tourism promotion of the distinct qualities of every region, especially online, is already part of his 10-point economic agenda.
Castriciones seconded the concept of federalism, and added it is good for the culture of every province and city to have their own branches. Senators, he said, are mandated to seek possible changes and amendments into existing laws for the preservation of the culture and tradition of the regions.
Balita answered education is the answer for this, and he is pushing the Education Commission to review the effects of K to 12 in the education system, specifically the mother tongue-based multilingual education as here lies the appreciation to the arts.
Apart from these, also included in the forum are “fast questions” or questions with one-liner answers, which are mainly about two topics: the Senate committee the candidates want to be part of, and the first legislation they would seek to pass, if elected.
Candidates were also required to answer “agree”, “disagree”, or “undecided” in pressing topics such as the reopening of the Bataan nuclear power plant, abolishment of candidate substitution in election law, same sex marriage, federalism, and legalizing abortion for pregnant rape victims.
They were also asked about their stand on national issues including the abolishment of the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management, full cooperation with the International Criminal Court, adopting divorce in the Family Code, and amendment of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2022.
TFCL will be featuring Party-list representatives on March 23 and 25 at 7:00 PM, while gubernatorial candidates, and Pampanga Mayoral bets were invited to guest for the succeeding episodes.
