SIXTEEN senatorial candidates vowed to push for sweeping political and legislative reforms to address issues on the economy, labor, environment, and social inequality in a youth-led forum held ahead of the 2025 midterm elections on May 12.
During the “Power to the Polls: The UST Voter Empowerment Forum” organized by the UST Central Student Council, 16 of the 60 senatorial candidates trooped to UST to discuss their platforms.
Candidates of the Makabayan Coalition composed the majority of the senatorial bets present, namely Jerome Adonis, Jocelyn Andamo, Ronnel Arambulo, Arlene Brosas, Teddy Casiño, France Castro, Mimi Doringo, Modesto Floranda, Amirah Lidasan, Liza Maza, and Danilo Ramos.
Completing the 16 candidates were David D’Angelo, Roberto Ballon, Sonny Matula, Norman Marquez, and Thomasian lawyer Angelo de Alban.
Commodities
To address the impact of inflation on common goods, several candidates, including Gabriela partylist representative Brosas, threw support behind removing the value added tax (VAT) on basic commodities and repealing the Rice Tariffication law.
According to a report from the National Tax Research Center, the country has among the highest tax rates on goods and services in Southeast Asia at 12%.
“Gusto po nating tiyakin na tanggalin ang VAT sa mga pangunahing bilihin natin para bumaba ang presyo. Pangalawa po, tanggalin ang rice tariffication law dahil nagpapahirap ito sa mga magsasaka,” Brosas said.
The Rice Tariffication law, enacted in 2019, replaced quantitative limitations or quotas on foreign imports in favor of tariffs.
Labor leader and nurse Andamo suggested increasing sin taxes in place of VAT.
“Hindi na kailangan magdagdag ng buwis sa ating kababayan. ‘Yong sin tax na ito pwede nating magamit para sa kalusugan. Imbis na mayroong tax ang ating mga gamot para mas murang ma-afford ng ating mga kababayan, alisin ang VAT,” Andamo said.
Agriculture and fisheries
Ramon Magsaysay award recipient Ballon, known for his work on reviving the fishing industry in his community through mangrove reforestation, said the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act, enacted to boost the Philippine agriculture industry, must be strengthened.
“Kailangan itong mapatupad at taun-taon mapondohan ito ng gobyerno para mapanatili natin ang ating natural resources at ang ating kabuhayan. Dagdagan [din] natin ng agri-fishery, forestry cooperative development industry para magkaroon ng sustenableng pagpo-produce ng pagkain at pagprotekta sa ating kalikasan,” Ballon said.
Arambulo, a fisherman and activist, called for more subsidies and support for fishermen. He called for the reinstatement of the 15-kilometer municipal water boundary, earlier ruled by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional.
The water boundary has preferential access for fishermen. The boundary extends 15 kilometers from the coast and protects small-scale fishermen from commercial fishing operations.
Employment
The candidates discussed labor issues, including the increasing number of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), the jeepney modernization program, and a salary increase for teachers.
Maza, who served as a congresswoman for nine years, is pushing for a stronger focus on industrialization to incentivize Filipinos to stay in the country instead of seeking work abroad.
“Ang sinasabi po nila, trabaho sa Pinas, hindi sa labas. Panahon na para ibasura ang labor export program, kailangan nating ipatupad ang tunay na reporma sa lupa. Ang pambansang industriyalisasyon, ito po ang mag-aahon sa ating ekonomiya,” Maza said.
Floranda, a transport leader and activist who opposes the jeepney modernization program, is proposing to end the boundary system among jeepney drivers that requires them to raise at least P1,700 per day from fares.
“Ang sabi po sa kanila [modern jeepney drivers] ay magiging sahuran, pero boundary system [pa rin] ng P1,700 kada araw. Kapag hindi po nila inabot, nagiging utang pa po nila ‘yan,” he said.
“Kung layunin po talaga ng gobyernong ayusin ang public transport, dapat hindi sa ilalim ng balangkas ng pagpapaliit ng mga unit. Dapat ang ginawa ng gobyerno ay sa balangkas ng rehabilitation, sa pagpapanatili ng ating pampublikong transportasyon para mapaunlad ang serbisyo at murang serbisyo para sa taumbayan,” he added.
Meanwhile, Alliance of Concerned Teachers partylist representative Castro, who was a high school teacher for 25 years, said she would seek a salary increase for teachers in both public and private institutions.
She is also pushing for subsidizing schools in need and an independent audit of private schools to determine their capacity to hike salaries.
Environment
During the forum, environmental advocate D’Angelo called for the repeal of the Mining Act of 1995, the law responsible for allowing foreign mining operations in the country.
“Ang panukala po natin, i-repeal ang Mining Act of 1995. Magpasa tayo ng alternative minerals management act, at i-retain po ang tamang shares ng mga komunidad lalong-lalo na ng mga katutubo,” D’Angelo said.
The proposed alternative minerals management act will prohibit mining operations in areas considered critical for preservation, regulate the mining of minerals, and form mechanisms for consultations with indigenous groups.
He said banning the export of raw mineral ore to other countries would open up more job opportunities for the country.
“Tayo po sa Pilipinas ang dapat makinabang at magproseso nito para mas madaming trabaho sa mga Pilipino. Sabi ng ibang bansa ‘paano naman kami?’ Dito kayo magnegosyo, kung kailangan niyo ng mineral ng Pilipinas, dito niyo sa Pilipinas [iproseso],” D’Angelo added.
Social welfare
UST alumnus and faculty member De Alban proposed the establishment of a government department focused on addressing the concerns of persons with disabilities (PWDs).
“Sa aspekto naman po ng PWDs, gagawa po ako o isusulong ko po ang paggawa ng Department of Disabilities. Ito lamang po ang makakasagot sa pagkakaiba’t ibang interes ng mga PWDs,” he said.
“Kung mayroon po tayong Department of Disabilities, matututukan po natin ang data sapagkat sa ngayon ang mga nakarehistro lamang po sa gobyerno ay iyong mga may assessment o may apparent disabilities,” he added.
De Alban said the proposed department must have the power to regulate and oversee the implementation of laws involving PWDs, citing government incapacity to serve individuals unable to afford the cost of assessment to be deemed a PWD.
He also called for amendments to the family code to uphold the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.
Brosas, an advocate for women’s and children’s rights, opposed the privatization of mental health institutions.
“Mariin po nating tinututulan ang privatization ng mga ganitong institution na sana malaking bagay ang maitutulong sa mga mamamayan natin na nanggaling sa pang-aabuso. Kailangan ng funding para diyan at maayos na serbisyo para sa mga kabataan at kababaihan na inabuso,” she said in the forum.
The forum, held on April 29 at the UST Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati building, was also attended by student leaders from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Adamson University.
