Joy Belmonte starts campaign for third term as QC mayor

Joy Belmonte pledged new initiatives to improve the lives of Quezon City residents as she launched her campaign on Friday for her third and final term as mayor.

Belmonte said that she would ensure that all city residents would be enrolled in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

“Ang target namin for the coming three years, kung lahat kami ay mapalad…Ang aking layunin, ma-enroll lahat ng QCitizens sa PhilHealth. Lahat, walang naiiwan, kahit walang binabayad, dapat naka-enroll sa PhilHealth. Para mabawasan ang iyong pag-aalala kapag may sakit,” said Belmonte during the proclamation rally of Serbisyo sa Bayan Party at the Quezon Memorial Circle.

(Our target for the coming three years, if we are reelected, is to enroll all QCitizens in PhilHealth. Everyone will be enrolled, even those who are not paying a contribution. We want this to happen to lessen the burden of residents when they get sick.)

Under the Universal Healthcare Act, all Filipino citizens are automatically included in the National Health Insurance Program, meaning all Filipinos are covered by PhilHealth.

Belmonte also said that a new hospital in Barangay Tandang Sora will be built, while another building will be added to the Quezon City General Hospital.

Further, Belmonte is also targeting a zero malnutrition rate in the city by providing nutritious food in daycare and public schools.

“Sa mga bata sa daycare at public schools, lalo na ang kulang sa timbang, sisiguraduhin ko na lahat ng mga bata sa lungsod ay makakatanggap ng masustansya at pagkain na may nutrisyon. Para sa sinasabi nilang 40% malnutrition rate sa buong Pilipinas, dito sa Quezon City ay zero malnutrition rate,” she said.

(To all the children in daycare and public schools, especially those who are underweight, I will make sure that all children in the city will receive nutritious meals. If there is a 40% malnutrition rate in the whole Philippines, then we want a zero malnutrition rate in Quezon City.)

She also vowed to establish a “first-class” government center for residents in District 5.

“Ang promise ko sa inyo, magtatayo ng first-class government center sa District 5 sa may Barangay Pasong Putik kung kayat hindi na kayo kailangan lumayo sa inyong distrito para matanggap ang mga serbisyo na kailangan ninyo,” said Belmonte.

(Our promise to you is we will build a first-class government center in District 5, particularly in Barangay Pasong Putik, so that you don’t have to go to other districts to receive the services you need.)

Belmonte was joined by Vice Mayor Gian Sotto, who is also seeking a third term, and Serbisyo sa Bayan party-list first nominee RJ Belmonte during the event.

Seeking to replace Belmonte are Jonathan Cabalo, Rolando Jota, Noli Navat, and Diosdado Velasco, while Sotto is up against June Faelangco, Inventor Ingles, and Dante Villarta. —VBL, GMA Integrated News

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