Makabayan coalition senatoriables file COCs for Eleksyon 2025

The 11-strong senatorial slate of progressive Makabayan Coalition on Friday filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the 2025 national elections.

Representing various sectors, the aspirants marched towards Manila Hotel Tent City to formalize their bids in the next year’s polls. 

WATCH: The senatorial aspirants from the Makabayan Coalition march towards Manila Hotel for the filing of their COCs in #Eleksyon2025 pic.twitter.com/4vAe0Xq8uK

— Hana Bordey (@HanaBordey) October 4, 2024

Included in the line-up are:

• Kilusang Mayo Uno secretary general Jerome Adonis;
• ACT Teachers party-list Representatives France Castro;
• Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas;
• fisherfolk Ronnel Arambulo;
• registered nurse Jocelyn Andamo;
• former Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño; 
• former Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza;
• Kadamay secretary general Mimi Doringo;
• Piston national president Mody Floranda;
• Sandugo co-chairperson Amirah Lidasan; and
• Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas chairman Danilo Ramos.

“Ngayon, dominant ang political dynasties sa Congress and Senate so we have to be there para kalabanin sila,”  said Casiño. 

(The Congress and Senate are being dominated by political dynasties so we have to be there to challenge them.)

“We always field one to two candidates only for the Senate. We want to show we are a force to reckon with…This time we’re fielding an almost full slate para buo ang aming plataporma and we can work as a team at ‘yung messaging ay mapaabot namin,” he added. 

(This time we're fielding an almost full slate so our platform will be solid and we can work as a team so our messaging can reach the public. That's the important thing, which is why we filed as a team.)

In August, the Makabayan coalition announced its ten prospective candidates for senator for Eleksyon 2025, describing them as "true advocates for the Filipino people."

LIST: Senatorial aspirants for Eleksyon 2025

Adonis

Adonis vowed to push for labor-related advocacies in the Senate including the hiking of daily minimum wage to P1,200. 

“Hindi na nagkakasya ang sahod na tinatanggap ng manggagawang Pilipino. Imagine ninyo 'yung P645 dito sa NCR, saan aabot 'yan? P361 sa BARMM and yet patuloy ang pagtaas ng presyo ng bilhin. It’s about time na pursigihin,” Adonis said. 

(The salary received by Filipino workers is no longer sufficient. Imagine the P645 here in NCR, where will that take you? P361 in BARMM and yet the price of goods continues to rise. It's about time to pursue this.)

“Magagawa ito basta ang mga kandidato ay isasapuso at kakalingain ang mga Pilipino,” he said.

(This can be done as long as the candidates prioritize and care for the Filipinos.)

Adonis likewise said he would prioritize the abolishing of the regional wage boards, ending of the contractualization scheme, as well as lowering of the prices of essential goods and services should he win a Senate seat.

Arambulo

Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) vice chairperson Ronnel Arambulo, a fisherfolk for over three decades, said he would prioritize the rights and welfare of fishers once elected in the Senate.

Arambulo also plans to push for an independent foreign policy amid China’s aggressions in the West Philippine Sea. 

Andamo

Andamo, a nurse for 40 years, said her top priority is a bill that will allocate 5% of the gross domestic product to public healthcare facilities, which will also include free medicines, medical equipment, among others. 

She is also pushing for increased salary for health workers in the public and private health facilities with minimum entry salary of P50,000, while P33,000 for allied health personnel. 

Andamo stressed that fixing the issues on salaries, workload, and contractualization would help in addressing the shortage of healthcare workers in the country.

Brosas

Brosas, a three-term representative for Gabriela party-list, wanted to amend the law against rape once she is elected senator, noting that the recent raising the statutory rape age is not enough.

Among the amendments that she will push is the increase of penalties for rapists who are in power. 

Brosas also expressed her opposition to the application of good conduct time allowance (GCTA) to individuals convicted of rape. 

The outgoing congresswoman also reiterated her opposition on death penalty, even in the cases of rape, but she said the maximum penalty should be imposed against convicted rapists. 

Meanwhile, Brosas shared her position on decriminalizing sex work for women. 

She said, in her consultation with Gabriela members, they are biased on the position that sex work should not be legitimized, rather women should be given jobs with decent salaries. 

She explained that women opted to do sex work due to lack of opportunities. 

"To legitimize, 'di ganon ang position natin. Tingin namin, bigyan natin ng opportunity ang mga kababaihan na makapagtrabaho ng disente at maayos mas ganon pa... Isulong natin ang talagang makikinabang at para sa interest at para sa pagpapataas ng dignidad ng mga kababaihan," she said.

(To legitimize, that is not our position. We believe the women should be given opportunity to have a decent work. We should push for policies that would benefit, for the interest, and uphold the dignity of women.)

"At the end of the day it is about economics," she added.

Castro

Three-term Rep. France Castro, for her part, eyes banning the use of confidential and intelligence (CIF) funds in all government agencies. 

Castro also said she would legislate measures promoting transparency and accountability of elected officials. 

“Pag umupo tayo sa Senado, ipagbabawal natin ang confidential funds. Nakita ninyo naman po ang naging struggle natin sa CIF ng Office of the Vice President lalong-lalo na kay VP Sara Duterte na napatunayan naman natin na mayroong misuse, illegal, at nagkaroon ng notice of disallowance,” said Castro. 

(We will ban confidential funds if ever we win a seat in Senate. You've seen our struggle with the CIF of the Office of the Vice President, especially with VP Sara Duterte, even after we've proven that there's been misuse, illegality, and even a notice of disallowance.)

“No tayo sa confidential funds kahit sa Office of the President… Dapat walang confidential funds dahil ito ay secret at confidential ang paggastos,” she added. 

(We won't allow confidential funds, not even in the Office of the President... There should be no confidential funds because this is secret and confidential spending.)

Last month, the Commission on Audit issued a Notice of Disallowance on P73 million out of the P125 million confidential funds of the OVP, which was disbursed in 11 days. Castro earlier said this could be a ground for impeachment. 

The Vice President, however, stood firm that there was no misuse of confidential funds in her office.

Casiño

Casiño, a former congressman, is seeking a seat in the Senate to push for an anti-political dynasty law. 

In his speech after filing his COC, Casiño said that political dynasties are the biggest hindrance to the country's development. 

"Itong mga nakaraang araw na sinusubaybayan ko 'yung filing ng candidates dito sa Comelec, talagang bumabaliktad ang sikmura ko at nagagalit ako sa nakikita kong lalong lumalala pa ang political dynasties at dapat wakasan na 'yung mga kandidato na sunod-sunod o sabay-sabay na magkakapamilyang tumatakbo," he said. 

(These past few days that I watch candidates file their COCs here at Comelec, my stomach turns with the worsening political dynasty. We should end political dynasty and the practice of candidates belonging to one family to file their candidacies together or one after another.)

"Dapat isa-isa lang (Only one member of a family should enter politics). So that is one of the key measures na itutulak talaga natin sa Senado (that I will push in the Senate), an anti-dynasty law," he added. 

For him, the recent elections where President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. came back in power, showed the need for progressive leaders to join the race. 

"I think, 'yung pagbalik ng Marcos sa pwesto ay nagsilbing aral sa ating mamamayan na itong mga political dynasties na ito, na kapag hindi mo talaga tinigil, hindi mo winasakan, babalik at babalik and the only way to engage and to put a stop to political dynastism is to play at their own game kaya kailangan tapatan natin ito sa Senado," he said. 

(I think the return of a Marcos to position will serve as a lesson to the people that these political dynasties, if not stopped or ended, will always return and the only way to engage and to put a stop to political dynastism is to play at their own game so we need to challenge them before the Senate.)

"Pag ikaw naglupasay sa Senado, iba ang dating. A senator can be more assertive and will have more clout than an ordinary congressman," he stressed. 

But getting a seat in the Senate and the House of Representatives is not enough to defeat political dynasties, Casiño said. 

"Para sa amin, ang susi sa political dynasty, hindi sa Senado o sa Congress (For us, the key to stop political dynasty is not Senate or Congress), people power should be mobilized to defeat the dynasties," he said.

Casiño also noted how these political dynasties take control of the political machineries during the elections. 

"Sila ang namimili ng boto, sila ang nananakot ng mga botante, at kami ay bahagi sa mga biktima ng ganyang sistema," he said. 

(They are the ones who buy votes, threaten voters, and we are victims of that system.) 

This is the challenge that the Makabayan Coalition should hurdle, he said, which they are planning to overcome through mass movement.  

Apart from the anti-dynasty law, Casiño said he will push for a right to information law and whistleblowers protection act.

Doringo

Meanwhile, Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) secretary general Mimi Doringo said she is running for senator to lobby for legislations that would address poverty. 

“Ang gusto namin magkaroon ng boses ang mga  kapwa naming maralita para siguraduhin na ang lahat ng batas na iiral sa bansa ay kami ang makakaramdam ng pag-unlad at hindi iilan lamang na napupunta sa korupsyon ang pondo ng bayan,” Doringo said. 

(What we want is for our fellow underprivileged to have a voice so that we can ensure our country's laws benefit them, and not just a select few.)

Floranda

Floranda, national president of transport group PISTON and a victim of martial law, is seeking a Senate seat to abolish the PUV modernization program and remove policies that burden the transportation sector. 

"Ngayon ay Marcos na naman po ang nakaupo at patuloy na umiiral 'yung patuloy na panunupil hindi lamang sa kabuhayan ng mga driver at operator. Alam natin na ang sektor ng transport ay nabibingit na mawala sa kalsada dahil sa kanilang mga policy at mga patakaran katulad po na bogus at huwad na modernization program," Floranda said. 

(Now that a Marcos is in the position, repression, not only on the livelihood of drivers and operators, continue. We all know that the transportation sector is on the verge of disappearing from the roads because of policies and regulations such as the bogus modernization program.)

"Hindi ang ating bansa ang pinapaunlad ng programang ito, kundi ang mga malalaking dayuhan na kung saan na sila ang patuloy na nagpapahirap sa hanay ng sektor ng transportasyon at ating mga commuters," he added. 

(It is not us who benefit from this program but the big foreign firms that continue to torment the transportation sector and the commuters.)

Floranda also vowed to prioritize measures removing taxes on petroleum products and a bill for national industrialization so the Philippines can produce its own transportation.

Lidasan

Sandugo co-chairperson Amirah Lidasan said she wants to run for Senate to represent the interests and rights of the Muslims and indigenous peoples in the country.

Lidasan likewise opposed the proposed “tragedy tourism” in Marawi instead of complete rehabilitation. 

“Five months na binomba ang Marawi…na pinapanood paano nila dine-destroy ang community namin — mga mosque, Madrasah, eskwelahan. Hanggang ngayon 'yung reparations na ginagawa nila walang nakakagamit nun,” the senatorial aspirant said. 

(We watched Marawi be bombed for five months. They destroyed our community and until now, the reparations did not serve us.)

“Nakakasakit ng loob ‘yun para ipakita kung paano dine-destroy ang culture mo, ang relihiyon mo,” she added. 

(It hurts for us to see how our culture and religion were destroyed.)

Maza

Maza, a former representative of Bayan Muna and Gabriela party-lists, vowed to push for an independent foreign policy if she wins a seat in the Senate. 

She said she will seek for the Philippines' withdrawal from "unequal treaties" such as the Visiting Forces Agreement, the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, and the Mutual Defense Treaty, among others. 

"These agreements are for the benefit of the United States and other big powers, not for our benefit because our country ay ginagawang lunsaran sa gyera (is being used as a war zone) and you've seen that in the past," Maza said. 

Once elected in the Senate, Maza will also push for the removal of the EDCA sites which was established in cooperation with the United States, as well as the military installations made by China in the West Philippines. 

These military facilities, she said, is a magnet for external attacks and might bring the Philippines to war. 

Apart from this, Maza will push for the repeal of the Anti-Terrorism Law and other "repressive measures" which she said are being used against individuals who are affiliated with the opposition. She will also advocate for stiffer penalties against those who conspire to file fabricated cases against political prisoners. 

Meanwhile, Maza also said the Philippines should rejoin to the International Criminal Court. 

"I think it will be worthwhile if we will rejoin the ICC in order for us to signify our commitment to be in the community of nations wherein we view these heinous crimes as really punishable, lalo na kung 'di napaparusahan dahil don sa limitasyon at konkretong sitwasyon sa iba't ibang mga bansa, but the international community can bring these perpetrators to justice," she said. 

In the same press conference after her COC filing, Maza explained why she accepted former President Rodrigo Duterte's nomination for her to be the secretary of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC). 

"I feel that I have to take it and that is to continue my service dahil ang pinag-appoint-an sa akin ay 'yung NAPC. Alam ko po na ito talaga ang malaking problema ng ating bansa at gusto ko makapag-contribute anywhere (because he appointed me to the NAPC. I know that poverty is a big problem of the country and I wanted to contribute to address it)," Maza said. 

"But then...hindi ako sumasang-ayon sa mga patakaran ni presidente (I did not agree with the policy of the president)... I can say that I have been always open to that. If you review my statements, ako ay nagkaroon ng statements against EJK, nagsulong ng anti-poverty policy na hindi nakabase sa (I issued statements against EJK, pushed anti-poverty policy that is not based on) neoliberal policy which I think is my legacy. I was the only one who was anti-neoliberal in the government at that time," she said.

Ramos

Meanwhile, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) chairperson Danilo Ramos is seeking a Senate seat to push for farmers’ rights. 

Ramos, a third-generation farmer, said their family still does not own a farmland despite working for more than four decades. 

“Kami ang lumilikha ng pagkain pero kami ang nagugutom at walang makain,” said Ramos. 

(We produce food and yet, we are the ones who are hungry.)

Once elected, the KMP chair said he would advocate for land distribution for farmers, strengthening of local production, and reduction of rice prices to P25 per kilo. Ramos likewise vowed to oppose Charter change as well as importation. —AOL, GMA Integrated News