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Friday, March 29, 2024

Why #HilbayIsMyGuy

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"He is progressive and pro-people."

 

In less than two and a half months, the midterm elections will happen. The Filipino electorate will troop to the polls and cast their votes for 12 senators, district representatives, their chosen Party-List representative, governors, mayors, vice-mayors, and counselors. All these positions are up for grabs. IF voters responsibly exercise their right to vote, the May 13 elections would be a golden opportunity to refocus the country’s direction to real, pro-people, and meaningful change.

The Senate is particularly important because depending on who get elected, it can be the House that can serve as the fiscalizer of abuses and excesses committed by those belonging to the very powerful Executive and Judiciary branches.

The Legislature is there not only to make, amend, or repeal laws. It is also there to ensure check and balance in governance. For instance, only Congress has the power to remove from office erring impeachable officials through the impeachment process. We have seen this political process performed by Congress several times. It is a very important that we have independent-minded legislators to perform this function. Otherwise, the power can also be abused.

Members of Congress make up the Commission on Appointments, the body the confirms or rejects presidential appointees to important positions in the Executive. This power is crucial to ensure that those occupying key positions, beyond having the trust of the President, are capable and will be able to deliver on their mandates.

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Another important function of Congress is oversight. It has the power to see to it that laws are implemented as they should be, and that the budgets of the various government offices are used for the purpose/s these were given them. Congress’ oversight function is important to ascertain that the Filipino people are not shortchanged in terms of services that laws should provide, and that the people’s money is judiciously used.

Between the HOR and the Senate, it is the latter that has historically played the role of the fiscalizer, thus, its importance.

Because of the Senate’s important powers and responsibilities, the country needs new, progressive, credible, and capable Senators with pro-people track record. These are not easy, some even say impossible to find, especially, in one person. But I dare say that these are the very characteristics that convinced me to support candidate Florin “PILO” Hilbay. Well, for full disclosure, these are the characteristics that convinced me to push Pilo to run for senator.

The very first compliment I heard about Pilo was from a lawyer friend who was teaching at the UP College of Law. I no longer remember the context because this was many years ago but for some reason, I remembered his name. The next time I encountered his name was when he was already Solicitor General and defending the Reproductive Health law before the Supreme Court. I was observing the SC process and was there when he valiantly defended the law. I remember that he instantly became a rock star in the eyes of RH advocates.

Despite holding the Solicitor General’s office, Pilo has never held any elective position. He said that the only elective position he has ever held was that of class president in high school, with Lourd de Veyra as his Vice, and that he disapproved using their class fund for their Christmas Party.

In one meeting, I noticed that he was eating squash seeds non-stop as we were “grilling” him with questions. I asked why he was doing that and he responded, “Kinakabahan kasi ako eh!” I actually liked it that with all his credentials, he would still feel nervous. He is not like others who like to grandstand and appear like they have all the answers. He has no qualms asking questions on matters that he is not very familiar with. He does not stop learning and that is good.

Yes, Pilo Hilbay is young and a newbie in politics. We need fresh faces, new ways of looking at issues, as well as out-of-the-box solutions to the country’s many problems.

Pilo is credible and capable. His academic credentials are very impressive. Despite his very humble Tondo beginnings, he rose to the top. He is not only a lawyer; he topped the bar exams. He got his masters from the prestigious Yale School of Law. He was the youngest Solicitor General. He was a professor at UP College of law for nearly two decades.

He has shown the country a glimpse of what he can do when he was the SolGen. Beyond defending the RH law before the SC, he was also instrumental in the country’s victory over China on the West Philippine Sea issue. No one can question Hibay’s capability and track record. He will definitely be an asset in the Senate.

Pilo is progressive and pro-people. For many years he was mentored by the respected former former Senator Jovito Salonga as they worked on issues of human rights and social justice. It was also under Pilo’s leadership as SolGen that government won the coco levy fund case in favor of the coconut industry and coconut farmers. Some PhP71 billion funds from the coco levy became available to help the country’s 3.5-million coconut farmers and their families.

Hilbay’s being a progressive is especially evident during debates of senatorial candidates. When asked about controversial issues, he responds directly, unequivocally. He is pro-divorce and pro-LGBTQI rights including same-sex marriage. He is against death penalty and lowering the age of criminal liability. Undoubtedly, a Senator Hilbay will be a human rights champion in the senate.

Despite all the excellent qualifications that Pilo possesses, his is a difficult journey to the Senate. He is without the money that other candidates have. He cannot afford to buy media time. His collaterals mostly come as contributions so the public does not see much campaign materials. His campaign very largely depends on the thousands of volunteers helping him in this crusade. Because he does not come from a political family and he is a newbie, he needs to be known to voters. This usually takes a lot of money.

Still, during the last time I spoke with him, he was upbeat and optimistic. He believes in and trusts the Filipino people. As he always says, “Walang imposibleng pangarap.”

Here we have a guy with all the necessary qualifications of a senator for the people. Rather than put in office those with questionable track record, capability, credibility, and integrity, I hope people will put Pilo Hilbay on the ballot for senator.

We need Pilo Hilbay in the Senate. This is why #HilbayIsMyGuy.

@bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

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