If people want deserving public servants, they should not sell their votes, a congressional candidate is telling Waray voters in his district in Leyte.
Lawyer Alberto ‘Abet’ Narido Hidalgo, 63, is running for Congress in Leyte’s 2nd district. He lamented that many voters in the province allegedly sell their votes for as much as P5,000 per person.
It is now one of his advocacies to remind the electorate not to sell their votes, following his fifth attempt to run as representative of the province’s 2nd district, which is comprised of Barugo, Burauen, Capoocan, Carigara, Dagami, Dulag, Julita, La Paz, McArthur, Mayorga, Pastrana, Tabontabon and Tunga.
Hidalgo has been an active private law practitioner for almost 36 years. Some of his stints in the government service include being the chief legal counsel of the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) as Trial Attorney IV.
There, his team won two landmark decisions before the Supreme Court — on the protection of the environment and administrative law in LLDA vs. Court of Appeals and the City Government of Caloocan et AL and LLDA vs. Court of Appeals and consolidated cases.
If he makes it in the May elections, foremost in Hidalgo’s legislative program is the farmers who should benefit from the government’s programs.
“If I win, I’ll move for the review of the Rice Tariffication Law. Do we need to abolish this or add more provisions?” the candidate for Congress said. He would also strengthen the farmers’ cooperatives in the province so they can avail of loans with low interest.
He disclosed that loans extended by rich families to poor farmers bear high interests, thus turning the field workers poorer. He lamented that farmers fail to avail of loans from banks like LandBank with only two percent interest per annum because such are only made available to rich traders.
Hidalgo said there is supposedly a P120-billion fund from the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) for the farmers but doubts if this can go to the target beneficiaries.
Another project he wants to pursue for the sake of farmers is “tuba” production. The wine made from coconut sap can generate income for the farmers.
Another platform he wants to push is the continued construction of road infrastructures, many of which have been discontinued, adding it causes many road accidents.
The third platform of governance that Hidalgo wants to put in place is to “amend” the Omnibus Election Code regarding the multi-party system, where there will only be two parties to vie for the presidential and vice-presidential positions.
He proposed that the different parties form alliances to establish only one party, then hold party conventions and select among party members who will represent the party.
“In this way, vote-buying and the possible creation of a political dynasty can be avoided,” Hidalgo stressed.
To date, he noted there’s no law stopping anyone from running for an elective position.
Hidalgo’s reason for running is to help “fix” the government.
“Kailangan magising ang mga tao na hindi lang puro pera ang isipin tuwing election. Ang iba kasi ay ni-negosyo lang ang boto. Pag nanalo kasi ang mga ‘yan (mayayaman), wala namang ginagawa. Ang binabantayan lang nila ay 20 porsiyento komisyon sa mga projects,” he said.
This, he said, caused the Philippines to be the laughingstock of other countries.
The Philippine political system should change, the lawyer added, as he dreams for the federal form of government for the Filipinos, where each region will be given autonomy in some aspects.
To address the pandemic or Covid-19, Hidalgo wishes to build a center for disease control to conduct studies on various viruses. There should also be state-sponsored vaccine manufacturing.
“We should be forward-thinking at hindi ‘yong kelan may problema, saka lang aayusin,” he said.
The practicing lawyer explained if he fails once more in the coming elections, he doesn’t consider himself a loser, but the people themselves.
“Natalo man ako, gumastos lang ako ng pera sa administrative cost pero kikitain ko ‘yon. Abogado ako eh pero kayo, saan kayo tatakbo?” he said, addressing the voters.
For the education sector, Hidalgo said he would push for teachers’ training to be conducted in school during summer. Upgrading of skills should be done in school, Hidalgo explained, saying that assessment should also be done following the training.
The president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines IBP Leyte chapter said most politicians cannot give specific platforms because political parties lack communications among themselves. This he wants to change.