Phillip Salvador: The ‘helpless, hopeless’ urged me to run for Senate
MANILA, Philippines — Actor and senatorial aspirant Phillip Salvador said on Thursday that the “helpless” and the “hopeless” encouraged him to run for senator in the 2025 midterm elections.
Salvador had this reply when asked what motivated him to run for a Senate seat, instead of other positions.
“Mga tao po ang nagsabi sa akin na ako ay magsenador. Mga helpless and the hopeless po ang nagsabi sa akin na tumakbo akong senator. ‘Yun po ang nagpapalakas sa loob ko. Una, ang Panginoong Diyos. Pangalawa, mga tao,” Salvador said in an interview after he filed his certificate of candidacy.
(It’s the people who told me to run for senator. It’s the helpless and hopeless who told me to run for senator. That’s what strengthens my resolve. First, God. Second, the people.)
The actor also said he will join the race whether he wins or loses.
READ: Phillip Salvador files candidacy to clinch Senate seat
When asked about his other experiences that will serve as a basis for voters, Salvador also shared that aside from being an actor, he is aware of the plight of the people he comes across when he goes around the country.
“Sa loob ng ilang taon na pag-ikot sa buong Pilipinas, nakikita at nakakausap ko at nalalaman ko ang mga hinaing ng mga tao. At ‘yun po ang aking pinanghahawakan dahil po ako ay bumababa, hanggang sa grassroots pinupuntahan ko,” he added.
(In the years of going around the country, I saw and spoke to people and learned about their concerns. And that is what I hold on to because I go to the grassroots.)
He then underscored that when corruption prevails, crimes and poverty will not vanish.
“Kapag ‘yung corruption andyan, mapupunta na naman ang maiisip na naman nilang bumalik sa droga. Dahil ‘yun ang pantanggal nila sa pag iisip sa kahirapan,” Salvador expressed.
(When corruption is present, people will again think about returning to drugs, as that’s their way of escaping from poverty.)
The senatorial aspirant bared that his platform is peace and order to curb crimes in the country. He said that he wants to strengthen the law enforcement agencies by increasing the budget for the modernization of the police and soldiers.
Salvador was endorsed by the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP), the political party led by former president Rodrigo Duterte. PDP also endorsed the reelection bids of Senators Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, Christopher “Bong” Go, and Francis Tolentino.
In 2016, Salvador tried to run for vice governor in Bulacan, but he was excluded from the final list of voters in the province just days before the elections.
