Hontiveros to voters: Don’t elect ‘red flags’

LUCENA CITY, Philippines — “Ayaw naman natin na maghalal ng mga red flags, ‘di ba? (We wouldn’t want to vote for red flags, right?)”

Senator Risa Hontiveros said this in a video message for a campaign rally for senatorial candidates and former Senators Paolo Benigno  “Bam” Aquino and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan in Lucena City, Quezon on Thursday.

“Kailangan natin ng totoong aksyon, hindi yung paulit-ulit lang na pangako. We deserve better. Bumenta na ang lumang modus,” Hontiveros continued.

(We need real action, not repetitive promises. We deserve better. The old modus has already been sold out.)

“Tama na ang panloloko nila. Dito tayo sa totoong unity. Ayaw na natin ng puro salita. Dapat mas marami ang gawa. Lider na may integridad, lider na tapat,” the senator added.

(Enough with the deception. Let’s go with genuine unity. We no longer want just words. There should be more action. A leader with integrity, a leader that’s honest.)

Hontiveros cited Aquino’s track record as a proponent of the higher education bill that sought to mandate tuition-free college education in state universities and colleges.

The senator also cited Pangilinan’s advocacy for food security and lowering the price of goods.

Pangilinan was presidential assistant for food security and agricultural modernization under then President Benigno Aquino III.

Of Pangilinan, Hontiveros said, “Si Sen. Kiko, hindi lumaki sa farm, pero malaki ang puso para sa mga farmers (Sen. Kiko didn’t grow up on a farm, but is pro-farmers.) 

Aquino is running under the Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino Party, while Pangilinan is under the Liberal Party, mainly campaigning on platforms of education and food security, respectively.