CHIZ: THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER KIDAPAWAN UNDER "GOBYERNONG MAY PUSO"

If "Gobyernong may Puso" wins, Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero vowed that there will never be a repeat of the recent Kidapawan incident, where three protesting farmers died in their attempt to seek rice provisions from the government to feed their starving families.

Speaking at the ABS-CBN's Harapan ng mga Bise, Escudero highlighted the vision of "Gobyernong may Puso" to address poverty as the root of all evils that plague the country.

"Layunin po namin hindi na maulit ang nangyari halimbawa sa Kidapawan kung saan nanghihingi ng bigas ang ating mga magsasaka, ang binigay sa kanila ay bala. Ito po ang buod, ito ang kahulugan ng isang Gobyernong may Puso," he said.

Escudero is running with Sen. Grace Poe, the leading presidential contender, under a platform of rapid and inclusive growth, global competitiveness and transparency in government.

"Layunin namin pagtuunan ng pansin ang ugat ng problema: kahirapaan. Sa Gobyernong may Puso, nais po namin patayin ang gutom, hindi ang gutom. Nais po namin patayin ang kahirapan, hindi ang mahirap," he said.

The veteran lawmaker urged voters to make the elections about them and not about the candidates. Instead of nitpicking, he said Filipinos should pick leaders that will find solutions to the problem of poverty.

"Ang halalang ito tungkol sa inyo, higit patungkol sa kandidato. Ang debate ay hindi po tungkol lamang sa mga kandidato; ito ay tungkol sa inyo at sa ating lahat," Escudero said. "At nais ko po sanang sabihin sa debateng ito may the voter win, at sana sa halalang ito, may the Filipino people win."

"Wala pa pong napakain ang bangayan; wala pa pong eskuwelahang napatayo ang silipin ng baho o butas; at wala pa rin pong nalikhang trabaho ang ano mang uri ng patutsadahan," he said.

Under their "Gobyernong may Puso" Escudero and Poe would allocate 20 percent of the national budget for social services. The tandem also promised to give 30 percent of the entire budget to Mindanao, where the poorest provinces are found.

"Ito ang layunin, ito ang mithiin, ito ang pangarap at nais naming makita sa ating bansa upang tunay na maging maunlad, tunay na maging malaya mula sa kahirapan ang ating mga kababayan at maibsan ang kanilang pagtitiis gayundin ang kanilang paghihinagpis," he said.

Escudero was also present at the vice-presidential debate sponsored by the Commission on Elections last week.