Press Release
August 26, 2018

Maunlad ang bayang bayani ang taumbayan at ang pamunuan -- Pangilinan
Statement of Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, Partido Liberal president, on National Heroes' Day and the death of US Senator John McCain

Every day, line up for an hour at the MRT, get to work, toil, hustle. Line up another hour or stand in the bus to get home. To earn about 500 pesos for the family. Keep close watch on expenses as prices go up. Conscious of every peso, every minute. The little time not eaten by work or wasted in traffic is spent hanging out outside the corner store.

But no surrender. Continue life's fight. Thank the neighbor-store owner for the extended debt. Thank the OFW sibling for the remittances. Thank the spouse for taking in laundry to add to the family budget.

That's the Filipino. Hardworking. Street-smart. Undaunted. That's the true hero.

Those in government should follow their example. Be models in leadership, like the late US Senator John McCain. He responded to and faced the call of history both in soldiery and in politics.

Those in government should follow their example. Fulfill their duties to the people: Fix public transport. Ease the people's everyday hardship. Create secure jobs that pay sufficient wage. Give hope of a good life here and not abroad. Arrest and jail plunderers. Value people's hard-earned taxes. Make affordable basic commodities like food, especially rice.

Thriving is the country where both ruler and ruled are heroes.

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