R1sa Pa! Hontiveros vows to fight corruption, promote healthy buhay at hanapbuhay in proclamation rally

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday officially launched her Senatorial campaign through a proclamation rally in Bacacay, Albay. She committed to continue to fight corruption and push for legislation promoting 'healthy buhay and hanapbuhay' for Filipinos.

"Ayaw natin sa magnanakaw. Biruin ninyo sa gitna ng pandemya ay may mga taong walang kunsensya at walang-awang pinagkakitaan ang paghihirap ng marami. Ayaw natin sa Pastillas Scam. Ayaw natin sa Pharmally scandal. Ayaw natin sa manloloko at manggagantso kaya nilabanan natin yan at syempre, tuluy-tuloy nating gagawin," she said.

The proclamation rally jumpstarted with a motorcade followed by an opening mass at St. Rose of Lima Parish in Bacacay, the hometown of her late husband, PLtCol. Frank Baraquel. The rally was also livestreamed on Hontiveros' official Facebook page and supporters gathered online in a watch party on the Youth with Risa page.

Hontiveros did a series of revealing interventions in committee hearings at the Senate. She unveiled the questionable transaction of the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) and Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation.

Hontiveros also exposed the corruption in the Bureau of Immigration: the Pastillas scam were immigration personnel receive grease money in exchange for the seamless entry of Chinese nationals and another racket victimizing Filipino women being sold off in Syria as virtual slave labor or prostituted women.

"Ang sabi po kasi nila, tayong mga botante dapat kinikilatis natin ang mga nanliligaw. Silipin daw ang track record. Hanapin raw ang resibo! Aba! Tayo pa ba? Gusto natin yan. Marami tayong resibo. Ang kailanma'y hindi mabubura ng mga fake news: Marami tayong nagawa. Dakol po kitang nagibo bilang Senador," Hontiveros stated.

She also vowed to carry on what she has started in ensuring Filipinos have access to a better health care system and quality employment included in her 'good jobs' agenda.

"Yung ating mobile clinic at medical missions nakapagsilbi ng daan-daang libong pasyente sa gitna ng pandemya. Limangdaang munisipalidad, syempre kasama ang Bicolandia. Sana ay maipagpatuloy natin ang proyektong ito. Pangako ko rin sa inyo, patuloy akong magpapanukala ng mga batas upang mapalakas at masuportahan ang ating health care system," she said.

Included in her commitment is to protect and defend the welfare of workers from across sectors, such as fisherfolk and farmers, as well as micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Hontiveros also appealed to allow her to serve the public one more time in the Senate.

"Kaya ba... Ang Risa pa?!?! Isa pa, para sa mga kababaihan at kabataan. Isa pa, para sa mga manggagawa. Isa pa, para suyurin at labanan ang korapsyon. Isa pa po sanang pagkakataong makapaglingkod sa bayan," Hontiveros concluded.