By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz, Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco
SEVERAL lawmakers on Monday filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) for reelection and for other positions as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) opened the filing of COC for May 9 elections.
Lakas-Kampi CMD Rep. Gloria Arroyo of Pampanga led the congressmen who are seeking releelection.
Party-list Rep. Neri J. Colmenares of Bayan Muna filed his COC at the Comelec main office in Intramuros, Manila, saying he was running to become the people’s “fighter” in the Senate.
Colmenares said that, if elected, he will push for measures addressing rising prices of basic commodities and increasing employees pay and pension.
Kabaka Rep. Amado Bagatsing of Manila filed his COC at Comelec’s Manila office. Bagatsing will run for Manila mayor position with Ali Atienza as his vice mayor.
Other, lawmakers who filed their COCs seeking for reelection are Lakas Rep. Karlo Nograles of Davao City; Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza of Buhay; National Unity Party Rep. Gavini Pancho of Bulacan; Nationalist People’s Coalition Rep. Mercedes Alvarez of Negros Occidental; Liberal Party (LP) Rep. Salvio Fortuno of Camarines Sur; LP Rep. Carlo Lopez of Manila; and Anakpawis party-list group.
Also, eyeing for congressional seats are Rudy Aspilan (Baguio City); Jack Enrile (Cagayan); Jose Quiwa III (Third District of Pampanga); Albay Gov. Joey Salceda (Second District of Albay); Juan Arenasa (Cebu City); Luis Campos (Makati City); Lorna Bandigan (Davao Occidental); and CANCER party-list group.
Other viable candidates
THE Pilipino Movement for Transformational Leadership (PMTL), an influential group of Catholic and Christian faith-based organizations, meanwhile, identified several personalities in the government and other social spheres as “the most viable candidates” in the upcoming national and local elections.
Recent meetings among PMTL convenors and early results of the organization’s GabayKristo scorecard have revealed a list of names that have garnered high scores.
The group said that the list of potential leaders includes former Interior Secretary Rafael Alunan III; LP Rep. Roman Romulo of Pasig; former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cielito Habito; Fr. Ben Beltran; Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras; Cardinal Luis Tagle; human- rights advocate Amina Rasul-Bernardo; former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Public Works Secretary Rogelio L. Singson; former Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral; and University of the Philippines President Alfredo E. Pascual.
Lead convenor and PMTL official Spokesman Alex Lacson, in a statement, said “We are looking for transformational leaders whose heart and mind is focused on serving and guiding the Filipino people to a better future. We need candidates with good, unblemished records, are not tied or limited by any political party, and definitely do not bear the marks of a ‘trapo’ [traditional politician].”
Lacson aired the call as the PMTL started to collate and analyze the initial responses to the GabayKristo, a guide containing 20 criteria for leadership.
The guide covers four major areas: Karakter at Karangalan, Kakayanan at Abilidad, Katapatansa Diyos at sa Kapwa, Katotohanan sa Pamumuno at Pamunuan (Character and Integrity, Knowledge and Ability, Faithfulness to God and Fellowmen, Truthfulness in Leadership).
As the initial results of the GabayKristo take shape, the PMTL is confident that a few more names will appear, Lacson said.
He added that the next step involves encouraging the identified personalities to seriously act on the urgent need for true servant leaders as none of the names that came up has expressed their intentions to run in 2016.
The PMTL currently holds a membership of more than 30 faith-based organizations from both the Catholic and Evangelical-Protestant denominations while individual membership is counted at over 10 million.