MANILA, Philippines — After risking his life for Filipinos in his 50-plus years in public service, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said he is prepared to once again put his life on the line for the Filipino people – this time, as the leader the nation badly needs.
Lacson, running for president under Partido Reporma, said he is offering his competence, qualifications and experience – the traits a leader needs – to fight for the Filipino people as the country faces serious fiscal, economic and security challenges.
“From a soldier and law enforcer who has fought terrorists, communist rebels and criminals; as a Philippine National Police chief who cleansed the police force of rogues; and as a senator who never allowed corruption to taint him, I wish to continue giving my brand of service to our nation,” he said in his closing statement at the Commission on Elections’ First Presidential Debate.
Lacson spent 20 years in the Philippine Constabulary and 10 in the PNP, and 18 years in the Senate. He also served as presidential assistant on rehabilitation and recovery to help those affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).
He pointed out that among the current crop of presidentiables, only he has placed his life on the line in the service of the Filipino people.
He warned the nation now faces humongous problems, ranging from an economy battered by the pandemic and by the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, to ballooning debt that has exceeded P12 trillion, and corruption in government.
“Among all the presidential aspirants both present and absent here, no one else has laid his life on the line in the Filipino people’s service,” Lacson said.
He said it takes a competent, qualified and experienced leader to turn campaign promises into reality.
“It takes a leader who is competent, qualified and experienced, to turn the promises of unity, ‘Bilis Aksyon,’ ‘Angat Buhay’ into reality. We need a President who is ready to fight and win for the Filipino people,” Lacson said.
He stated during the debates that he and his running mate, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, eschew campaign rallies and inviting celebrities as such do not allow the people to talk, only the candidates.
Instead, they hold consultations with various groups in various parts of the country to allow them to listen to their problems and learn from them as well, Lacson said.
The Lacson-Sotto tandem’s campaign theme is “Aayusin ang Gobyerno, Aayusin ang Buhay ng Bawat Pilipino (Fix the government, fix the lives of every Filipino).”
He earlier said he will wage a no-nonsense internal cleansing in the bureaucracy in his first 100 days in office and ensure the government is efficient, corruption-free and prudent in using taxpayers’ money.
Lacson said government’s thrust “is a science-based, data-driven, and future-proof platform that can withstand the test of time.”
He said over P700 billion was lost to corruption every year – going straight into the pockets of the few who lust for power. Each year, every peso from Filipino taxpayers lost its value, thus each vote lost its meaning.
“For the longest time, we have witnessed how corruption, the worst form of thievery, destroys our nation – deny our people their livelihood, health, education, equal opportunity, and worst, the future of our next generation,” Lacson said.
“We are scared of being stolen from, but every election we vote in thieves,” the longtime public servant said.
He stressed it was clear to him who the enemies were: the pandemic, poverty, lack of jobs, huge national debt, hunger, challenges to education – and “the most painful of them all: the rampant theft and corruption of the people’s money.”
Under a good government, Lacson said there would be funding, among others, for quality health care, led by the full P260-billion investment in the Universal Healthcare Act of which he was one of the principal authors.
With such clean government, he said a thriving economy will return, with ample support for micro, small and medium enterprises or MSMEs, through comprehensive and targeted fiscal stimulus packages.