Paolo Capino delivers a speech after filing his candidacy for senator on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, in Pasay City. (Screenshot from Comelec’s Facebook live)
MANILA, Philippines — Media practitioner Paolo Capino on Wednesday filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for senator with a pledge to push for the welfare of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the legislature.
Capino said he would run under Partido Reporma, whose chairman Senator Panfilo Lacson would be running for president in the May 2022 elections.
“Ako po ay isang PWD at ako po ay (I am a PWD and I am) humbled, I’m very flattered that I was asked to run under Partido Reporma under the Senate slate of Sen. Lacson, who I believe will bring the proper reform in this government,” Capino said during his speech after filing his COC.
“Ang tanging agenda ko ay para mapabuti at mapaganda ang buhay ng mga katulad ko na people with disabilities,” he added.
(My only agenda is to improve the welfare of people like me who have disabilities.)
“Noong ako’y bata pa, ako po ay naoperahan at gusto ko pong matulungan ang mga kapwa ko po PWD na mapabuti ang kanilang mga buhay at mapaganda ang kanilang sitwasyon lalo na ngayong may pandemic na hirap na hirap lalo na sa accessibility, sa mobility ng pagpunta sa trabaho,” he added.
(When I was young, I went through an operation and I want to help my fellow PWDs so that their lives will be improved especially during the pandemic when people are having problems with mobility.)
Lacson and his running-mate Senate President Vicente Sotto III filed their COCs for president and vice president, respectively, also on Wednesday.