Senator Manny Pacquiao, presidential candidate for the 2022 elections, speaks in one of his sorties in Rizal. Contributed photo
MANILA, Philippines — “Ako mismo ang kakaladkad sa kanila sa kulungan.” (I will personally haul them to jail.)
Thus promised PROMDI presidential candidate Sen. Manny Pacquiao to underscore his commitment in his war against corruption as he announced that he would ask Jesus Is Lord (JIL) founder Deputy Speaker Eddie Villanueva to help his government in his crusade against graft and corruption.
During his sorties in the towns of Rodriguez, and San Mateo in Rizal province, Pacquiao told media that he would offer Villanueva, who is more properly known as Brother Eddie, as his administration’s anti-corruption czar because of his integrity and shared commitment to fight corruption in government.
Senator Manny Pacquiao, presidential candidate for the 2022 elections, speaks during a news conference in one of his sorties in Rizal. Contributed photo
“If God wills that I become president, I would appoint Congressman Eddie Villanueva, better known as Brother Eddie Villanueva, as anti-corruption czar. In fact, at present Brother Eddie represents the Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption or CIBAC Party List, whose main advocacy is to fight corruption on all fronts of the government, ” Pacquaio said shortly after his courtesy call to Rodriguez Mayor Dennis Hernandez.
“With Brother Eddie, I am confident that justice can finally be attained against the corrupt officials of government — past and present. Ino-offer ko sa kanya, sana’y tanggapin niya [I’m offering it to him, I hope he accepts it],“ he added.
After meeting with the town officials, Pacquiao held a dialogue with the members of Home Owners’ Federation of Montalban at the 1K1 covered court in Brgy. Kasiglahan, Rodriguez to hear their life struggles and their dreams for their families.
In the dialogue. Pacquiao said the government should stop its practice of creating socialized housing sites in far-flung areas that only makes it impossible for relocated families to find a decent livelihood.
According to Pacquiao, the government’s failure to address housing backlog is caused by its failure to make its housing program accessible, inclusive and sustainable.
Speaking before families of former informal settlers who were relocated in Montalban, Rizal, Pacquiao said he would overhaul the program to ensure that the government’s relocation program would not deny them access to their livelihood.
The government should also ensure that new communities are given access to education and transportation.
He would stop the present practice of building relocation communities in far-flung areas and would push for in-city relocation for urban informal settlers by building medium-to-high rise housing complexes to provide free housing to all homeless families.
“Mali ang ginagawa na magtatayo ng mga pabahay sa mga liblib at malalayong lugar at doon irerelocate ang mga informal settlers na walang option para sa kanilang kabuhayan at sa edukasyon ng kanilang anak. Wala ring maayos na transportation [It is wrong to build houses in far-flung places and relocated informal settlers there, where no livelihood and education for the family, lack of transportation],” Pacquiao said.
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