‘Tesdaman’ Villanueva gets PRRD endorsement

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has conveyed his support for the Senate reelection bid of Sen. Joel Villanueva.

The President has given his endorsement during a one-on-one meeting with Villanueva in Davao City Monday night.

Villanueva, author of more than 103 laws  on employment, education, health, youth,  migrant affairs and other pro-poor measures, described his meeting with the chief executive on March 14 as “fruitful. “

“Marami pong napag-usapan sa maikling panahong ibinigay sa atin ng Pangulong Duterte. Some light matters and others very substantial. I thank the President for taking time out to see me,“ he said.

Villanueva said he was “pleasantly pleased and, to be frank, surprised,  when he told me that he will endorse me, and raised our hand.”

He welcomed the presidential endorsement “because as an independent, with no party,  going solo on sorties, that kind of support will be a big help.”

President Rodrigo Duterte raises the hand of TESDAMAN, Senator Joel Villanueva, in a show of support for his senatorial bid anchored on creating more and better jobs for Filipinos.

He added that Duterte did not ask for any condition or favor in exchange for his endorsement.

“But I told him that good programs like the ‘Build, Build, Build’ should be continued because that transcends changes in administration. I volunteered to advocate for the BBB in the years ahead,” Villanueva said.

“Mahalaga po na ipagpatuloy ang mga programang makakagawa at makakalikha ng trabaho, magagandang trabaho.”

“Sa tingin po natin, ito ay pagkilala nya sa ating work ethic at track record sa pagsulat, pagtulak o pag-isponsor  ng mga batas tulad ng Doktor para sa Bayan Law, Department of Migrant Workers Law, Tulong-Trabaho Law at marami pang iba,” Villanueva said.

With the latest endorsement from President Duterte himself, Villanueva has earned the support of Senators Manny Pacquiao and Ping Lacson, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Vice President Leni Robredo, and presidential daughter and vice presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte as part of their respective Senate slates.

“Sabi po ng ating Pangulo, para may resibo ang pagsuporta nya,  itataas nya ang kamay ni ‘Tesdaman.’ Sabi ko naman ay, ‘maraming, maraming salamat po, Mr. President, sa pagkilala sa trabaho at misyon ni Tesdaman,‘’  said Villanueva.

He earned the moniker as director general of the tech-voc agency from 2010-2015.

/MUF