AKO Bisdak Party-List fights for regional representation

Retired Rear Admiral Ernesto Enriquez (left) and Architect Rommel Gavieta of the AKO Bisdak Party-List. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

There is pride in a name. There is pride in an expression like “AKO BISDAK.”

“AKO Bisdak” means I am a Visaya or I am someone from the Visayas. You don’t simply say the words, you say it with pride according to retired Rear Admiral Ernesto Enriquez and Architect Rommel Gavieta who were recently interviewed by Radyo Inquirer.

Enriquez and Gavieta are first and second nominees for the Party-List group “AKO Bisdak” #22 in the ballots.

Before this election, the two were never involved in politics. But going around in several provinces in Regions 6, 7, and 8, they said they saw that much has yet to be done for the poor communities in these regions and that the issues that concern them are not addressed.

“Are their needs really represented? Are their problems really addressed by their district representatives? May nakikinig ba talaga sa kanila?” Enriquez pointed out during the interview with Radyo Inquirer.

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Gavieta clarified that they are not competing with the district representatives of the provinces in the Visayas region. They are merely filling up a vacuum. “It’s about time that the Visayan speaking people be represented as a region by one group that knows the needs of the region,” said Gavieta.

Enriquez gave an example of how and why the real problems of people in the Visayas region Enriquez pointed out that the prohibition on certain vehicles does not work in the provinces. “We have an old law that says no two-wheel, three-wheel vehicles on the national highways. But you have to understand, a lot of our towns are along the national highway. Those are laws na by implementing, tinanggalan mo ng trabaho ang maraming taga probinsiya. Ang daming tao sa Kabisayaan, wala silang trabaho. Wala silang pang-hanapbuhay. Wala ring sasakyan ang mga tao because those laws are meant to be for cities na merong taxis at merong jeepney franchise. Doon wala naman eh. Paano mo i-implement yun? Yun ang reklamo ng mga tao doon habang umiikot kami.”

In one town alone, there are 900 members of “habal-habal” and tricycle drivers that would be affected once the laws meant for big cities are strictly implemented.

The flow of supply and logistics at the local level will be affected, added Gavieta.

“Hindi makakahatid ng bata sa eskwelahan. Hindi makakahatid ng palay kung saanman. Kapag inalisan mo g trabaho, lalong maghihirap ang mga pamilyang dati ng mahirap.”

Ako Bisdak aims to provide better representation for the Visayas regions by seeking to increase the DPWH budget to provide bypass roads to safeguard both the safety of the people of the region. Programs for the livelihood of those working for the transport sector are also a priority.

The two nominees from Ako Bisdak stressed that now is the time for regional representation in the House of Congress, a group that would consider and factor in with clear purpose and intent, the regional situation of the Visayas region.