By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
SAN JUAN CITY — Former Senator Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan will run again for Senator under the Reform Party (PH Party) in the May 12, 2025 national and local elections because of “unfinished business”.
Honasan has played a significant role in the EDSA People Power Revolution on Feb. 22-25, 1986 that restored democracy in the Philippines.
In “The Agenda” Media Forum on Friday (Oct. 25) at Club Filipino hosted by LRTA (Light Rail Transit Authority) Deputy Administrator Paul Chua, Honasan said “Let us continue as a people under one flag, one nation to dream hard, to work hard under one God.”
From 1995-2019, Honasan cited that the essence of ouor fundamental law is to protect and preserve life, liberty and property and the pursuit of happiness. It is in this context, that I will seek again to serve the public as Senator in the May 2025 elections.
“Because it is essential for any law, whether amend it, repeal it, or come up with another law to address food, clothing, shelter, education and now, data,” Honasan said.
Honasan also served as Secretary of DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology) from 2019 to 2021.
He authored the “People Ownership of Good Information (POGI) Bill”.
He served as Senator for 21 years but he lost as Vice President in the last presidential election.
On climate change, Honasan expounded “We are the principal author of the DRRMC (Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council) Law. The law was passed in all levels.”
“Those who are isolated, those who are hungry cannot wait. The two variables are time and information,” he noted.
Honasan stressed that the intervention should be on time and responsive. “It’s actually a ‘mapping up’ operation where the storm will pass by,” he said.
“In fact, in the World Index, we are number 1. That’s the essence of the DRRMC Law,” Honasan said.
In 2019, as Secretary of DICT, Honasan admitted that he was not placed there because he was a techie but as a manager. He put the best and the brightest in the DICT.
“We are an archipelago, pero dapat iangkas natin dyan ang infrastructure sa info. Strengthen the information and communications technology to the farthest areas of the country,” he said.
On food security program, Honasan said “we are not only talking about rice, onions and other agricultural products.” He noted “we taught our neighbors (countries) about rice production.”
“So, farm-to-market roads totoo na. These are basic issues that we need to resolve. We are an agriculture country,” Honasan said, adding that “I think, there should be no Filipino who will feel bungry.”
On the national land use and mapping program, Honasan said “land and water use. Pag umuulan, bumabaha, pero kung may containment tayo, pwedeng ifiltrate after noon maiinom na ang tubig ulan.”
“We are a maritime country. Ganoon kasimple yon. So, kailangan natin ng land use policy. These are the things that we should sorted out. Ano ba uunahin natin,” he said.
Honasan noted “decades have already passed, meron na ba tayong IRR (Implementing Rules and Regulations).”
“These transcend administration – six yeasr lang yan. We must be forward-looking – for 50 years. Every three years, we have election,” he said.
“The peace policy should be comprehensive. It should be institutionalized.” He noted “maraming nagbalik-loob na bumalik because of failure to address some issues.”
Honasan has launched the “PH Party” just this year. He realized “I think we are a nation of heroes. The context of the Reform Movement – to sacrifice your life, if there’s a need.”
“We form the Reform Party t
o give our people a wider choice. We stick together whatever happens,” he said.
On his message to the young generation, Honasan was a soldier for 17 years, a rebel for 7 years, a senator for 21 years, and two-a-half years as Secretary of DICT – almost 50 years of public service.
“Learn from our mistakes. Harness the technology, information. Manage time. All we can do now is to lead by example. So that the youth may participate in nation-building in the future.”
Honasan noted that 14 million Filipinos are scattered in 200 countries. 30 percent of seafarers worldwide are Filipinos. “If they stop working, commerce will stop and the United Nations will stop. If we look at the map, we control the traffic. We can be the political hub, digital hub.”
On the online registration of social media platforms and AI, Honasan said “the Comelec is serious in facing their problems. The important thing is that the voter can be registered before the elections. Whether automated or manual, Let’s educate our people, especially the young, dahil kinabukasan nila ang nakataya.”
The former senator would like to maximize “technology and digitalization” for disaster risk reduction and management, which is the essence of the NDRRMC Law.
Both AGRI Party-List Rep. Wilbert Lee and former Senator Honasan are running for Senator in the May 2025 elections. They are both “Bicolanos” and have served government and the public.
Honasan urged the “sundalo, pari at media, at multi-media” to lead the way in seeking an elective post in the May 2025 elections with good intention and true public service in their heart.
“Dream hard. Pray hard. Let us continue to work hard. One nation, one people, one God,” Honasan said.