Cong. Liza Masa, Co-chairperson of Makabayan Coalition

By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr. 

SAN JUAN CITY — Nominees in the Party-List for the May 12, 2025 national and local elections on Friday (Oct. 18) divulged that they are for alternative politics and against political dynasty. 

In The Agenda Media Forum hosted by Pastor Gary Valdez, Cong. Liza Masa, Co-chairperson of Makabayan Coalition, said “ngayon kasi napakatindi ng problema sa ating bansa. 45 percent is still undecided.” 

“Sa Makabayan, 11 in the slate, all is pushing at one legislative agenda sa pagtataas ng sahod ng manggagawa, pagtataas ng sahod ng government employees, mga nurse.” 

“Matagal na tayong may brain drain na marami ng nagpupunta sa ibang bansa para magtrabaho.” 

“Kailangan na talagang wakasan ang dynasty sa bansa. Kasi salot ang dynasty. Kailangan na itong wakasan.” 

She agreed swith Erin to launch a movement to really stop political dynasty.

Masa said that its quite strange, absurd I should say on the possibility that Senator Bato Dela Rosa will head the conduct of an investigation-in-aid of legislation of the alleged extra-judicial killings (EJK) committed dring the Duterte administration (2016-2022).

The climate of impunity on EJK, pati na yung mga aktibista. 

Masa said that the unprogrammed funds of PhilHealth should instead be spent for the health services of the PhilHe alth members, which for Masa, is also a form of “pork barrel’ or another kind of “animal”.

The intelligence and confidential fund is present in the Office of the President, Office of the Vice President, which has become a “milking cow” also for other government agencies.

Masa noted that the Vice President has not yet fully disclosed about the questionable confidential and intelligence fund which is about one half of the whole confidential and intelligence fund, which is bigger than that of the security sector.

“We are really pushing for an independent foreign policy in so far as the West Philippine Sea is concerned,” Masa said, adding that “we are not agreeing with the installation of military structures in the West Philippine Sea.”

Masa cited the missiles deployment in the South China Sea thereby making a “narrative” that the presence of the United States in the area is necessary.  

Historically, Masa said, the election is not really the reflection of true democracy, adding that it’s “guns, goons and gold”.

During the election, Masa said, they are not offering money, but rather, a true public service and to get rid of bad past election experiences and to have positive electoral reforms.

“There should be alternative programs, true land reforms to address the centuries-old problem on agriculture, which is now in its worst condition. There should be a national industrialization and not to be dependent on multi-national companies such that even a toothpick is being imported,” Masa said. 

 ”We will increase our Gross National Product such that 5 percent of the GDP should go to education and health. Stop political dynasty. Penalize the corrupt. Independent foreign policy like the Vietnam model with no military alliance with a foreign country. No to violence and force and conflict in the country. Increase the salary of public employees, government employees. The democratic demands of our employees, which concretely address our problems.” Masa added.

“We will be filing disqualification cases against political dynasties. The Constitution provides that there should be no political dynasty upto second degree of consanguinity in the Sangguniang Kabataan law. There’s already an enabling law prohibiting dynasty,” Masa said.

However, Masa did not provide specific names or parties to be charged by the Makabayan bloc. 

Atty. Lorenzo ‘’Erin’’ R. Tanada, of Mamamayang Liberal Party-List, said that importanteng importante ito kasi pwede nitong sagutin ang mga isyu na di satisfied sa nakalipas na administration sa isyung sectoral, presyo ng bilihin, o usapin ng housing, paninirhan kng an po ay usapin ng human rights.

Improtanteng importanteng tugunan ang isyung ito ng sambayanan.

Hindi nila nararamdaman yung gobyenor na daspat bigyan ng solusyon ng ibat ibag batayan ng bansa. Very idealistic kasi ang kabataan ngahon na hind imo makukuha sa motherhood statements.

Ang nakakalimutan ng lahat ay ang tan ong na paano?

Nakakalungkot na nangyayari ang dynasty. Isa po kami sa nananawagan na tapusin na ang political dynasty sa bansa.

Kami po sa Liberal Party ay sumasang-ayon na dapat magkaroon na ng batas laban sa political dy nasaty.

Ang tingin kasi ng political dynasty ay kanila na ito. 

As a lawyer, Tanada said that the Senate has the right to investigate on the alleged human rights violations committed during the drug war of the Duterte administration.

However, Tanada said that if Sen. Dela Rosa would lead the investigation of such violations, 

On PhilHealth, Tanada said, the government now has no source of funds, and it saw the funds of PhilHealth which were not spent and there were those who questioned such transfer of PhilHealth funds to the National Treasury, noting that the Supreme Court has yet to issue a temporary restraining order on such transfer of PHP30 billion PhilHealth fund to the National Treasury. 

The confidential and intelligence fund, Tanada said, should be with “guard rails” with certain things that has to be reported on the people on how it is used through the years, the problem now it is also being continued during the Bongbong Marcos administration.

Tanada’s party-list is now no. 6 according to the Comelec.

It would appear that Alice Go is not a Filipino. How she was able to got the position of Mayor of Bamban, Tarlac.

The Philippines should be for Filipinos such that if China has interest in the Philippines, we should fight against it.

In 2019, Tanada ran in the “Otso Diretso” noting that they saw for themselves the spirit of “volunteerism”, including the progressive groups, which Tanada said, may be in their favor come the May 2025 midterm elections.

The Liberal Party is the oldest party in the country. It was opened to several sectors in 2011. It is not anymore politician-centered. 

They are more concerned with the “more overarching” on the societal issues such as poverty, agriculture, smuggling of agricultural products.

“This is where alternative politics comes in,” Tanada said.

The ML, Tanada said that the Party-List Law should be amended

Roy Jerusalem Cabonegro, of DPP-Makakalikasan-Party, said that hindi sya personality at hindi sila masyadong nakaikot.

He almost got 1 million votes in 2022 with zero from his own pocket.

They will not receive campaign funds from the contractors. “Rest back vote” with green bus tour.

More than 1/3 ng 66 na tumatakbo sa Senate ngayon ay relatively alternative. Na bigyan lang ng pagkakataon.

Bigyan lang sila ng pagkakataon. Mananalo kami. Ang pagbabudget sa climate change ay bulag. Nagbabbudget tayo na hindi natin alam. Ang dami-daming perang ninanakaw. Sinasayang lang.

May darating pa pong mas matindi.

75 percent na ang prevalence ng political dynasty. Palpak naman. Kailangan na talagang matugunan nay an.

120 million hindi matugunan ang isyu nay an?

There is some level of pressure na kinakailangan pag namumuno ka sa bansa pero pag ginawa sa illegal, ay masama.

Panagutin, oo lahat sila. Hindi lamang ang perpetrators.

The issue of health and environment is a “sonotic disease” is the effect of “habitat” to the humanity such that the unprogrammed funds should be programmed for the public hospitals as provided for by the Universal Health Care.

Ang problema natin sa kalikasan na papatay sa atin, ay dapat matugunan natin.

Hindi dapat banggaan ng society. Hindi natin kalaban ang mga Chinese. As an ecological area, ang South China Sea ay walang boundary. It is a common source for the future. It should be conserved and preserved for the future.

The most important thing about the West Philippine Sea is to protect it as a common source of neighbors, including China. Let’s do it for the future.

There’s nothing to gain if there’s war in the South China Sea. There’s nothing to gain from such a war.

73 percent is now the penetration of the “C, D & E” through Smart phones not analogue phones. The alternatives will win in the next elections such that the Gen Zs can rightfully decide for themselves.

“I want the country to be prepared for the worst. We need to prepare for the worst. Climate change is heading for the worst. We need to prepare.”