Ang Kabuhayan Partylist has declared its “unequivocal” support for the senatorial candidacy of Sorsogon Governor Chiz Escudero in the coming May 9 National Elections.
In a statement, the party-list said it shares the veteran lawmaker’s advocacy to advance people empowerment through the development of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), many of which belong to the agriculture sector, but have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic for the last two years ago.
“We especially commend Senator Chiz for calling on his former colleagues in the Senate to thoroughly review the terms of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement before its ratification,” Ang Kabuhayan said.
It will be recalled that Escudero, who is seeking a new six-year term in the Senate, has urged his former colleagues to carefully review the terms stipulated under the RCEP before ratifying the trade pact.
The veteran legislator asked the senators to assess the long-term impact of the RCEP on agriculture, particularly on farmers and fisherfolk, who are considered the poorest in the Philippines.
The partylist expressed gratitude to Escudero for taking the cudgels of the MSMEs in the agriculture sector which, it said, has serious concerns about the agreement.
“We thank Gov. Escudero for this gesture which is highly appreciated by the Kabuhayan Party-list. We wish Senator Chiz the best of luck in his senatorial comeback and he is assured of Kabuhayan’s all-out support,” the statement said.
Ang Kabuhayan joins An Waray, ARISE, BHW, Kusog Bikolandia and Magdalo in the growing list of party-list organizations that have endorsed Escudero’s bid to return to the Senate. The Federation of Free Farmers, a 200,000-strong non-government organization considered one of the biggest in the country, said it is also backing him.
The tandems of Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Kiko Pangilinan; Senator Ping Lacson and Senate President Tito Sotto; and Senator Manny Pacquiao and Rep. Lito Atienza have adopted Escudero in their senatorial slates, and recently, UniTeam vice-presidential candidate and incumbent Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte and mayors from CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) and Eastern Samar who belong to the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) have likewise endorsed the incumbent leader of Sorsogon.